Live-blogging the South Carolina Republican presidential debate!

By Michael J.W. Stickings

(No, not really. Why would I do such a thing?)

Yes, there was a debate last night...

(Is that chirping I hear?)

Seriously, there was. It was on Fox News. And it's been the lead story at FoxNews.com, which of course celebrates the five participants for slamming Obama at every turn.

Yes, just five.

Romney wasn't there. He's too busy being invisible -- the the time being, probably to his credit so as not to have to share the stage with such idiotic extremism (and extremist idiocy).

Trump wasn't there. He's not an official candidate, after all, just a loudmouthed bully grasping for attention.

So is Gingrich, also not an official candidate and also not there.

And Bachmann... well, I'm not sure what she was doing, but she wasn't there either.

Two somewhat saner potential candidates also weren't there, Huntsman and Daniels.

And Fred Karger, openly gay, was kept out. Of course.

So who was there? Pawlenty (oddly enough, given that he's not nearly as crazy as the rest, though perhaps any press is good for this guy, who risks declining back into obscurity), Santorum, Ron Paul, Herman Cain, and Gary Johnson.

Good times.

(chirp... chirp... chirp...)

I don't really have anything to say about the event. It was as predictable and pointless as you might imagine. And nothing was said that was in any way remarkable. Even Santorum's ridiculous claim that Bush and not Obama deserves credit for killing Osama bin Laden was par for the right-wing course.

And no dent is made at all in terms of sorting out the GOP field. Because it's still an embarrasing, incredibly weak field, and because we're still waiting for a few potentially serious (or at least big-name) contenders to make up their minds, like Gingrich, Daniels, and, yes, one Sarah Palin.

So. Whatever. Just thought I'd mention it.

(Chirp!)