I did not catch last week's televised debate among Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and other candidates for the Democrat presidential nomination, but it does not sound as though I missed much. Instead, I watched another debate that was sharper, funnier and said more about the future of business and the environment.

It was between David Bonderman, founding partner of the private equity fund Texas Pacific, and Laura Miller, the mayor of Dallas, at the Milken Institute's annual conference in Los Angeles. Unlike the public display of unity between Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama, Mr Bonderman and Ms Miller were not afraid to have a goodold barney with each other in front of cameras and an audience.