Perkins: Cruz is de facto leader of Republican Party

cnn.com ^ | October 11, 2013 | Peter Hamby

[SoConPubbie]

Washington (CNN) -- As trench warfare over the government shutdown drags into its 11th day, a number of Republicans with visible roles in the stalemate, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, will take a breather from Capitol Hill on Friday to speak at the Values Voter Summit, one of the conservative movement's marquee annual events.

Pretty much everyone in official Washington has taken a beating in public opinion polls during the shutdown mess. Republicans, however, continue to shoulder most of the blame.

But don't expect to hear calls for GOP compromise from the hundreds of activists, elected officials and conservative celebrities at Friday's kickoff to this weekend's summit, said Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, the event's sponsor.

Cruz: I'm for health care reform, just not Obamacare

Instead, he said, expect this year's Values Voter Summit to be ground zero for the no-compromise wing of the Republican Party, and a hive of anti-Obamacare fervor where polarizing leaders like Cruz will be welcomed as conquering heroes.

. . .

Here is his interview, condensed and lightly edited.

Q: What message do you expect the congressional leaders speaking at the summit to have about the shutdown, and any potential deals to reopen the government or raise the debt ceiling?

Perkins: If you look at most of those we have coming to speak here, they're conservative leaders who have been pushing this effort to delay or suspend Obamacare. I don't think you are going to see them saying, 'Hey, we are going to settle here,' except for maybe Paul Ryan. I think they are going to use this as a platform to push for something of significance to come out of this showdown that has occurred between Republicans and the president.

[SoConPubbie]

	"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[SoConPubbie]

Ted Cruz Ping!

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!

[austinaero]

“Hey, we are going to settle here,’ except for maybe Paul Ryan”

BOOM!

[Huskrrrr]

Cruz Control!

[madison10]

YES! Works for me!

[dps.inspect]

Cruz captured the flag... I’m rallying to the flag!!

[SpeakerToAnimals]

“Hey, we are going to settle here,’ except for maybe Paul Ryan”

Boo him off the stage. Do not let him speak. When RMGO did that to Governor Bill Owens in Colorado the little twerp disappeared forever.

[Olog-hai]

He stole it from Rush Limbaugh?

[Zhang Fei]

Paul Ryan has sunk his White House hopes, at least as a Republican candidate. Is there a primary challenger on the horizon?

[Buckeye McFrog]

Actually he is the emerging leader of the new Conservative Party.

The Republican Party has entered its death throes.

[Starboard]

Republicans, however, continue to shoulder most of the blame.

Republicans are going to get the blame no matter what they do. The media will pound them from now until November regardless of whether its Obamacare, CR, debt ceiling or something else. The incessant attacks will intensify as we approach the elections. So Pubbies may as well stand up and fight. What is there to lose? I think Cruz understands this quite well.

[Grampa Dave]

[Theodore R.]

I had forgotten about Governor Owens of CO; wasn’t he a stealth Democrat all the time?

[expat2]

Yes, he is filling a void that was glaringly obvious, and a very good choice for leader. Dubya retired from politics, Romney would normally be the titular head but also bugged out. This left crazy lefty McCain, who was no use at all, McConnell the same, and Boener, who is doing his best but is not conservative enough.

[gov_bean_ counter]

And the problem with that is...?

[slipper]

McCain is just fuming this morning on FNC with Martha MacCallum interview.....have never seen him this mad and is blaiming everything on everyone except for the demonrats and O. It’s sickening.

Thankful we have someone with some backbone and morals like Ted Cruz.

[SueRae]

Exactly. And I’m proud to be on board. Watching the voters’ summit on CSPAN3. Most refreshing.

[stanne]

Well. Nature does abhor a vacuum.

[DouglasKC]

Republicans are going to get the blame no matter what they do. The media will pound them from now until November regardless of whether its Obamacare, CR, debt ceiling or something else. The incessant attacks will intensify as we approach the elections. So Pubbies may as well stand up and fight. What is there to lose? I think Cruz understands this quite well.

Yup yup and yup!

[ontap]

He represents a fairly liberal constituency ....apparently that's his claim to fame!!!