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GOP pushed Iowa win for Cruz only to blunt Trump and pump up Rubio
nytimes.com ^ | FEB. 2, 2016 | David Brooks

Posted on 02/02/2016 6:54:18 AM PST by Trumpinator

Trump’s whole campaign was based on success breeding success, the citing of self-referential poll victories to justify his own candidacy.

What happened in Iowa was that some version of normalcy returned to the G.O.P. race. The precedents of history have not been rendered irrelevant.

Ted Cruz picked up the voters who propelled Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee to victory in previous caucuses. His is a Tea Party wing in the G.O.P. But its size and geographic reach is limited.

The amazing surge for Marco Rubio shows that the Republican electorate has not gone collectively insane. At the last moment, and in a state that is not naturally friendly to him, a lot of Republicans showed up to support a conservative who could conceivably get elected and govern.

Marco Rubio now has his moment. He is the only candidate who can plausibly unify the party. Desperate Cruz-hating Republicans will turn their faces to him.

The Republican Party usually nominates unifying candidates like Marco Rubio. The laws of gravity have not been suspended. He has a great shot. But he has to show one more burst of imagination.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: cruz; election; iowa; rubio; trump
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Even though this is an excerpted editorial from the NYT's Brook's I posted as a personal observation.

The money the GOP PACS threw into Iowa was designed to blunt Trump so he does not head into New Hampshire with a victory which could start an avalanche of victories for Trump. The GOP establishment needs to have Trump lose in Iowa and propelled Cruz and Rubio to do so.

In my view, Iowa was always Cruz's to lose. The money the GOP PACs spent was to pump up Rubio.

At this point I think the other establishment candidates like Jeb and Cristie are there to serve as spare tires just in case something happens to Rubio.

1 posted on 02/02/2016 6:54:18 AM PST by Trumpinator
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To: Trumpinator

The choice it seems has been made for Rubio. The establishment has shown its hands now.


2 posted on 02/02/2016 6:55:19 AM PST by Trumpinator ("Are you Batman?" the boy asked. "I am Batman," Trump said.)
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To: Trumpinator

LOL. Biggest laugh of the day.


3 posted on 02/02/2016 6:55:46 AM PST by libbylu (Cruz: The truth with a smile.)
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To: Trumpinator

BASS ACKWARDS........establishment was doing everything they could to promote Trump over Cruz. They don’t like either, but they “can do deals” with the Donaldus....they can do ethanol’s scam with the Donald....the lobbyists and donors were flocking to Trump.

You should get out more.


4 posted on 02/02/2016 6:58:24 AM PST by C. Edmund Wright (WTF? How Karl Rove and the Establishment Lost...Again (Amazon Best Seller))
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To: Trumpinator

The race has just started—many twists and turns are coming up. The whole scene could change at a moments notice. Don’t count Trump out so soon.


5 posted on 02/02/2016 6:58:54 AM PST by Forward the Light Brigade (Into the Jaws of H*ll Onward! Ride to the sound of the guns!)
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Comment #6 Removed by Moderator

To: Trumpinator

I don’t see any Cruzers threatening to vote for Rubio today. I wonder why that is? LOL.


7 posted on 02/02/2016 6:59:42 AM PST by lodi90 (TRUMP Force 1 lifting off)
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To: Forward the Light Brigade

I am not counting out Trump - just commenting on how the establishment types like Brook’s are thinking.


8 posted on 02/02/2016 6:59:49 AM PST by Trumpinator ("Are you Batman?" the boy asked. "I am Batman," Trump said.)
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To: C. Edmund Wright

The governor of Iowa coming out for Trump must have been double-reverse psychology to help Cruz.


9 posted on 02/02/2016 7:00:01 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
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To: Trumpinator

I agree.


10 posted on 02/02/2016 7:00:10 AM PST by pax_et_bonum (Never Forget the Seals of Extortion 17 - and God Bless America)
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To: Trumpinator
The thing about Trump is that he makes Rubio look like a staunch Conservative.

But one thing that I could see Rubio do is peel off a huge number of Hispanic voters. If that happens, Hillary Clinton is done.

11 posted on 02/02/2016 7:00:33 AM PST by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's Economic Cure)
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To: libbylu

One who has one inch deep, one mile wide support can’t get traction when he’s gotta make a fast start.


12 posted on 02/02/2016 7:01:00 AM PST by Slyfox (Ted Cruz does not need the presidency - the presidency needs Ted Cruz)
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To: C. Edmund Wright

No offense but I don’t see the establishment at all loving Trump.


13 posted on 02/02/2016 7:01:31 AM PST by Trumpinator ("Are you Batman?" the boy asked. "I am Batman," Trump said.)
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To: Trumpinator

If you have an open mind it’s not hard to see whats going on.

Especially after the MSM’s rubio gush fest last night.

The establishment has to back someone. It’s not gonna be Cruz or Trump.


14 posted on 02/02/2016 7:01:54 AM PST by hillarys cankles
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To: libbylu

That isnt anything to laugh at.

Take a look at the media. Do you see the media singing Cruz’s name to the heavens or Rubio’s?

NH is to put Rubio in a strong 2nd behind Trump. SC is to have the state’s GOPe (Tim Scott just endorsed Rubio) put the rubber stamp on him. NV is for him to do well for credibility, and Florida is to give him the take-off.

If you think Cruz is in the equation here, then you are seriously missing the big picture.


15 posted on 02/02/2016 7:01:59 AM PST by VanDeKoik
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To: libbylu

So you’ll just have to d@m them all to h*!!, right?

I’m glad you’re back, libbylu.


16 posted on 02/02/2016 7:02:20 AM PST by Vision Thing (Vote Trump)
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To: Forward the Light Brigade
The whole scene could change at a moments notice. Don’t count Trump out so soon.

That's an odd reply. No one is counting out Trump so soon. Certainly not "Trumpinator" - who you posted to. What's salient is that Trump was inevitable, dominant in polling for many many months - but has now lost the first real scoring. Just a few days ago Trump was taking on the air of inevitability everywhere in the media.

The only thing anyone is counting out about Trump is the "inevitability" - but I always rejected that stupid notion. But no one with any brains is counting him out as a contender. He could well win NH and SC, though I think you'll see polling there change significantly after Iowa. But if he goes back after Cruz, back left of Bernie on health care, or tries to bring up "I'm doing very very well" in the polling.....he's gonna suffer.

17 posted on 02/02/2016 7:03:30 AM PST by C. Edmund Wright (WTF? How Karl Rove and the Establishment Lost...Again (Amazon Best Seller))
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To: Trumpinator

There’s no denying it, skipping the debate hurt Trump in Iowa. Last night on CNN (I know, I know, it’s CNN, but they actually had pretty unbiased coverage) they mentioned how Cruz an Rubio were splitting the establishment votes and Rubio peeled votes away from Trump.


18 posted on 02/02/2016 7:03:37 AM PST by reegs
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To: Dr. Sivana
What really hurt Trump was the way he treated the well-respected Iowa preacher Bob Vander Plaats.

That was way worse than snubbing the debate.

19 posted on 02/02/2016 7:03:43 AM PST by Slyfox (Ted Cruz does not need the presidency - the presidency needs Ted Cruz)
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To: lodi90

“I don’t see any Cruzers threatening to vote for Rubio today. I wonder why that is? LOL.”

That’ll be next week.


20 posted on 02/02/2016 7:03:51 AM PST by moehoward
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