“I’m not a I’m not a Cruzer, I’m not a Trumper....
Some are into the cult of personality, but you’re going to be disappointed if you do that.”
That’s true, it’s the agenda that’s important, not the person.
But agendas don’t run for president, people do, so ultimately you have to choose a person.
Personality. That’s why I chose Trump - even though at the time I thought Cruz was more of a true conservative. I had no problem with Ted Cruz’s conservatism, it was his personality - he came off as preachy - I believed (and still believe) he had no chance of winning in the general.
Cruz wore his conservatism on his sleeve - he would have gotten few if any democrat crossovers or independants. With his preachy personality, and outspoken conservatism, Cruz would have been easily branded by the left, using their tried and true playbook of class division and religious right fear-mongering.
Trump on the other hand knew how to confuse the Left. They tried everything but couldn’t figure out how to brand him. Was he too religious or not religious enough? Was he a warmonger or too chummy with Putin? Was he too rich and successful or was he exaggerating his wealth? Was he free enterprise or protectionist? Was he pro labor or anti labor? They never figured him out. Plus, he knew how to get on the offensive, and stay there, all the time letting them think he was a political neophyte.
To this day, Trump is still playing the Left, letting them think they have him on the ropes over Russiagate, obstruction-gate, etc. - letting them think he is isolated, frustrated, impulsive, ineffective... and while they are distracted by those memes, attacking his personality, they are unaware of his consevative agenda - he is quietly MAGA. Cruz had no such political guile.
So yes, it is the conservative agenda that is important, not the cult of personality, but ultimately, we still have to choose a person and clearly we made the right choice with Trump.
To anyone trying to resurrect Ted Cruz or raise doubts as to whether we made the right choice back then - I say hogwash. Trump is ten times the conservative anyone thought he’d be - even his most avid supporters are pleasantly surprised. AND he won.
If we had chosen Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton would be president. Period.
There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that Ted Cruz would have gone through the motions, won about 190 electoral votes, given a forgettable concession speech, and GOP Inc would have been happy.
If we had chosen Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton would be president. Period.
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True.
I would not have been able to vote.
I could not vote for an ineligible man or for Hildebeast.