Posted on 02/04/2016 10:47:52 AM PST by SoConPubbie
Senator Ted Cruz on Thursday battled with ABC’s Tom Llamas after the Good Morning America reporter accused the Republican of using “dirty tricks” against Ben Carson in Iowa. Regarding a press release and a tweet sent out by the Cruz campaign on caucus night, Llamas demanded, “Will you fire or suspend anyone at your campaign for putting out misinformation?...Is it a dirty trick to confuse voters?”
Llamas has a history of going after the 2016 GOP field. On August 20, 2015, he screamed at Donald Trump, lecturing him that “anchor baby” is an “offensive term.” On January 6, 2016, the journalist scolded Cruz, wondering “how can you be a president” if you “hate Democrats” and the “culture of Washington.”
See transcript below:
GMA
2/4/16
7:04am ET
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We’re going to move on to the race for president now, Your voice, your vote. And just two days before our big GOP debate, brand-new poll out moments ago shows Donald Trump holding on to a 20-point lead in New Hampshire over Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz as two more candidates drop out of the race and Trump accuses Cruz of stealing the Iowa caucuses. So there's a whole lot happening. ABC's Tom Llamas tracking all the latest from Manchester. Good morning, Tom.
TOM LLAMAS: George, good morning to you. So many developments on the GOP side, Senator Rand Paul dropping out. Santorum dropping out, endorsing Senator Marco Rubio and as you just said, Donald Trump now accusing Senator Ted Cruz of stealing the Iowa caucuses while also learning there are some dangers to campaigning.
PILOT: We have an inbound emergency. Runway is going to be shut down.
LLAMAS: Overnight, a scare in the air for Donald Trump. Trump Force One forced to make an emergency landing in Nashville because of a mechanical problem.
PILOT: Runway 20 right cleared to land.
LLAMAS: Trump eventually hitting his campaign stop in Little Rock eventually.
TRUMP: Suddenly, my guys said, “Oh, that's okay, we can go back to New York, Mr. Trump. We can come another day.” I said, “There's no way. I love Arkansas.”
LLAMAS: There's also no stopping Trump's new attack, claiming Senator Ted Cruz cheated his way to victory in Iowa.
TRUMP: What he did to Ben Carson was a disgrace that he had quit the race. Everyone knew he didn't quit the race.
LLAMAS: Trump, referring to this Cruz campaign e-mail sent on caucus day. They cite a press report saying Dr. Carson is taking time off after Iowa. It goes on to say, “Please inform any Carson caucus goers of this news and urge them to caucus for Ted Cruz.”
TRUMP: It's not a mistake. He did it on purpose.
LLAMAS: Carson says it hurt his chances in Iowa and he's calling for accountability.
BEN CARSON: At least those people who are responsible should come out publicly and admit what they did.
LLAMAS: Cruz apologized to Carson but is standing by his campaign's actions. Will you fire or suspend anyone at your campaign for putting out misinformation?
TED CRUZ: No. We're not going to scapegoat anybody and I would note that the news story that our team passed on was true and accurate. CNN reported it.
LLAMAS: But is it a dirty trick to confuse voters?
CRUZ: Is it a dirty trick to pass on your news stories? You're in the business. Would you think it was if I forwarding an ABC story or just a dirty trick to pass on CNN stories?
LLAMAS: Cruz lashing out at Trump, saying the billionaire is stirring the pot because he lost in Iowa.
CRUZ: Well, listen, it is no surprise that Donald is throwing yet another temper tantrum, or if you like, yet another Trumper tantrum.
LLAMAS: As Cruz and Trump spar, Governor Chris Christie is keeping the pressure on Senator Marco Rubio. Christie warning of the dangers of electing another first term senator.
CHRIS CHRISTIE: Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.
LLAMAS: Now, Governor Christie part of that pool of governors that right now is sort of at the bottom of the polls along with Jeb Bush and Governor John Kasich, all campaigning very hard in New Hampshire hoping for a ticket to South Carolina. George.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Okay, Tom, thanks very much.
After noting that the story that Carson would be taking some time off came from CNN, Cruz challenged Llamas: “Is it a dirty trick to pass on your news stories? You're in the business. Would you think it was if I forwarding an ABC story or just a dirty trick to pass on CNN stories?”
What an incredibly sophisticated and meaningful comment. It totally typifies Trump followers in just a few words.
Isn’t carson wobbly on 2A issues?
Refresh me how strong carson is on 2A please.
I understand that Ben Carson privately accepted Cruz apology for what happened, even though it was really nothing.
Carson has made noises about moving past this but, well, this is the only publicity Carson has gotten in a while and he is tempted to milk it.
By the way, I like to remind Carson about the things Trump said about him a few weeks ago. Cruz has never spoken so ill of Carson as Trump did.
Yes. The fake bus was pretty pathetic.
I don’t think Carson has the energy to campaign.
Okay, you are now getting pathetic.
Try to man up.
You obviously haven’t done your homework.
And because Cruz cheaters are continuing their BS, the story is not dying as it should.
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/carson-other-campaigns-sabotaged-us-dirty-tricks
Try and do quality research to keep FR at a level that is admirable rather than resort to crap remarks.
Exactly. The more I hear from Cruz the less I like the guy.
Cruz antics were going on during caucus. Big difference.
This entire episode I lay flatly at the foot of Carson......and he will ride this wave for however long he can. ..as you say “Milk it” for the media attention.
He’s angry he didn’t get to make his exit his way....because he foolishly thought he could play in the political theater without a clue of those dynamics.
What would he have done in a surgical theater if his staff was threatening to walk out during surgery.....go change his clothes in Florida and then attend a Prayer breakfast in Washington?...I think not.... there’s some shifty stuff Carson’s pulling off here trying to be a victim of his own demise.
Silly distraction. Let’s focus on beating the socialists ...or progressives...or LIEberals ....whatever they are calling themselves these days.
.
see post #113 ...
Dr. Ben Carson LOST Iowa because he is a “politically inept, stupid presidential campaigner” who appears to be more interested in book tours and Egyptian Pyramid Grain Silos ...
than WINNING a brutal presidential election.
Dr. Ben Carson ... all smiles and whining ... very little LET’s WIN attitude.
.
Incidentally, Carson won that caucus.
=================================================
Greta is not a Carson supporter.....but she went ballistic when she reported on the Cruz campaign/s intellectually facile response to his critics. ...claiming they used Carson/s own resignations words....when no such words exist.
CRuz campaign got caught with their pants down.....maybe THEY were the ones who needed to take a quick break for a change of clothes ;-)
Here is Cruz pushing birthright citizenship, defending anchor babies like Rubio to be able to be president. This man is dangerous! Aug. 13, 2011. Under a minute and the same smarmy Cruz lawyereze BS. And no, he didn’t mention he was born in Canada. It took him 3 more years to figure that one out.
https://www.facebook.com/320067734478/videos/vb.320067734478/10153927546279479/?type=2&theater
God bless you, Liz. Important work.
As for Trump, though, I hope he goes back to tackling anit-patriots.
Liz, that example of Mrs. Carson being present inside the caucus is key.
She saw how the scheme worked first hand, with eyes wide open. The chronology of the first Cruz tweet from the Carson camp, to the CNN Live reports of that tweet, to the subsequent Cruz electronic communications are all time- stamped.
The Cruz campaign was the only campaign to start this ball rolling claiming the entire misinformation theme came from the Carson camp.
Cruz is suppose to be the smartest guy in the room. No body wanted to get confirmation on news of that magnitude directly from Dr. Carson.
You can’t be too careful with what you’re hearing, and as O’Reilly said, CNN should not have gone with a story of that magnitude when based on a damn tweet from a Cruzer with a phone.
Thanks for the link.
This strange Canadian has no gravitas whatsoever....and next to none of the necessary presidential instincts.
Cruz resembles a Whirling Dervish.....he takes 3-4 positions on every issue...then lies in wait to see which position benefits him.
When he gets flak for an errant position, he denies it.
You can always tell when he knows he/s in trouble....he starts twitching and gesticulating wildly...... and pulls out his Bible.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.