The Junior GOP debate starts to look more interesting than the Main Stage

[Rhea]

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/12/23/3734809/republican-debate-candidates/

On Tuesday, Fox Business Network announced that it would be changing its criteria for candidates to qualify for its upcoming main stage debate in January. The criteria, it noted, would limit the number of participants to as few as six.

To qualify for the primetime debate, candidates would either have to place in the top six of the five most recent national polls; in the top five of the five most recent Iowa polls; or in the top five of the five most recent New Hampshire polls, the network said. Right now, only businessman Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie meet those qualifications.

That means that candidates like former HP executive Carly Fiorina, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), and Ohio Gov. John Kasich — all accustomed to the main stage debate — would be bumped down to the oft-called “kid’s table” debate of lower polling candidates. It’s not a great development for them, but it’s a welcome one for viewers, who have been subjected to some truly unruly debates.

I'm thinking there's little reason to stay up late for the second act...

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

IMHO the three top candidates is the limit for these debates. It's neither entertaining nor productive with so many players.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

IMHO the three top candidates is the limit for these debates. It's neither entertaining nor productive with so many players.

Perhaps if the debate organizers added laugh tracks....

 

[Keith&Co.]

IMHO the three top candidates is the limit for these debates. It's neither entertaining nor productive with so many players.

Perhaps if the debate organizers added laugh tracks....

Or a ring girl.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

IMHO the three top candidates is the limit for these debates. It's neither entertaining nor productive with so many players.

Perhaps if the debate organizers added laugh tracks....

Well, if they did that, Trump would never be able to get a second sentence in.