It's time for the top (and middle, and lower middle) of the Republican presidential field to take the stage at the Reagan Library. With that venue and this crowd, you can bet on a lot of bowing down to St. Ronald—for your own health, I'd recommend against including his name in any drinking game you might be playing.
Onstage tonight:
Donald Trump
Jeb Bush
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker
Ben Carson
Sen. Ted Cruz
Sen. Marco Rubio
Mike Huckabee
Sen. Rand Paul
Ohio Gov. John Kasich
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie
Carly Fiorina
That makes 11 debaters rather than the planned 10—Fiorina was allowed in by a rule change to include her on the basis of her having made the top 10 in the average of polls done since the previous debate.
The debate will air on CNN and stream on CNN.com.
5:18 PM PT (Joan McCarter): The introductions. Rand Paul is an eye doctor who defends the constitution. Mike Huckabee is not a socialist or "under investigation by the FBI." Funny guy. Rubio makes a very lame water joke. Cruz is still creepy, he just can't help it. Ben Carson has on a very interesting suit, so there's that. He's concerned about the future of the children. And grateful to be here--is a gentleman about Fiorina being on the stage. Trump is saying he's made billions and billions but he's not doing it to brag. Jeb! believes American is a "committed, conservative reformer." Not very energetic. Scott Walker actually says "Reagan." The first to do it. So yeah, Reagan, Reagan, Reagan. He still looks like Nixon to me. Fiorina missed her cue, but her husband used to drive a tow truck so she gets . . . something. She's ready to lead. Kasich, calls out the family, and claims that he flew on that very plane behind them when he was in Congress. So he actually was in the presence of St. Ronnie. Suck on that, Walker.
5:19 PM PT (Joan McCarter): Oops, forgot to wait for Christie. Because Christie. But you didn't miss anything.
5:23 PM PT: Carly Fiorina gets an invitation to attack Trump right out of the gate. She dodges energetically. The question then gets thrown back to Trump, who attacks Rand Paul, for some reason, before—surprisingly calmly—extolling his qualifications as a businessman. Then it goes to Paul, who smirks with glee at getting attention so early on.
5:27 PM PT (Barbara Morrill): New thread here.