I am far from New York City, enjoying what President Ronald Reagan used to call a “working vacation.” While Joe Biden naps away in the Lake Tahoe mansion of multi-billionaire coal investor turned “global warming” hyper-alarmist Tom Steyer, I am relaxing with my blessed parents, sisters, friends, and neighbors in southern California.

Unlike Biden, I did not extend my hiatus and, consequently, blow off a scheduled White House celebration for the WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces. Vice President Kamala Harris stepped in to welcome and congratulate these victorious basketballers. Biden’s ultimate “no comment” confirms his open hostility to female athletes. If these were male jocks who masqueraded as women, Biden would have jetted at Mach 2 to greet them in the Rose Garden.

Equity!

But I digress.

My downtime might explain why I am the last member of the Commentariat to respond to last Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee. One might call this All the News That Can Wait for Print or Democracy Dies in Tardiness.

So, with the benefit of relentless reflection, here are my thoughts on the first big GOP debate, brought to us by Fox News Channel.

Energetic back-and-forth among candidates can be a good thing. However, interruptive cacophony can be annoying. Too much of the debate involved cross talk and speaking over each other. While courtroom-like sequential presentations could be soporific, let’s hope Fox Business Network’s Sept. 27 debate from the Reagan Presidential Library will be easier to bear than last Wednesday’s mutual yelling match.

Top honors went to the men just behind the leader of the GOP pack.

Vivek Ramaswamy was sharp, smart, kinetic, and remarkably self-confident. He looked as if he were in this position before and comfortable being there. A visiting Martian would be shocked to learn that this was the wealthy entrepreneur’s first-ever candidate debate. He is incredibly poised and polished for someone brand-new to this game. 

I also admired and appreciated his specificity on policy and his invocation of core American values as declared in 1776. How fitting that the son of immigrants was also the most openly patriotic among this octet. Very solid performance.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida was sharp and energetic. His campaign has slid in the polls lately. He came alive and gave it the boost it needed. He was more forceful than I expected. His answers were crisp, philosophically on point, and muscular.

Former Vice President Mike Pence appeared dark, almost gloomy. He looked and sounded grim. 

Also, he blabbed WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much about God and Jesus. Faithless heathens like me can withstand the occasional reference to God, Judeo-Christian values, yadda, yadda, yadda. It’s a big country. Be tolerant. I’m OK. You’re OK. Etc.

But when Pence said over and over and over and over that Jesus is his savior, God will rescue us, and Christ is the path forward … MAJOR turn off! Is this man running for president or pope?

While many observers spoke highly of former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s delivery, she was overly nasty and hostile toward Ramaswamy. His recent comments about ending foreign aid — not to every country in general, but to Israel in particular — appropriately raised eyebrows. 

Vivek’s suggestion that China delay an attack on Taiwan until after America offshored its microchip industry also sounded like an invitation for an invasion. These have been the only significant stumbles in his surprisingly steady national debut.

Haley could have raised these points with panache. Turning them into a screaming fit did her and these issues a disservice. She bickered more than she argued.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is likable, but too nice. He is just the right thing for the 1990s, when Democrats were merely wrong, not evil and desperate to jail their opponents and physically beat Republicans in the streets until we bleed. (Hyperbole? Don a MAGA hat and walk through any Democrat-led city. Call me as soon as you get a black eye.) America needs someone tough. Alas, Tim Scott is not him.

Chris Christie, as porcine as ever, stuck to his Trump-hating guns. The man who has had trouble controlling his mad crushes on Obama and Bruce Springsteen embarrassed himself by continuing to attack the 45th president, who did more to advance free-market conservatism and Peace through Strength than any president since Reagan. Rather than thank him, the former New Jersey governor spends his every calorie (a word he seems not to know) bashing Trump. This is not wise in a party where Trump is amazingly popular and grows more so with every nail that Democrat campaign hacks/“prosecutors” drive through his hands.

Christie is lucky that none of his opponents mentioned “the night [he] killed” Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. Let’s hope he gets pummeled for that shonda at the next Republican face-off.

Speaking of Romney, Asa Hutchison did an excellent Mitt impersonation. Arkansas’ former governor is this campaign’s unthreatening Establishmentarian.

As for Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota, voters learned that he is from a town of 300 people and that he can stand up on stage after hurting himself playing basketball. Three cheers for minor victories!

Finally, I noticed that almost every man on stage was dressed just like Donald J. Trump: dark blue suit, white shirt, and solid red tie. What the hell was that? 

Coincidence? Conspiracy? Either way, dreadful idea. Impersonating Trump’s signature wardrobe is a strange way to distinguish oneself from him and everyone else in the race.

This made every contender but Christie ​(in a patterned red tie) and Haley ​(in a light blue woven jacket) look rather silly.​ Halloween is not for another two months. Save the Trump costumes until then.

Henceforth, each candidate should strive to express his own personal style. (As the only woman on stage, Haley distinguishes herself just by showing up.) Suits need not be solid blue. Pinstripes, windowpanes, and ​glen plaid are just fine, in blue or gray.

And for God’s sake, when it comes to ties, let’s see colors other than red. As for patterns​, show voters paisley, polka dots, and stripes, not just solids.

At least these men avoided the black suit/long black-tie fashion felony serially perpetrated by financier Kevin O’Leary, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, French President Emmanuel Macron, and other offenders.

“Who just died?” I wonder when I see any of these three on TV. This wardrobe malfunction works only for funeral guests and on-duty undertakers. Anyone who arrives at a presidential debate thus attired should be disqualified from becoming commander-in-chief.

President of Forest Lawn? You’re hired!

Back to the blue suit, white shirt, and red tie: The GOP contenders should aim to keep viewers awake, not ​lull them to sleep with ​the same outfit that we have seen for eight years on the man who dominated the room with his absence.

​Deroy Murdock is a Manhattan-based Fox News contributor.