How does Fox choose who gets into the debate? It’s more malleable than it seems.

The first debate is on Aug 6 in Cleveland (OH), the city where a river once caught fire. Fox News, the host, established that only 10 candidates would appear in primetime, selected based on the average of the five most recent national polls. Anyone who didn't make the top 10 but who still averaged more than 1 percent in the polls would get to participate in a forum beforehand, which has become known as the "kiddie table" debate. (That's a rude joke and also a funny one.) As it became apparent that some legitimate politicians would not make the 1 percent limit, Fox killed it. Had they not, the only participants would have been Rick Perry, Rick Santorum and Bobby Jindal, as it stands now.