Ted Cruz leads a prayer with 14,000 cheering evangelicals in S.C.

Washington Post ^ | February 12 at 8:00 PM | Philip Rucker

[SoConPubbie]

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Many of the Republican presidential candidates descended Friday on Greenville ahead of Saturday's CBS debate.

But only one was savvy enough to get himself enlisted as the opening act of a throbbing, trembling Christian rock concert that packed 14,000 evangelicals into a downtown arena on Friday night.

So here came Ted Cruz, striding onto the catwalk of a stage, beaming under the spotlight, leading the crowd in prayer, asking them to unite behind him in next Saturday's primary election, and jumping up like a basketball player high-fiving fans as he walked into the locker rooms in the bowels of the arena.

"Welcome to Winter Jam -- and to God be the glory," the Texas senator said.

Winter Jam is a touring, four-hour show featuring born-again Christian rock and rap artists. It performed at Greenville's Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Friday night.

Ted Cruz about to address 14,000 (!) pumped up evangelicals in Greenville. Opening act of Christian arena concert pic.twitter.com/SYBIPCVdtz

- Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) February 12, 2016

For any Republican politician, this was a captive and prized audience. Evangelical Christians are an especially influential voting block in South Carolina, especially in the Greenville area, known as the Upcountry.

Cruz gave about six minutes of remarks and prayer at the start of the concert. He thanked the crowd "for standing unapologetically with Jesus, for confessing your faith with love."

Cruz talked about religious liberty being "under assault," but said that across the country "people are waking up."

"Our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values," Cruz said. "Those values of life and marriage are under assault, religious liberty is under assault, and yet the American people are rising up."

Cruz did not attack any rivals, nor did he make an overt political pitch. But he cast himself as a champion of social conservative principles,

[Bubba Gump Shrimp]

“Welcome to the jungle, noob.”

Thanks I reckon, but what? No picture?

This fella sent me a welcome picture:

http://freerepublic.com/focus/news/3393290/posts?page=135#135

heh, if I knew how to post a picture, or if there was Avatar’s I would make that mine :)

[snippy_about_it]

Lol. As long as they all go home after the primary Saturday I’m ok with them getting it wrong.

In fact I prefer it, then we know they’re not from around here.

Signed, me. From the MidCountry. ;-)

[LS]

Funny. Cruz goes to a rock concert to pretend he drew the crowd. This is like Obama in Germany where 2/3 of the crowd left after the music was over. At least Cruz was smart enough to get on stage first. But still misleading.

[snippy_about_it]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3378678/posts

We have a sandbox where you can learn how to post pictures and practice.

Welcome.

[eartick]

It just shows how smart he is and how conservative he is.

How much did this cost his campaign? Huh? The fuel to show up, that's it. Not jet fuel to fly off to Florida and then fly back to SC. Not the cost to rent a stadium for 10K people and signs, caps and shirts to pass out to all. FREE SHIITE.

See, Senator Ted Cruz has a ground game where he has volunteers going door to door, real people, not a reality TV star personality for showmanship awards. And isn't that what Trump is? A person that will stand up in front of a mic and promise the world to ALL just like a reality TV show. Wake up before it is too late if you are supporting Trump, he is a narcissist as bad as Obama and maybe even worse. He is a rich boy man child who has lost more money than he has made.

Do you know he spent 1/20th of what the other candidates spent in NH? No?

This is what I want in a President. A President who is fiscally conservative. One that knows how to stretch a dime (yours and my dime) and still try to keep America rolling and moving forward.

Is this not what you want?

OR do you just want to come on a Cruz thread and spread drivel?

[eartick]

So did Cruz join a Christian rock band or did he glom onto to their crowd?

If you idiots from the Trumpanzee crowd would read, he was ASKED to be there.

Now go back to shoveling shiite for Trump the pedophile.

[Seattle Conservative]

Hi Jane

I didn’t know Dr. Carson was there, too.

Trump has a rally at the Greenville, SC Convention Center next Monday night. It will be interesting to see how many people he gets without having a band. Wasn’t it Elton John that said that Trump is the only one he knows that can attract a huge crowd without a guitar.

[Red Steel]

Now go back to shoveling shiite for Trump the pedophile.

Don't think so shiite shoveler.

[ObozoMustGo2012]

A Cruz worshipper on my FB page posted a picture too claiming it was a Cruz rally. I knew it was BS. Cruz’s penchant for breaking the 9th commandment has spread to his followers.

[trebb]

Smart move but actual draw of supporters would be more telling as far as support goes - been to Christian events and Promise Keepers and everyone gets caught up in a “commonality” that only seems to exist withing the event.

[eartick]

Ok then, I am going to get me another cup of Joe that a spoon will stand up in.........

[Millie]

This bears repeating.....

“I am so sick of seeing Ted Cruz demeaned on this website. We would be a blessed nation to have this Christian man be our leader. When I see people using his faith to ridicule him on this site , that I have always been so proud to be a part of, it really shakes me up. I feel like God has cast a pearl among the swine and we are watching them trample on it.”
Elyse, I am in complete agreement with you. I often think I’m on the wrong website. I can’t believe the all the name calling and false accusations directed toward Ted Cruz.

[Baldwin77]

So, Cruz has to be “opening prayer act” for a concert to attract more than 1,000 crowd.

Sad.

[Faith65]

Do you miss living in the states?

[Baldwin77]

Interesting video.

When I think of SC, I think of “America”.

No one says it better than TRUMP ... Make America Great Again !

[Baldwin77]

Trump supporters are selling Conservatism down the drain.

=== === ===

No, I think Paul Ryan, Nikki Haley, Renee Elmers and many many many others have already done that. They created Trump.

[Baldwin77]

I also was a Cruz supporter. I like that he was a Christian but lived it and didn’t shove it in people’s faces. Then I heard his father say that Ted was anointed to be the next President. (HUH?) Ok, so his father was a little strange... my dad was a Baptist preacher too... I looked past that. We are supporting Ted, not his father.

Then Iowa. The religion started creeping to the front. It was getting stranger. I wasn’t hearing much about the justices he’d appoint, or the decisions he’d fought before the SC... just more praying and preaching. Suddenly, I understood what people were saying about his “preach;y voice”.

And then the hit on Carson. Just seemed creepy.

I understand why Christians are supporting him. I do. He’s brilliant and he’s a good lawyer, has a beautiful family. I’m just to the place that I think that if he were president it would be more “business as usual” in DC

We have to clean house. and I think Trump can do it. If he can’t or doesn’t, we will be no worse off than if Cruz were in.

[WVKayaker]

Do you miss living in the states?

Of course, as this is a different culture. But, in many ways it is a better place. Friendly people, cheap living, and great food add to the experience of living here. I have been "satisfied" with my choice.

I miss hugging my grandchildren, but with video-chatting, I am watching them grow up. I will likely spend my days here. I am 68, but healthy and my family has lots of longevity, even past 105.

For now, I spend my days sitting at my computer, walking the dogs, or going into town. There are 11 large malls here, and any type of eatery you can find. But, everywhere I go, I can speak English and even small children can converse. It is one of the reasons I decided on the Philippines. Mostly Christian, friendly, low cost of living, and I have met so many Filipinos in the past that I feel right at home.

One of my favorite restaurants is Vikings Buffet. Anything from Filipino, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, American, and so much more. On my birthday, you get "buy 1, get 1" so it's half price. It cost us about $18 for the two of us to pig out. I had at least a pound of tenderloin beef, along with shrimp, and many other foods. Most things I will only sample small portions, due to the breadth of their choices. You can also have all the draft San Miguel beer you want. I drank a couple of glasses of red wine (extra about $1.75 per glass, but included in that $18) After all that, they have choice from more than 300 desserts. I was almost waddling out of there.

Ask me again next year, and I doubt I will say any different... It's more fun in the Philippines!

[Bubba Gump Shrimp]

thank you Snippy, I may give that a try.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I mean that God insists he be transformed and will be disappointed (and bring him chastisement) if he refuses that action and won’t cooperate it with it.

God’s grace isn’t some open ended airy fairy thing, it insists on getting results.

He has no wiggle room: truth or consequences.