BOB FRANKEN

What a dilemma for the Republicans. They’re holding their first debate later this summer, and they have some 20 candidates who have either officially declared or made it clear they’d like to. They are mostly prominent: governors, senators, brain surgeons, business executives, business executives who are publicity hounds and assorted others.

Depending on your point of view, the GOP has either an embarrassment of riches or a lineup that’s an embarrassment. The question is, which ones do you dare cut?

Forget about relying on their ranking in the polls. At this point, most of these guys are way do...