This was the moment when Ted Cruz lost the debate

Donald Trump Brilliantly Diminishes Ted Cruz By Putting Him on Full Display – (With Video)…

Posted on January 29, 2016 by sundance

Forget about trying to graph, measure or quantify how sharp Donald Trump’s political instincts are, he’s just off the charts. However, his decision to spotlight Ted Cruz’s greatest weakness, “the personality of Cruz“, the “in-authenticity”, is beyond brilliant.
Such a keen instinct is simply immeasurable.
Not only did Donald Trump win the seventh GOP debate by not showing up; and not only did Trump avoid the best laid ambush plans of the Fox News team; and not only did Donald Trump raise well over $6 million for American veterans; but by removing himself from the debate stage – Trump’s absence forced Ted Cruz out of the shadows and into the brightest possible sunlight.
Candidate Trump previously stated: “Ted Cruz is just a nasty person” – and by all accounts the pontificating arrogance and personality of Ted Cruz was not only captured by the broadcast, but for the first time Iowans who tuned-in saw first hand WHY Ted Cruz is the loneliest man in Washington DC.

Continued at The Last Refuge.

There were unrealistic expectations for Cruz to shine since he’d be out of Trump’s shadow. It didn’t happen. In fact nothing changed as a result of the debate. If anything moved the ball, it was a veteran rally happening across town.

The truth is that if people really want to change the rules by taking the power away from the media and elitists, you have to stop playing by their rules.

Eveey single one of those on that debate stage would be better off today had they have told Rinse and FOX to pound sand, went over to that Trump Rally and gave troop support and gave a short speech.

Why open yourself up to abuse from those scumbags?

Why can’t I ask Ted Cruz and get a straight answer from him?

I’m supposed to ask other politicians for a straight answer? Something seems wrong with that.

Furthermore, Sessions, Lee or Schumer aren’t running for president.

Ted Cruz is, and if Ted Cruz can’t properly explain himself on the most important issue of the election, guess who isn’t going to be elected president...

Exactly!

The Republican party would be smart to return to old style debates, so no candidate is hurt by the “moderator” and no candidate is wounded when he/she goes up against the democrats. One of the well-educated media pundits (albeit a democrat) who actually knows what a debate format really is and how to moderate should be the moderator, and the candidates have a real debate back and forth on their positions, i.e., Trump and Cruz versus Rubio and Bush, etc. And have several debates with the various candidates, no more than four per stage. That way, people can see the real candidates, sans personal insults, and silly democrat questions. And maybe get some real understanding of the real differences between democrats and republicans, and why the difference. What we have now is incredibly stupid and devoid of real information.

-- Ted handled that perfectly fine. --

He could have done better.

BTW, the amendment was rejected, and the bill passed the Senate. S.744 - All congressional actions

You can — he gave a p[erfectly straight answer last night. He stated the facts of the situation, which run counter to Kelly’s distorted presentation of it.

But she eagerly covered for Rubio’s dishonesty on this issue.

He showed up. That is when he lost. He didn’t have the guts to tell the snotty little girl that he isn’t playing her sorority games anymore. I want a president that respects himself enough to respect me as well. If he can’t respect himself he will never have the guts to respect me and represents me and my country properly.

That’s odd. Initially everyone said Trump was going to pay for not attending the debate. Now everyone is considering it a masterful move.

Initially this was supposed to be Cruz’s moment to shine. Now everyone is saying he got crushed.

Strange world.

I think the country needs a patriotic unrepentant capitalist mogul

the next potus is going to inherit a helluva crap pile of economic and social chaos left by Obama

Imagine our economic stats once the establishment covering for obama stops suppressing twisting and lying about them

The big “R” (maybe even the big “D”) will start the moment a republican is sworn into office and will be labeled his fault within a week

there is no one with better qualifications and fearless guts than Trump to marshal a national recovery plan and secure our out-of-control immigration policy

conservative or liberal- wont matter much until the US borders are secured and the economy is able to function again

What does a conservative site give credence to George Soros?

Because half of this site has decided to lock their conservatism in a closet for this election cycle, embracing instead a left leaning big government populism.

Rubio could have snared VP if he had the cajones to buck the establishment and go big by joining trump

But more pretty facetime on FOX with the rest of the big kids was more important to him

Maybe he and Levine/Beck can challenge Jeb to a mano on mano debate?

Pray America wakes

There is no chance their managers would allow them out of the debate. They are using the same old formulas that have lost election after election.

The beauty is, the manager checks still cash after the loss.

I thought it was a bad omen with Cruz’s initial opening hit at Trump, when he said Carson was a terrible surgeon. You could see how false and forced Ben’s big toothy grin was in response to that.

Agreement there!

Once upon a time since 1998, I used to come here for a breath of sanity - now I go to the Y (in the winter) or for a really, really long walk.

It is better than reaching for a serious drink or Valium!

[But more pretty facetime on FOX with the rest of the big kids was more important to him]

Yup Funny how undercarders Santorum and Huckabee have a better chance of VP that most any on the main stage.

On what issue did he not clearly explain himself? If you are referring to immigration, you must not have seen the entire debate. If you are simply using Vox as a source you are being a tool.

I think the bigger issue is that since Trump wasn't there, he couldn't lose. Someone had to lose. Someone had to be attacked by the Moderators and the other candidates and since Cruz is Trump's closest competitor, he got the brunt of it. And all it will do is help Trump by hurting Cruz. Addition by Subtraction. It wouldn't surprise me if Trump went through this exact calculus. The man can handle the media in his sleep.

Exactly. He saw that his attacks on Cruz weren't having an overall huge impact So he left Cruz exposed and a target for everyone else.