The First GOP Debates.

It was 5AM Friday here in Philippines when the, so-called 2nd tier, or "happy hour" Republican debate was broadcast live via Fox News. I didn't awake until after 6 AM, so I did not watch the entire debate between the seven candidates who had not made it to the top ten in time to make the Big League debate at 9 0'clock.

Like everyone one else on the planet, I was most impressed by the performance of Carly Fiorina. She has, without question, catapulted onto the top tier. The question,now is who of the top ten candidates will now sink lower in the polls? As much as I hate to say this, I suspect that candidate will be Dr. Ben Carson.

I like Dr. Carson, actually a good deal more than some of the leading candidates. Unfortunately, while he might be the most intelligent and capable of the candidates, he is also the most soft-spoken. That does not bode well in this age of media bluster. There's no question that he would serve the U.S. much better than, say Donald Trump, but Trump is the showman while Carson isn't.

It's difficult for me to judge which of the top ten did the best in the 9 o'clock debate. I would prefer any of them to any of the candidates being put for by the Democrats. Which one is my current favorite? That's difficult to say as well. If I could narrow it down to maybe three or four, I'd say my top favorites - in no particular order - are Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and Carly Fiorina.

I doubt if enough voters will agree with me on Rand Paul. He's too far behind.

Fiorina deserves to be higher in the polls although I'm not sure she'll get enough votes to win the nomination. I would support her as the Presidential candidate, but at this point, I'd say she should at the very least, be on the ticket as Vice President candidate.