After watching CNN's "McCain Revealed" and "Obama Revealed," I have to ask, "Why can't I vote for both?

And besides all else, I am reading both of the above autobiographical (more or less) books and am really quite moved by the passions, ambitions and early life experiences of both men.

Neither are really political books, per se, but should be read by every American intending to vote in this coming November's election. The same can be said for watching at least one of the (likely endless) reruns of this evening's "McCain Revealed" or "Obama Revealed" documentaries.

I certainly had tears in my eyes several times while reading portions of both books and the same can be said of this evening's experience while lying in the bed watching CNN's marvelous documentaries on the two men. Even my irascible cats (leaping endlessly on my chest from the window sill) couldn't break the spell.

In particular, I saw (and read in-depth for the first time) the strong influences of the early parental and grand parental (especially in Barack Obama's case) relationships for the two men vis-a-vis their current ambitions.

Just as the Hanoi Hilton and its influence on the emerging John McCain is relevant to his potential as our President, so were the efforts of Barack Obama on the south side of Chicago--and his multi-racial, multicultural roots--relevant to his potential as our next President.

They are both noble, dignified men, great politicians and talented writers. I am reading both books simultaneously and that is not easy--since I have to put one or the other down in order to pick up where I left off in the other. I am trying to follow their lives coincidental with their ages in the books and do not want to put either book down. These books are wonderful insights into the makings of these men of unusual and refreshing character.

Both McCain's and Obama's stories bring laughter, tears and wonder; both books bridge ages, genders, races and creeds; they both draw up memories of my own coming of age.

I might disagree with Mr. Obama's "pro-choice" views or his foot-dragging on pushing nuclear energy in the 21st Century and with Mr. McCain's harsh rhetoric relating to what I believe to have been an unnecessary war in Iraq and his support of George Bush's regressive tax "cuts," but I'm truly left wondering why we can't have an Obama-McCain or a McCain-Obama ticket in November.

Interestingly, since they are both still in the Senate, that may be what we, in actuality, will get if the loser will help the winner to solidify Congress to help unify the White House and both sides of the aisles in Congress during the difficult years ahead.