The consensus is that Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and a political outsider, won the debate last night.

I believe Ms. Fiorina did very well, but that Senator Marco Rubio was just a bit stronger because Ms. Fiorina looked a bit dour out there and disposition matters in any debate.

But it is truly incredible that a businesswoman -- Ms. Fiorna -- and a businessman -- Donald Trump -- are schooling veteran politicians, men who have run states and who are serving in Congress.

But that's what's happening.

Very simply, Ms. Fiorina came across as powerful last night.

CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: “On day one in the Oval Office, I will make two phone calls, the first to my good friend to Bibi Netanyahu to reassure him we will stand with the state of Israel.  The second, to the Supreme Leader, to tell him that unless and until he opens every military and every nuclear facility to real anytime, anywhere inspections by our people, not his, we, the United States of America, will make it as difficult as possible and move money around the global financial system.  We can do that, we don't need anyone's cooperation to do it.” 

Since polling shows many Americans -- perhaps most -- oppose the Iranian nuke deal, Carly Fiorina scored big with that assessment.

Now the other debate headline, it was unfair. 

Three hours is far too long.  When people get tired, they make mistakes.

But in truth there were few mistakes made on the debate stage last night.

All eleven prime-time contenders put forth cogent arguments; there were no gaffes.

The unfair part was distribution of time.

For example, Mike Huckabee got only three questions and spoke for just over nine minutes.

By contrast, Donald Trump was asked 13 questions and spoke for 18-and-a-half minutes, far more than any other candidate on the stage.

Jeb Bush was second with 15-and-a-half minutes.

The CNN moderators obviously using Trump to try to stir up controversy, but in doing that they virtually ignored people like Huckabee, Scott Walker and Governor John Kasich.

It is impossible to make an impression when in a three-hour forum you get to speak for less than ten minutes, as those three men did.

Television is a brutally competitive enterprise, but I submit that these debates should be taken out of the commercial arena -- no advertisements at all.

That way you wouldn't have pressure to create controversy, and you would have more time in a reasonable two-hour debate for the candidates to speak.

Look, this country is in trouble and these political debates allow we the people to at least get to know the candidates somewhat.

Summing up, the debaters did well but most were not given nearly enough time to make their points.

And that's the memo.