Posted on 12/16/2014 7:50:06 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Texan wants to win the presidency by rallying conservatives -- and hoping people forget why they dislike him.
Ted Cruz shut down the government; now he wants to preside over it. The junior senator from Texas is apparently moving closer to announcing his presidential candidacy, and National Review’s Eliana Johnson spoke to the people involved in Cruz 2016 who think they’ve figured out a way to propel their boy to the Oval Office: rally the conservative base, ignore independents, and eat into some of the traditionally Democratic constituencies.
It’s a strategy that’s very similar to the one embraced by Michele Bachmann in her ill-fated 2012 presidential campaign. Bachmann presented herself as a Tea Party champion, an uncompromising antagonist to the D.C. “establishment” (both Republican and Democratic), and a crusader for conservative causes. She enjoyed her short-lived frontrunner status, steadily bled support as concerns about her electability mounted, and abandoned the race after a terrible performance in the Iowa caucus.
Would the same fate befall Cruz? Obviously it’s tough to say – Cruz is a better politician than Bachmann ever was, but he inhabits the same space as a right-wing rabble-rouser with appeal that is concentrated among the hardcore conservatives. He also doesn’t have many friends (Cruz sets fire to bridges as they’re being built) and you can make a strong argument that he’s set back the cause of conservative governance by refusing to even entertain the notion of compromise. Bachmann was mocked, whereas Cruz is actively disliked.
But Cruz’s people have a plan: turn out the base and build a pro-Cruz coalition of Jews, Hispanics, and women....
(Excerpt) Read more at salon.com ...
Just saying... At least half of the independents lean conservative. Many of them became independents because the republican party wasn’t conservative enough. He’s not going to loose all the independents.
My money is on Cruz, not some homo at Salon.
“Some homo at Salon.” You just described everyone who works there, with the possible exception of the janitorial staff.
When your enemy gives you advice, do the opposite.
My advice to Ted Cruz: Keep doing what you’re doing, full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes.
They have to marginalize him and personally attack him. It is in their DumbNA.
Lots of garbage in this one.
Can’t help noticing that it isn’t only Ted Cruz who calls the morning-after pill an abortifacient. It’s the whole pro-life movement. Common commie trick, to tell only part of the truth and try to make someone look like an idiot.
But here’s the main thing, I think: Cruz is not trying to be president. It reminds me of Jimmy Carter days in a funny way, when his sister, who was a more devoted Christian than he was, told him if he wanted the presidency more than the Lord, he would never get it. OK, wrong politics, but same idea. Cruz just does the right thing and people sense it. You can’t hide it and you can’t fake it. It’s Authenticity.
He may or may not run. Doesn’t matter. If it’s meant to be, his followers will propel him to the White House. But his conscience is king, so he will be happy either way. We are so blessed to have this guy in our country.
Did this lefty just refer to Ted Cruz as a “boy”? Damn these liberals. They have no problem injecting their hate to any person of color who disagrees with them.
I saw that but I didn’t make the connection that you did.
Stopped reading after the first line....”Ted Cruz shut down the government.”
It was Obama and Harry Reid who “shut down the government.”
In reality, 83% of the government never shut down.
I could eat a can of alphabet soup and crap out a more intelligent article than anything that appears in “Salon.”
Apparently “Jeb Bush” was the very first answer on Jeopardy tonight.
“the smear campaign to dismantle ted cruz as a candidate is in full swing.”
Sure is. This is the third narrative in the past few days they’ve put out via multiple sources.
First Cruz let the Senate approve Obama appointments.
Second Cruz thinks he can do it all alone, doesn’t understand politics is a team sport.
Now third, and there is this article and WaPo blog saying this same thing, that his presidential strategy can never work.
All this is coming from somewhere and my guess is Prince Rebus’ office at the RNC.
Was the question “Who isn’t going to be president in 2016?”
Woohoo! Go Ted!
Cruz can run on a bipartisan premise: democrats and republicans loathe me.
If you distrust the two major parties Cruz shares your distrust.
The shutdown was good for America and for Cruz.
I saw Ted Cruz speaking tonight, explaining his move this past weekend.
Ted Cruz is very well spoken, very confident, and I think what he has to say will go right over the heads of the media and the political class and directly connect with the people.
He is NOT a stupid man. He holds high ideals and it shows.
He did not shut down the government, Harry Reid did
Right. It’s so ‘flawed,’ they’re worried about him...
This is just a tiny fraction of what the lame stream media is going to turn loose on Cruz if he announces. And in addition to the Democrats and the media (redundant, I know...) the GOPe will be turning it’s guns loose on Cruz too.
I don’t care what Salon has to say about it, but Cruz will not have an easy time getting the nomination, especially with those who control the power and money of his own party against him. Just think about Newt...
On the same day the push polling in the media began for Jeb Bush. So this all figures. Pre-placement. Kabuki theater.
Reagan shut down the govt. 6 times— no big deal. And the last time was 2 months before he was re-elected in a landslide.
17% of the govt is what is shut down— nothing else and people, with the exception of fed employee whiners and liners- do not miss it. Actually saves money to shut parts down.
But they say Romney and McCain did it just right for their taste.
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