Liveblogging on GOP debate:

Will give my thoughts after the debate is over. Open thread!

Here we go. From CNBC:

4:34 PM: Rudy talking trade, saying we can't stop doing business with other nations. Just a side note: I see that Thompson is the tallest candidate by far and Tancredo the shortest.

4:30 PM: Tancredo talking about illegal immigration, his pet policy and got some applause on the line about taking some action. Romney talking trade. He's a business man and says he knows what works. He says agreements have to be to "our benefits." He's taking on the Chinese a bit with currency issue. Bringing up his Michigan roots.

4: 28 PM: Finally we're hearing from some of the others. Honestly, there are too many people on the stage to get a real sense of what's going on. When someone talks, the other candidates listen, but you can tell they're really waiting to talk themselves.

4:26 PM: Thompson talking now but as he was, Rudy G was looking under the lecturne for something. A cell phone, for a call from his wife? Nope, bottle of water. What did Thompson say?

4:21 PM: Giuliani talking about what he's done--cutting taxes here, there and everywhere. Romney "attacking" Giuliani saying Rudy helped take away the line item veto in New York state. Okay, here we go with a little tension between Romney and Rudy G. Crowd a little more attentive at this point. Baloney---says Romney about Giuliani saying Mitt raised taxes in Mass as governor. These guys are getting all the air time. What about the others?? It's getting a bit funny now.

4:19 PM: Brownback saying Republicans and Democrats need to get spending under control. Take the base closing formula to government agencies. Tancredo taking oath of no new taxes in his administration. Audience seems interested in responses but there's no real excitement in the air as far as I can tell.

4:17 PM: Hunter's attack about trade and jobs got a few people excited. Thompson's voice seems week when he talks and somewhat muddled. Hard to really understand what he's saying. He's now saying we can't turn back on free trade. Maria telling audience not to applaud. (I told you so)

4:15 PM: Huckabee answering his question with what seems a smooth and confident response. His days as a pastor have given him a good delivery. Not sure if audience really responding to what he says.

4:12 PM: McCain attacking spending and the S-CHIP program's plan to tax cigarettes. A few "amens" to that from the audience. This is a crowd that loves a tax cut for sure.

4:10 PM: Mild applause for Ron Paul's response about how the government over spends. He brought in the Iraq war--a theme for him in past debates--and how it's a wrong policy.

4:07 PM: Giuliani answering now--attacking Dems for over spending, over taxing and saying he's not a prognosticator: A reference from that to his New York Yankees losing got some mild laughs, nothing more.

4:05 PM: Romney answering question about economy--says we have to do better job of keeping taxes down--big applause on line that Democrats would tax the debate--joke there that got a lively response.

4:03 PM: Maria B. and Chris Matthews do the TV welcome. Now it's time for the first question--from Maria. It's whether the country is going into a recession and it goes to Fred Thompson. He says there's no reason to think the economy is bad. But wow, he kind of stumbled there--a bit of a pause. Not exactly an energetic response.

4 PM: It's officially on--the debate. Here's the order on stage from left to right from the audience: Paul, Huckabee, McCain, Romney, Thompson, Giuliani, Hunter, Brownback, Tancredo. TV intro from Dylan Ratigan playing over loud speaker. Small applause on the stock market. Stage director shouting countdown till debate comes on TV.