Live from Miami, It's (Almost) Debate Night

And then there were five. The crowded GOP presidential field will enjoy a little more breathing room on tonight's debate stage in Miami's Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Former Vice President Mike Pence recently suspended his campaign to no one's surprise, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum didn't meet the minimum requirements to participate, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson hasn't qualified since the first debate, way back in August.

That leaves former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, S.C. Sen. Tim Scott, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

There were rumors that only three would qualify to appear tonight, and I'd figured they would be Haley, DeSantis, and Ramaswamy. But having Scott and Christie participating still really makes it just Haley, DeSantis, and Ramaswamy as the only three semi-realistic alternatives to Trump. Which really makes it either Haley or DeSantis. 

And that really makes it just Trump, who I wish would participate. Still, he looks unassailable in primary poll after primary poll. Iowa and New Hampshire voters do like to surprise us, but, absent any surprises, it's difficult to see anyone else at the top of the ticket.

But — believe it or not — even with all his support and donations, Trump hasn't qualified to appear at any of the three debates. NPR explains:

The former president has not qualified for any of the Republican debates so far, even though he has met the polling and fundraising thresholds. But he has not met qualifying standards – specifically one that requires each candidate to pledge they will support whoever wins the nomination. Trump has flat out refused to sign that pledge: he has also said that he doesn't want to elevate his opponents by being on stage with them.

The GOP was a party in flux, in turmoil, for years before Trump descended the golden escalator in 2015. A little more loyalty on his part, to the party and the voters it represents, might help heal those rifts. Alas, that's not going to happen. 

Still, it's hard not to feel a little pre-schadenfreude when The Economist, formerly a respectable publication, runs an op-ed calling Trump "terrifyingly electable." And they mean electable against Presidentish Joe Biden in November, not against Haley or DeSantis in Iowa. 

Back to tonight's upcoming action. 

Why bother having a debate at all? Partly, out of tradition, I guess. But mostly because debates force the candidates to test and sharpen their messages and their delivery. They also help take measure of voter sentiment — what issues resonate, what policies are preferred, what style of leadership is desired.

I'm in Miami — along with WMAL's Larry O'Connor, Townhall's Katie Pavlich, and Red State's Jennifer Van Laar — for an in-person drunkblog, followed by a chance to speak with various candidates. Which means I'm going to have to stay mostly sober during the drunkblog. Nobody wants to see me throw up on Christie. Hardly anyone, anyway. Certainly not again.

I kid, I kid.

Tonight's debate starts at 9 p.m. Eastern and my drunkblog will begin a little before then. Check back on the PJ Media home page this evening for all the action.