Bob McAllistair, a long-time South Carolina Republican operative, said that tonight’s first Republican Presidential debate is “like a beauty contest where all the women are ugly”.  Those of us who live in the Palmetto state don’t mince words.  Four of the five candidates who will take the stage in Greenville tonight have no business even getting tickets to attend the event. Forget the original rules.  Fox News had to fill out the roster after Romney, Gringrich and Bachman took a pass.  The South Carolina Republican party was more than happy to take a $25,000 check from Ron Paul, Gary Johnson, Herman Cain, and Rick Santorum.  The rest can probably afford the entry fee, but Santorum would have been better off putting the money into his children’s college tuition fund.  Let’s face it, no one but Pawlenty has a snowball’s chance in Charleston of  being the Republican nominee, and his chances may be diminished just from being onstage with this crew.  Oh well, at some point Gingrich will have to decide if he’s in or out: Romney will have to emerge from hiding; and Mitt Daniels will toss his motorcycle helmet in the ring.  Then we’ll have a real debate.  Tonight’s opening clown act will have had their 15 minutes of fame, which unfortunately has been schedule for 60 minutes. Let me know how it comes out.  I plan on taking a catnap.