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Why Cruz finally took on Trump and won't let up
The Washington Examiner ^ | January 16, 2016 | David M. Drucker

Posted on 01/15/2016 11:53:08 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - Don't expect Ted Cruz's fresh assault on presidential rival Donald Trump to abate anytime soon.

The Texas senator didn't unload on Trump during this week's Republican debate simply to undermine the celebrity businessman's suggestion that he is constitutionally ineligible for the presidency, although it was a factor. Rather, Cruz's attack on Trump's liberal "New York values" was the beginning of a two-prong strategy to kneecap the billionaire in Iowa and discard other competitors by framing the primary as a two-man contest between him and Trump.

"This is really coming down to a two-horse race between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz," Cruz campaign national chairman Chad Sweet told the Washington Examiner on Thursday, immediately following the first prime time debate of 2016. "Even though both Trump and Cruz are strong, one's got a much more consistent track record on all the major issues that conservatives care about."

Since November, Cruz and Trump have been tied for first place in Iowa and far ahead of the rest of the GOP field. That has led to high expectations; for Cruz because his path to the nomination is built around a strong showing in Iowa, for Trump because he's constantly bragging that he's winning in all the polls. A loss could be debilitating, winning generates momentum for the states that vote after the Feb. 1 caucuses.

That explains why Trump is smearing Cruz with the same "birther" conspiracy that he leveled against President Obama four years ago, and why Cruz abandoned a detente with the reality television star that he had nurtured assiduously for seven months. Indeed, the Cruz campaign always anticipated the end of its informal alliance with Trump. When the time came, the plan was to contrast Cruz's staunch conservatism with Trump's ideological flexibility and liberal past.

Cruz and Trump are both competing for the support of evangelicals, Tea Party voters and self-identified "very" conservative Iowa Republicans. The Cruz campaign is convinced that a contrast with Trump on issues and governing philosophy will give him the edge. That's why Cruz isn't abandoning his "New York values" charge, even after Trump scored points in the debate when he rebutted the Texan's criticism by raising the specter of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"I have heard their demands and I am happy to give them an apology. I apologize to the millions of New Yorkers that have been abandoned by liberal politicians," Cruz said Friday during a radio interview. "I apologize to all the pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-2nd Amendment New Yorkers who Gov. Cuomo brazenly told have no place in the state of New York because that's not who New Yorkers are."

Sweet delivered an even sharper rejoinder.

He conceded that Trump had a touching moment during the debate when he likened New York values to the strength and resolve the city showed in the aftermath of the deadly Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. But Sweet said the critique on Trump's values is legitimate, and suggested that the real estate mogul grow a stiffer spine, considering that he's one of the biggest attack dogs on the campaign trail.

"It's a rare contrast to see [Trump] be compassionate in invoking 9/11," Cruz's campaign chairman said. "But it doesn't address the fundamental thing that the senator raised. What that tells you is, he doesn't want to tangle with the senator, actually, on what he's raising. If you look at Donald Trump, he has had a pattern of insulting many different groups. But for some reason, when New Yorkers get insulted, he's the first to cry out. I come from the South, and we say, 'If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.'"

"If Donald wants a fight, it probably wouldn't be advisable of him to take us on in Iowa," Sweet added.

Cruz has a lot riding on Iowa. But he's not running a one-state campaign. He's well organized in all four early primary states, plus the Southern and Midwestern states that dominate the calendar in March. Engaging with Trump now, as voters begin to pay more attention and solidify their choices, is meant to eliminate others - besides the New Yorker - that could stand in his way beyond Iowa.

The Cruz camp believes the image of Cruz and the months-long national frontrunner going to toe-to-toe will elevate the Texan's stature and siphon votes from others if they can manage to convince voters that the senator is the only viable alternative to a candidate that isn't all that conservative, or Republican, to begin with. It's not necessarily a bad approach, some GOP strategists say.

"You are defined by the conflict you seek or conflict you avoid. You always want to be in the heavy weight round," said Stuart Stevens, who advised Republican nominee Mitt Romney four years ago. "The very first ad that Romney aired in 2012 took on Obama. Why? Because we wanted the conflict and we wanted to be in the heavy weight round."


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cruz; gopprimary; iowa; trump
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Cruz and Trump are both competing for the support of evangelicals, Tea Party voters and self-identified "very" conservative Iowa Republicans. ....

FR Thread - May 7, 2015: Megachurch Pastor Paula White Marries 3rd Husband.. [Trump's evangelical connection]

1 posted on 01/15/2016 11:53:08 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: All

Rush EIB - Jan 15, 2016:

New York Values: The Drive-By Love Affair with Trump Won’t Last

RUSH: It was... Wait, wait, wait. You don’t know the context. The context is that Cruz made the statement some days ago attempting to... It was his way of trying to tell people Trump is not a conservative, and it was, you know, talking about all this stuff for Cruz’s birth and his eligibility and Trump leading the fight on that. Cruz retorts — and there might have been one other thing that did come up. But he was referring to Donald’s “New York values.” People said, “Whadda you mean? What are New York values. What do you mean New York values?”

Well, we all know what New York values are, and you heard him say that last night. Then Trump... You ought to see the Drive-Bys right now. The Drive-Bys have done a 180. They love Trump! Trump is the best guy. I mean, every New York liberal journalist I ever heard of has written today glowing, praising Trump. “He got silent! We saw the real Trump for the first time. We saw that he has a soul. We saw that Trump has a heart. We saw that Trump is a New Yorker, and he just buried Ted Cruz!” That’s the reaction inside the big Apple media......

RUSH: Let me address this, because you have a very, very good point. I’ll tell you another thing about this, and I think this is representative of a divide. Now, in New York, as I say, everybody in the media thought this was a big faux pas, that Cruz was actually winning the debate ‘til this happened. He threw it away, and that Trump just wiped the floor. “This the best Trump had ever been, this was so good! He just pounded Cruz and kept pounding, and Cruz he was so humiliated didn’t even say anything back.”

But outside New York, the thing that you’re talking about is true: Everybody does know what New York values means. Here’s the thing. Trump is praising the cops and firefighters and the first responders and all that, but who is it that’s under attack in New York? The cops! The mayor is making the cops out to be the absolute worst aspect of the city. It’s nothing new. All of liberalism is out pummeling the police every day. So while, yeah, on 9/11, everybody praised what happened, it’s kind of like the Democrats got on board with Bush for a couple days after 9/11....


2 posted on 01/16/2016 12:00:21 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
“I apologize to all the pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-2nd Amendment New Yorkers who Gov. Cuomo brazenly told have no place in the state of New York because that's not who New Yorkers are.”

Straight to the solar plexus!

3 posted on 01/16/2016 12:19:01 AM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Cruz campaign getting desperate and lashing out. It was bound to happen with Trump regaining the lead in Iowa. Trumps attacks have knocked Teddy back. Unfortunately, Cruz is not ready for prime time. Maybe in 8 years.


4 posted on 01/16/2016 12:24:32 AM PST by patq
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Not buying at all the media trying to drive a wedge between Cruz and Trump, which is pitifully obvious over the past couple of days. They are scared sh!tless of them individually; horrified of them together.


5 posted on 01/16/2016 12:29:01 AM PST by JennysCool (My hyprocrisy goes only so far.)
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To: JennysCool

There is no “together.”


6 posted on 01/16/2016 12:29:41 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: SmokingJoe

Cruz didn’t commit those abuses. The liberal NY politicians did. Those who were abused would prefer the apologies be made by NY politicians, not by some out-of-state desperate candidate who is trying to score cheap political points off of their misery.


7 posted on 01/16/2016 12:34:01 AM PST by Vision Thing (T. Cruz values New York, where he yells, "Show me the money!")
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

There is, right now. Trump is blasting the bombast, making room for Cruz’s measured Constitutional logic to be heard. They are both, in their own ways, destroying “political correctness,” which is the real enemy of the nation. Whether they’re doing it consciously or not, it is the perfect tag team to obliterate PC.


8 posted on 01/16/2016 12:48:25 AM PST by JennysCool (My hyprocrisy goes only so far.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

We need longer articles.


9 posted on 01/16/2016 12:57:54 AM PST by stocksthatgoup (Trump Cruz "Can't we all just get along?" lol)
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To: stocksthatgoup

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3384370/posts


10 posted on 01/16/2016 1:06:15 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: All

On Friday’s Mark Levin show, Sen. Ted Cruz was not trashing everyday New Yorkers when he talked about New York values. He was referring to leftist values such as gay marriage and pro-abortion that the likes of Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo support. Also, just because someone criticizes New York values doesn’t mean they are trashing 9/11 responders. That argument from Donald Trump is totally irrelevant.

excerpt: http://www.marklevinshow.com/2016/01/15/january-15-2016/


11 posted on 01/16/2016 1:12:31 AM PST by Sun (Pray that God sends us good leaders. Please say a prayer now.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Donald Trump in Iowa a few weeks back claimed he was an “Evangelical”. This guy will say anything to pander.
He doesn’t know what an Evangelical is or he would know he is not one.

Just a few years ago he backed abortion and even partial birth abortion. And he explained it away because of being a
New Yorker and those were New York values.

Suddenly he’s an Evangelical (but he never asked for forgiveness cause—never needs it) and a “Conservative”.

Someone needs to challenge this fake.


12 posted on 01/16/2016 1:14:11 AM PST by Calpublican (A.G. Lynch: The intent of this statement is to incite violence against radical Islam)
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To: Calpublican

“Donald Trump in Iowa a few weeks back claimed he was an “Evangelical”. This guy will say anything to pander. ....”

Agreed, and I believe it will backfire on him BIG TIME.


13 posted on 01/16/2016 1:22:54 AM PST by Sun (Pray that God sends us good leaders. Please say a prayer now.)
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To: Calpublican

Indeed they do.

Trump is a “reality” shape-shifter.


14 posted on 01/16/2016 1:23:07 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Vision Thing
NYC: (U.N Headquarters).


15 posted on 01/16/2016 1:49:40 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: SmokingJoe

>> have no place in the state of New York

And neither did I forget 9-11.


16 posted on 01/16/2016 2:02:05 AM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: Vision Thing

lolol. You are too funny. You think DT trashing and humiliating the gop candidates and everyone else who WILL NOT kiss his butt is a great thing.
But bad thing and Teddy is desperate? Did you not know Teddy is running to win?
DT is supposed to win because DT has convinced you he is all that. He is not.
Game on.


17 posted on 01/16/2016 2:29:19 AM PST by libbylu (Cruz: The truth with a smile.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife; All
(yawn) Good Morning Dear ... bad night?

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18 posted on 01/16/2016 2:39:30 AM PST by mkjessup (Islam is the ENEMY of all civilized people. Obama is a Muslim. What's that tell ya?!?)
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To: libbylu
Good Morning Polly ...

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19 posted on 01/16/2016 2:40:43 AM PST by mkjessup (Islam is the ENEMY of all civilized people. Obama is a Muslim. What's that tell ya?!?)
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To: mkjessup

You are in a cult. CW is a strong woman with principles.


20 posted on 01/16/2016 2:43:24 AM PST by libbylu (Cruz: The truth with a smile.)
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