There are two moments I love in politics. The first is when everyone puts their differences aside, find a common cause and work together for something wonderful. I love the West Wing style moments when everything works out, the right people are the victors and we are a better world with leaders in it.

The second is the fight that comes before and after all that. I love the battle royal when two sides of seemingly equal mass but opposing force collide in a bitter battle that teeters on the brink of insanity and mirrors full on war.

My message today? Get ready for war.

So far Republicans have been doing a much better job of taking each other on in a “everyone for themselves, lets get this done” fashion. It still isn’t the fun I want it to be but give it time. With only a few weeks to Iowa, things will heat up there.

The real fun that is about to occur though is on the Democratic ticket. After a few weeks of Obama, Edwards, Dodd and Biden taking on Hillary Clinton the other shoe will undoubtedly drop. It has to if Clinton wants to stay afloat.

There is a real problem with the Democratic party this year. The last thing Dems want is to see their own pummeling each other right before an election they poised over a year ago to win handily. I advised a year ago in this blog, repeatedly, that the best bet for the Dems was to pick a candidate, as the Republicans did in 2000, and put all their resources behind whoever that was. They did not do that and instead have chose to eat each other alive. My suggestion, get on with it then.

Here is my advice for the top three on what we should see:

1: Clinton, have at it. You have run a campaign since day one that shows you are the strongest and most ready to take on a Republican in the field. As frontrunner you did the right thing in not going to heavily after Edwards and Obama early on because it would have backfired then. Now, whole other story.

It is time to knock out the competition. With only a few weeks to Iowa you only have so much time. Everyone will tell you “Iowa doesn’t like it when you attack.” It might be true but it shouldn’t matter. Obama has shown he isn’t the best debator in this format and Edwards has proven that everytime he attacks he goes down in the polls.

Hit them with everything you have. Give us concrete examples of how Obama isn’t experienced. Give us concrete examples of how they are hypocritical in the way they run their campaigns and then attack you.

Imagine Rudy Giuliani on their faces and then give us a few smiles too. Pull the Joe Biden card and when they do the “thirty second yes or no” nonsense. Say yes or no. Deflate the room.

When the question turns to your ever changing positions on drivers licenses here is your answer:

“I have been told my position hasn’t been clear on this issue. That is my fault, I probably was not clear enough. So let me take this opportunity to make myself clear. With all do respect to my friend Eliot Spitzer, I do not support giving drivers licenses to illegal immigrants, I will not support giving drivers licenses to illegal immigrants and as president I will work to solve the problem of illegal immigration so no state will ever have to give illegal immigrants drivers licenses.”

Obama: Prepare to be hit. You are going to have to undergo scrutiny that you did not undergo when running for the Senate. You ran against a candidate who had a divorce/sex scandal, then Alan Keyes came in.

Be prepared to be hit hard and not just by Clinton. If Clinton goes after you tonights debate will be a glimpse into what you will face again McCain, Romney, Giuliani or any Republican. Don’t count on John Edwards saving your butt either. (Read what I have to say to Edwards to find out why).

You have a choice tonight. My advice? Don’t turn this into the “you vs. Clinton fight” the press wants. You don’t have to stop pointing out your “differences” but tap into that sense of what makes you great. Start telling us what you are going to do, start giving us solutions and answers. Be what you say you are, a different kind of candidate.

Fight back but don’t pick fights.

Edwards: Let Clinton take on Obama, let Obama take on Clinton, go back to being the candidate of hope. It is that simple. You’ve attacked Clinton, you’ve been trial lawyer, we get it. Like I said for Obama, don’t go picking fights. At this point you don’t need to hit Hillary, you need to hit Hillary and Barack. You have to take down two monsters of fundraising and polling to catch up. The people of Iowa want to see you as viable, interesting, different. Not as just another mudslinging politician.

Somewhere you stopped doing what you did best. You let Obama take over the “hope and change” message. You cannot win on experience, you cannot win on competitive general election platforms, you cannot win on being an attack dog.

Win on being yourself.