GOP debate 2 is all about 11

I'M THINKING there might be something to symbolism, numerology and biblical stuff.

Take the number 11, as in the 11 candidates in last night's GOP debate.

In the Bible, the number 11 can symbolize chaos and disorder, because the story of the Tower of Babel is in Genesis 11.

(Donald Trump probably knows that; probably one of his favorite passages.)

In numerology, the number 11 stands for balance and even male/female equality.

Well, the Republican Party seems caught up in some chaos and disorder. And last night offered further proof that American politics is driven by babel.

How about this, right near the start, from Ohio Gov. John Kasich?

He said that if he were watching at home, "I'd be inclined to turn it off."

I heard that.

It came after some back and forth about Trump's temperament and whether Trump should ever have access to nuclear codes.

It came after Trump said that Rand Paul shouldn't be on the stage; after Trump said that former New York Gov. George Pataki, who wasn't on the stage, "wouldn't be elected dogcatcher today."

And it came after Scott Walker said, "We're not talking about real issues."

So, you know, it all got off to a great start.

There was a long line of 11 standing in front of Ronald Reagan's presidential plane in the Air Force One Pavilion of the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif.

There was a lot of predictable allegiance to a strong military and to defunding Planned Parenthood.

But there were some moments, including a few that balanced the female with the alpha male.

Carly Fiorina was asked about Trump's comment on her looks, "Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that?" And about Trump's subsequent claim that he was only talking about her persona.

She calmly said, "I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said."

Trump leaned in and lamely said, "I think she's got a beautiful face."

Fiorina and Trump tangled over their business careers, including her ouster from Hewlett-Packard. She tagged The Donald by claiming that he did what Washington does - "ran up debt with other people's money."

This prompted Chris Christie to jump in with, "I'm as entertained as anyone," but that the discussion ought to be about how to help the careers of middle-class workers, not about two successful careers.

Jeb Bush had a couple of moments. When asked if Trump was right to call him "a puppet" to his campaign donors, Bush firmly asserted, "No, absolutely not."

Good to know.

And Bush semiforcibly quasi-insisted that Trump apologize to Bush's Mexican wife, Columba, for suggesting that Bush might be soft on immigration because of her.

"I won't do that," said Trump, "because I said nothing wrong."

There was plenty on the Iran deal, the Middle East, dealing or not dealing with Russia, how bad President Obama has been and how much worse Hillary Clinton would be.

But unless I nodded off (which, honestly, is possible), I didn't hear much about taxes and spending, college costs, middle-class income, the economy or jobs in general.

I was surprised that Ben Carson, second to Trump in GOP polling, wasn't more involved or memorable.

I thought Christie was better than his numbers, thought Trump was less impactful, wondered where Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz and whoever else was there went, and whether the airplane debate would help anyone fly or crash.

I mean, the number 11 can stand for high achievement (the first manned moon landing was Apollo 11) or deep depths (Mariana Trench is 11 kilometers, 6.8 miles down).

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