The prophet Glenn "Stabby" Beck absolves Cruz of all his sins...
Posted on 03/31/2016 2:34:53 PM PDT by drewh
When is an affair just an affair? And when is someone’s private sex public business? Those are the questions of the moment following two sets of high-profile allegations involving Republican politicians engaging in extramarital relations. Last week, the National Enquirer alleged that GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz had been “caught cheating” with five mistresses, choosing not to identify the women by name. Earlier in the week, a story broke that Robert Bentley, Alabama’s virulently anti-gay governor, was having an affair with Rebekah Caldwell Mason, his married chief of staff. As Neal Broverman reports for the Advocate, rumors of their affair had been circulating in Washington for years. Both deny the allegations.
Many believe that what takes happens in the bedrooms between consensual adults should stay there, even when it’s politicians whose policies we disagree with. My colleague, Mary Elizabeth Williams, argued that this is hardly the worst misdeed Cruz has ever committed; however, in our extremely sex negative culture, it may be the one that ends his White House run. “[O]f all the reasons that Cruz shouldn’t be president, is an accusation that he slept with other women really the one he ought to go down for?” Williams asks. She astutely notes that—given the possibility that the report was leaked by a Trump staffer—the story is “intriguingly timed, to say the least.”
Should it prove legitimate, inquiry about Ted Cruz’s sex life is more than just “gossip”—as Politico’s Jack Shafer likewise suggested. Cruz’s alleged affairs are worthy of inquiry for the same reason that it’s news when closeted Republicans like Larry Craig foot-tap for sex in an airport bathroom or Randy Boehning is caught on a gay hookup app: Their lies hurt people. Their duplicity, often cloaked political rhetoric, profoundly affects the populations against whose interests they consistently voted, even while engaging in the exact behavior they deemed despicable.
Exposing the hypocrisy of legislators not only makes our political system more honest—it can actually change behavior. After Boehning was outed by Dustin Smith last year, following a chat between the two men online, the North Dakota politician actually told reporters that the leak was a relief: “The 1,000-pound gorilla has been lifted.” To hold politicians accountable for their infidelities is to hold them to the same standard that they do millions of Americans across the country.
There are a number of reasons Ted Cruz’s sex life matters. Aside from his platform, reports indicate that a Super PAC associated with the candidate’s campaign donated $500,000 to former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina last July. Why would a pro-Cruz PAC give money to the competition? Media sources have suggested that the reason for the contribution may have been that Cruz was allegedly having an affair with a staffer on Fiorina’s failed presidential campaign. If Cruz coordinated with his PAC to bribe Fiorina’s camp with what amounts to “hush money,” that’s not only sleazy. That could amount to a federal crime. A GOP operative was sentenced to two years in prison last year for breaking campaign finance laws, which stipulate that candidates and their political action committees cannot communicate.
Now you are going to Salon for your smears? I think you need to ride the lightning. Free Republic is degraded by tolerating smear merchants.
As a Trump supporter, agree entirely.
Just wait till the DC madam’s customer list is released.
This story will not go away. Too many people have a vested interest in exploiting it. The real test for Cruz will be the Wisconsin primary. Will he manage to secure the votes of evangelicals and social voters who are the core of the Republican Party? Salon is a left wing organ . They of course won’t touch Hillary’s or Obama’s homosexuality. However principled secular supporters of Cruz ordinarily could care less of his sex life or religiosity. However they do abhor hypocrisy. If the evangelicals and social voters feel the same many will vote for Kasich. If Trump rallies his core base, he just might win in Wisconsin despite his horrible week.
Come on Vet, you and the others would post from The Advocate if it benefitted your candidate and vilified Trump. Turnaround is fair play.
Ted can always tell the press “It’s just about sex - move on!” It ain’t gonna work.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/03/ted-cruz-sex-scandal-press-coverage-213769
Also, it’s starting to creep out.
You call that living?
“When the Cruz hater have to post bilge from Salon to try to make their point, you know they are getting desperate.”
The point is this story has legs evidently...or, at least a very willing group to keep it going. If he has committed the adulterous affairs, which I think is pretty likely given his actions, I do hope it gets resolved sooner than later. Will save all of us a lot of emotional upheaval...either way.
“When the Cruz haters have to post bilge from Salon to try to make their point, you know they are getting desperate. “
But it is perfectly OK for National Review to interview Michael Moore to get his opinion on Trump : )
2DV has submitted Salon stories as “proof” Ted Cruz is feared by all liberals. He’s not above the fray here.
On this site? The concern was massive. Even Rush Limbaugh fixated on all those stories, they helped make his career.
The prophet Glenn "Stabby" Beck absolves Cruz of all his sins...
I think if the prostitute scandal is proven that is more serious.
They are/were democrats. With Cruz, we’re talking about a Republican.
Actually there was a lot of concern about Bill Clinton’s sex life, and the others you name. Sorry you forgot.
I agree.
If true, the story will be damaging. But even if false, which is entirely possible, the charges will be almost as damaging to Cruz, because he can’t afford to spend scarce time and political capital on the controversy to refute and erase the stain. He’s too busy fighting Trump for the nomination!
This is exactly right. I am ashamed that so many freepers are just assuming the accusations are true, and nobody is waiting for proof.
Were this a Democrat, that would be one thing, but this guy is one of ours, and not only that, he has been a happy warrior for us.
If anyone deserves the benefit of the doubt it is a man who has fought on our side on numerous occasions.
Totally desperate.
Salon should not be allowed here if Red State is not.
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