Your analysis of the vote now being worthless is correct.
But, as to why this is the situation we face, is not related to the candidates.
The problem being overlooked is a corrupt and extralegal system, whereby two corrupt political parties have seized the system, and are now in collusion with the mass media corporations in the use of non-constitutional methods such as "primaries" and "phony scripted TV debates" which the majority of the public never question, to suddenly "announce" to the public their "choice" of the stooges most willing to obey those truly in power behind the scenes.
So...being a given that you will have a "choice" of voting for incompetent and corrupt candidates, the "outcome" of the election will matter little at this point in our history.
I know one thing for certain--whoever wins the Presidency will inherit a total nightmare with few if any options for turning matters around.
p.s.--I've just been informed by relatives in another part of the U.S. that the local "Jewish Community Newspaper" is advising all of the Jews to vote for Obama, because he loves the Jews and will represent "diversity". I wish I was just making this up, but I'm not. The "local leaders" are convincing all the Jews to believe that Obama is "the greatest friend Israel has ever had!".