Posted on 12/14/2015 7:20:41 AM PST by conservativejoy
LAS VEGAS : Ted Cruz knows he'll be a center of attention, if not the center of attention, at the fifth Republican debate here in Nevada Tuesday. In the first GOP debate, back in August, questions went to Donald Trump, and Ben Carson, and Marco Rubio, and Jeb Bush, and Trump again before moderators got around to Cruz. (The first question: "How can you win in 2016 when you're such a divisive figure?") It won't be that way this time, with Cruz now leading the RealClearPolitics average of polls in Iowa and in second place to Trump nationally.
The Cruz camp expects attacks to come from Trump, from Rubio, and perhaps a few others. Apart from Trump, whose jabs can come from anywhere , he calls Cruz is "a bit of a maniac" , it's likely most of the criticism will be on national security grounds, with Rubio likely to repeat charges that Cruz is an "isolationist" who voted to "weaken U.S. intelligence," who opposes funding American troops, and would cut aid to Israel.
As the debate approaches, the Cruz team seems unconcerned. They feel Cruz can defend himself toe-to-toe with Rubio on the facts of the issues, and, in a larger sense, they're confident Republicans simply will not buy the idea that Cruz is weak on national defense.
Cruz insiders point to the new Des Moines Register poll, in which Cruz came out on top when Iowa Republicans were asked which candidate they believe will be the best commander in chief. Thirty-four percent said Cruz would make the best commander in chief, compared to 25 percent for Trump and 18 percent for Rubio. In addition, Cruz outscored Rubio, 32 to 13, on the question of who can best combat Islamic terrorism.
The campaign believes Cruz can use the skills he has put to good use in earlier debates , he has a sense of when not to talk and when to talk , to capture a middle ground in the national security conversation. He portrays himself as tough about getting the bad guys , "We'll rebuild our military. We'll kill the terrorists," Cruz says in a new video , but he also expresses caution about engaging in military adventurism and nation building. Cruz believes there's a Republican, and a general election, sweet spot out there, made up of voters who want to destroy the Islamic State but don't want another Iraq.
Cruz doesn't do much in the 24 or 48 hours before a debate. He has just one event, an editorial board interview, scheduled for Monday, and nothing for Tuesday in the hours before airtime. (Both Rubio and Trump have scheduled Las Vegas rallies for Monday.) Cruz's staff puts extraordinary faith in the instincts he has honed through his legal and political career, and they mostly leave him alone before a debate.
So far in the campaign, Cruz has made a talking point of not attacking some of his rivals , a remarkable approach for a man who would win hands-down the title of most divisive member of the United States Senate. Under a hotter spotlight Tuesday, Team Cruz believes he can defend himself and make his points while at the same time not getting down into the weeds with his attackers. It's a strategy that has worked in the past, but on Tuesday Cruz will no longer be one of the pack. He'll be a front-runner , and a target.
Cruz will as usual do very well, I also suspect as usual the debate moderators will do their best to limit opportunities for Cruz to make his case.
It is beyond obvious the MSM has consistently practiced a moratorium on Cruz, one need only refer to the Sunday talk shows to see that, he may have appeared once or twice since announcing his candidacy where every other candidate has appeared multiple times on multiple different Sunday shows regardless of their standing in Polls.
True. MSM could not be more blatant in their boycott of Cruz. And yet, he has done very well despite their efforts.
Hopefully Cruz’s team sees the potential for dirty tricks in Vegas and has a plan.
Rubio is making a massive mistake attacking Cruz as “Isolationist”. After all most 15 years of war, American are looking to elect someone who will make it their priority to be President of the USA 1st rather then focusing on playing “Emperor of Earth”.
What time is the debate and where online will it be seen?
Thanks.
The main debate generally starts at 8:00 p.m. CST. It will be on CNN and someone will likely post a live link on F.R.
Go, Ted, go! The conservatives’ choice.
Senator Cruz is looking very strong. I really like his approach to foreign policy. No more nation building (as advocated by Hillary and Rubio). Use the military only when it serves to protect our national security, but then use it overwhelmingly. Cruz is absolutely right on this.
FiveThirtyEight has an interesting article on the possibility of a brokered convention and some of the analysts give Cruz about a 35% chance of winning in such a scenario (some give him considerably less).
I think the real question is "Can Cruz become the GOP Establishment compromise candidate to stop Trump". Does their hatred of Trump trump their fear of Cruz? If Trump is winning 25% to 35% of the vote, and Cruz is winning $25%-35% of the vote and Rubio is a little below that (withe maybe another holdout or two like Christie winning delegates in the Northeast) would the GOP Establishment throw over Rubio and unite behind Cruz?
If not we are headed for a brokered convention, and it's hard to see Cruz winning there, regardless of his position in the horse race coming in.
I think Ted's secret weapon, in that case, would be his wife who has deep ties to the GOP Establishment via her time in the Bush administration, which few people here seem to remember.
Heidi Nelson Cruz ’94
Vice President
Private Wealth Management Group
Goldman Sachs, TexasCruz, who graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in economics and international relations from CMC in 1994, is a vice president in the Private Wealth Management Group at Goldman Sachs, Texas. She and her two partners work with clients to implement high net worth portfolios across a range of investments and asset classes, including complex derivatives products, private equity, hedge funds, single stock risk management, U.S. and international equities, and fixed income.
Ms. Cruz began her career as an investment banker with JPMorgan in New York, focusing on international structured finance and subsequently on Latin America mergers and acquisitions.
In 2000, she served on the Bush 2000 Campaign in Austin as one of President George W. Bush's three economic advisors. She also served in the Administration as the economic director for the Western Hemisphere at the National Security Council at the White House, advising the President and then-National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. She also is a former director at the U.S. Treasury Department and was special policy assistant to Ambassador Robert B. Zoellick, then Chief U.S. international trade negotiator.
In addition to her private-sector work, Heidi served on the Board of Directors of Living Water International, dedicated to providing clean water and sanitation equipment in the developing world. Her publications include the book chapter, "Expanding Opportunity Through Free Trade," in Thank You, President Bush; a chapter in Exchange Rate Policies for Emerging Market Economies; and a Harvard Case Study: "American International Group." She also is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
After graduating from CMC, Ms. Cruz received an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, and a master's of European Business from Universite Libre de Bruxelles in Brussels, Belgium.
Agreed. He has the most reasoned approach to foreign policy I have seen in a candidate for several election cycles.
Noticed anything in the last two days ?
It’s something I said about a week or so ago.
Hint : It was about Trump’s fair weather supporters.
Nice graphic.
Thanks. I appropriated it from Twitter. ;)
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