[Pollster1]

I do not approve.

Both politically and in terms of character, I like the Ted Cruz approach - the Eleventh Commandment. I tend to hear Cruz speaking positively about his fellow republicans, even those for whom I find it hard to figure out why they call themselves republicans. At least when it’s a peripheral issue, we need to build up the GOP in public, as much as we may despise or be embarrassed by certain members in private.

In particular, Carson is not my top choice or close to it, but I’d like (1) to have his supporters vote for Cruz/Trump in the general election, rather than being alienated and staying home, and (2) to have him viable if he does win the nomination. His pyramid comment was uninformed, but, fortunately the president is not in charge of storing seven years worth of grain for the country, so I don’t care if he is a little off target on that issue.

[LS]

Cruz's approach is best, except for Trump (but no one else can get away with what he does). Trump makes a couple of Tweets about the pyramids, then blasts Politico as being deceitful and dishonest.. But Trump I think had just cause, because I think the GOPe boosted Carson deliberately in the last two weeks to try to somehow get Trump out of #1 long enough he couldn't say "I lead in all the polls.

My contention all along is that once they did that they would dump on Carson and take him out, then elevate Cruz. (Have you noticed all the fawning drive-by stories about Cruz---WSJ, National Review, "Cruz can really win" kinds of stories?) When they get Carson out (thinking they have gotten rid of Trump, then put up Cruz, he will face hell. What Trump and Carson got is nothing compared to what Ted will get when and if he replaces Carson.

The final move of the chessboard is to substitute Rubio for Cruz. And there it is!