IT BEGINS ...

We can't wait. Tomorrow, 2100ET, 1800PT, FOXNews. Check local listings for time & channel in your area.

For some it's good news.

The lineup is all set for Thursday night’s debate in Greenville, South Carolina. According to CNN, the debate will include:

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson and businessman Herman Cain.

Assuming this is correct, it is worth noting that 40 percent of the debate participants (Johnson and Paul) will be libertarian-leaning Republicans.

This would be a dramatic shift from the 2008 debates where Ron Paul was often at odds with the rest of the field (such as McCain, Huckabee, Romney, and Giuliani) over various issues, including Iraq.

As I previously noted, if this trend were to continue, it could change how issues are framed, and ultimately how the GOP’s “brand” is perceived by the public.

Which seems "better," two out of five, or 40%? A bit surprised he didn't type "GOP Glibertarianism up 100%."

How the masses will perceive the First Five:

"Other right" to right (not to actual political scale):
Johnson, Frother, Cain, Paul, Pawlenty.

Sad to see that the one-time AOL typist from whom we stole this rot had not one comment as of a few mins. ago, for an item that appeared yesterday. (Five Facebook recommends, however. And worth the click just to see how TheDC is shoving ads throughout their stories.)

Oh, right:

As Ron Paul fans will likely point out, their man will technically be the closest thing to a front-runner on the stage Thursday.

The Texas congressman came in tied for fifth with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in a recent Fox News poll, with 7 percent of the vote. That was two points better than Pawlenty fared in the same poll.

Santorum is the only other participant to have cracked the top 10 in the poll, with 3 percent.