The Fox Business Network has
announced the lineup for Tuesday's debate, and finally there has been a meaningful shake-up. The main debate has been whittled down to eight candidates, while the number of candidates at the kiddie table debate will remain the same, but with some different faces.
Who made the grade? Donald Trump and Ben Carson, of course. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Carly Fiorina, and, bringing up the rear, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. Just eight people! The stage will look so barren. It'll be beautiful.
That means New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee have been booted down to the kiddie table, where they'll join Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Rick Santorum. Which means, yes, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and George Pataki are out altogether. Which means Lindsey Graham as a sitting senator could not outlast George Pataki as a debate qualifier. We can also look forward to seeing how a humiliated Christie and Huckabee perform amid this new company.
The debates will be at 9 PM ET and 7 PM ET on Tuesday, November 10. Airing on the Fox Business Network and including moderators from the Wall Street Journal should take away most of the candidates' opportunities to whine about the mean, unfair moderators—which is not to say they won't try.