10 things I expect from tonights GOP presidential debate

Tonight is the first official GOP Presidential debate held in South Carolina hosted by Fox News. The cast is less than inspiring. Outside of Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty; the remaining debaters include Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnsor, Former Senator Rick Santorum, Former pizza CEO Herman Cain, and the always entertaining Congressman Ron Paul.

The disappointment is that other major candidates definitely running like Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich aren't in there. Nor are the media speculative candidates like Mike Huckabee or Sarah Palin.

So what should we expect? Here are my top 10 clairvoyant views.

10. They are going to ask about waterboarding. This would never have been a question a week ago but with the death of Usama Bin Laden and the 'enhanced interrogation techniques' which were used to obtain some of the information that lead to his death, it is a legitimate question.

9. Someone will spell out their website. Its a classic rookie mistake but the field of candidates on the aren't exactly a class of veterans. One if not more of them is going to say something along the lines 'check on my website' and then proceed with 'www'.

8. No one will mention Obama's birth certificate. If anyone really wanted to talk about it, Trump would have been there. A week ago this may have been a question but no one is talking about it now and no one will tonight.

7. Herman Cain will get plenty of applause. This is not an endorsement of Cain but from what I've seen, he is quite charismatic and can suck a crowd onto his side. He's going to throw a couple of fire balls which the crowd will react positively to.

6. No one will notice Gary Johnson. Gary Johnson couldn't get people to show up to a USC college republican meeting. How will anyone remember him on stage between a tempered Pawlenty and bomb throwers like Paul and Cain?

5. Ronald Reagan. The Gipper's name and memory will be invoked often as republicans continue to try to pick up the great communicator's mantle. A debate won't go buy without Reagan's name being mentioned early and often. This will be no different.

4. Ron Paul will say something crazy. I don't know about what yet but I think it will be about aliens. Because I think he's gotten past being a 'truther' or a 'birther' and probably won't get into the 'deather' race. But he's still got some crazy in him.

3. There will be more questions about candidates not there than candidates who are there. Because frankly the candidates who aren't there are going to be the headlines. Chiefly, what do you think about RomneyCare. But I expect a Bachmann shout out or maybe even Haley Barbour. I don't expect questions about specific candidates on stage because frankly, there isn't much to ask about.

2. Tim Pawlenty is going to raise his voice. Pawlenty has the most to gain from this debate in terms of exposure and getting rid of perceptions about him. And if he can use it to create one 6 second clip that can be used to shed his quiet man narrative then he should definitely take the opportunity. The question is whether it will sound authentic.

1. No one is going to remember this debate. This debate will not be the defining moment for anyone. No serious candidate ***cough***pawlenty*****cough**** is going to make any waves. No unserious candidate is going to make big enough waves. This debate will come and go. We're going to have to wait until the summer before we get a clear match up of the major contenders after they stop playing coy and things get real.

FYI: I am an unaffiliated GOP operative not connected to any campaign or candidate - at this time...