CNN Undercard Republican Debate: Live Coverage

Santorum and Graham are an interesting tag-team tonight. Santorum has spent some time trying to explain the Islamic State’s death-cult ideology (they think that they are fighting to fulfil a prophecy that sees them doing battle with the enemy in Dabiq, a town in Syria), which is actually something Obama tried to do in his address last weekend, and Graham, for his part, is doing naming and shaming; he called out Paul and Cruz for not wanting to put boots on the ground in the Middle East. They’re the ones that are putting the most meat on the national security debate. He’s also mentioned his numerous Middle East trips — 36 times! — at least three times so far.

For those who say this is an incredibly weak GOP field: It’s interesting that neither the guy who finished in third place in 2008, Mike Huckabee, nor the guy who finished in second place in 2012, Rick Santorum, is among the top nine candidates this time around.