There are 300 million Americans. We have an electoral college system instituted at the time of the founding of the nation.

This has consequences. In certain states, the candidates can have a more heady discourse. In others they can't. n Iowa, the Republicans have to pay attention to farming and God. In New Hampshire they don't. This is why Huckabee wins in one state and drags in the next.

The States are nowhere near as fractious as the EU of course, but you can imagine trying to run a campaign for Europe.

I agree with you that there is little substance spoken (although each of the candidates have offered detailed plans that are easily reviewed, seldom referred to for fear of boring the electorate) but this superficiality speaks to the deep fissures in American culture.