The rare moment of national unity that Hurricane Gustav delivered, with the usual politicking on pause, reminded me of another time, when Americans more commonly joined together in a bipartisan manner.

It should not take the potential drowning of one of the United States’ most storied cities – or other crises, at home and abroad – to prompt such behavior. Indeed, a cooperative spirit should be woven into the nation’s fabric and placed on display for the entire world to see.

Is that a possible outcome of the fall election?

I hope so, although one could easily shy away from such thinking in light of the continuing enthusiasm that too many people have for dragging the presidential candidates and their running mates through the mud.

Consider Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska and now No. 2 on the Republican ticket with Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Why is her daughter’s pregnancy seemingly a bigger concern than Palin’s own story?

To me, the young woman’s situation is a complicated, private, all-too-common family matter. I would rather focus on the fact that Palin is the first woman in a generation to serve as a vice-presidential nominee for a major party, not to mention the first ever for Republicans. I would rather hear more from Palin on the critical issues of the day. I would rather see extensive scrutiny of her record in public life. And I would rather test the perception that she brings strength to the ticket because of her outside-of-Washington status, appeal as a woman and “ordinary” life against the notion that she weakens the campaign effort because she is relatively unknown, hard to imagine as president, should she be required to step into that role, and too heavy on conservative credentials for some, too light for others.

Further, it troubles me that Palin and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, the Democratic standard-bearer, frequently receive criticism for their “lack of experience” and relative youth. Both are accomplished, as well as significantly past the constitutionally set minimum age of 35 that one must attain to be eligible for the presidency. Both are smart and have much to offer this nation.

Similarly, the older members of the two teams, McCain and Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, Obama’s running mate, must deal with relentless speculation about their health. Each certainly has had a serious ailment. As far as I know, though, both are hearty and hale at this point. They, too, are smart and have much to offer this nation.

In other words, I believe that Americans have a choice between competent contenders.

Still, neither has my vote at this stage. Simply put, they have not yet earned it. I am holding out for meaningful, substantive debate on America’s most important challenges and opportunities. In matters close to home, I would like to hear that they will reach across the aisle and forge a consensus more often than they will succumb to argument and stalemate. At the international level, I would like to hear that they will aim for a bipartisan foreign policy and without compromising the U.S. right to act independently in its national interest – embrace a multilateral approach.

For the good of the nation and the world, America’s leaders should regularly and eagerly take such steps. By so doing, they would rid themselves of the need for catastrophe to inspire unity.