Posted on 10/28/2015 9:35:45 PM PDT by Isara
BOULDER, Colo. — In easily his most animated moment on the debate stage since he launched his presidential campaign, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz excoriated moderators of the third GOP presidential debate Wednesday night.
"This is not a cage match," the Texas Republican said. "And you look at the questions — 'Donald Trump, are you a comic-book villain?' 'Ben Carson, can you do math?' 'John Kasich, will you insult two people over here?' 'Marco Rubio, why don't you resign?' 'Jeb Bush, why have your numbers fallen?' How about talking about the substantive issues people care about?"
Cruz's media criticism drew loud applause at the University of Colorado Boulder, where the GOP field gathered for the CNBC-hosted event. It was an especially spirited moment compared to his first two debates, during which Cruz hit his talking points but stopped short of delivering breakout performances.
"Even without the mainstream media not wanting to get into positive economic ideas and substance, it was a terrific debate," Cruz told reporters in brief remarks afterward.
Cruz's allies were thrilled that he called out the moderators, with a number of surrogates telling reporters the senator "took control" of a debate veering into triviality. Cruz adviser Jason Miller said the senator played the "grown-up card," while Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, newly tapped Texas chairman of Cruz's campaign, said other candidates were probably thinking, "I should've said that," when Cruz intervened.
"He carried the debate on his shoulders when he took on those hosts," Patrick told reporters, likening Cruz to a quarterback carrying his team.
Minutes before the economy-focused debate started, the Wall Street Journal published an op-ed by Cruz outlining his tax plan, which calls for a 10 percent flat income tax. Cruz moved quickly early in the debate to tout the fairness of the proposals, saying that under the plan, "no hedge fund manager pays less than his secretary."
Between the tax plan rollout and moderator lashing, Cruz surrogates believe he struck the perfect balance of substance and style. Cruz campaign manager Jeff Roe called the debate a "great night for the campaign," suggesting it was poised for another surge in post-debate fundraising. Cruz's tangle with the moderators "blew up on money," Roe added.
Less than two hours after the debate ended, Cruz's campaign indicated he had already raised more than half a million dollars.
Cruz later patched things up with moderator John Harwood, who noted the two are "clearly not having that beer you mentioned." That was a reference to a Cruz's earlier admission that he may not be the candidate with which Americans want to grab a beer.
"I'll buy you a tequila or even some famous Colorado brownies," Cruz replied, drawing laughs at the mention of a state known for its legalization of marijuana.
That’s right it is an unknown.
-— ? She said she was really interested in Cruz for the first time. She said that up until now she had written him off as a religious guy, but now she sees he can talk economics and she is giving him serious thought -—
That’s what I’ve been telling my wife, “people only know the guy who flies around on a broomstick. Wait until people hear him.”
“How can people not know about him?”
“All they know is what they’ve heard through the media.”
I think the polls are going to get quite a shake-up after this. Rubio will rise too.
The media blackout could only hold for so long. I guess they figured it was their only hope.
-— In the debate, Cruz said, “I may not be the guy you most want to have a beer with, but I am the guy who will get you home safely.â€
Adult supervision. -—
I want to get other people’s reaction to that. I wanted to like it, but it came across to me as, “I’m not exciting but I have my good points.” I don’t think he’s boring, it’s just that he hasn’t had an opportunity to show his playful side. I’ve seen him laugh and it’s infectious. And I love the cigar-chomping college photo. I bet he’s a lot like that in private.
-— In the name of God, WHY? -—
Pro forma. But it probably ticked them off even more.
Cruz will — but Rand is so desperate for attention that he won’t let anyone else participate.
Nonsense. People shouldn't be taxed for the mere fact of earning a living. Income taxation is a Progressive abomination, with countless features which are destructive of Liberty.
A man's labor is his property.
With consumption taxes, those who consume the most pay the most tax, which is inherently more fair than preemptively seizing the fruits of a man's labor as the property of the state. Income taxation is proportional slavery.
So you can just keep on cheering your Collectivist taxation racket, which is a central tenet of the Communism, along with inheritance taxes, fractional reserve banking, and all other such "modern necessities" needed to support deficit spending and socialism.
The Founders knew the score on taxation.
Income taxation is anathema to American Freedom.
It’s a bit odd, especially reflecting that Reagan probably talked openly about God and prayer than Cruz ever has. I don’t think Cruz is any more focused on religious-based issues than Reagan was. But the left is succeeding in making each younger generation less religious than the last one, so it’s no surprise the anti-religion statement at the Luntz panel came from the youngest audience member.
He does, but he stopped for at least a year after Obama was reelected on account of being demoralized. So this tells me that Cruz really hasn’t grabbed enough headlines since the Obamacare filibuster. Anyone who wasn’t paying attention then might not really know he is other than a Senator from Texas.
Tithing is a central tenet from the bible, not communism. A flat income tax is identical to tithing.
I want taxes to be low and only fund necessary endeavors like the military, the courts and border security. The question is how should they be collected and from whom? There is simply no justification for why a person who earns $50,000 but only spends $10,000 should pay less tax to fund the military than a guy who earns the same but spends it all.
I can’t see Jesus walking around telling people if they save all of their money, they don’t have to pay their tithes to the church, but if they spend it all than they have to pay up. Telling people that if they don’t spend any money, they get a free ride on funding the military simply makes no sense whatsoever.
Thats a fact that seems to get lost with the Trump supporters.
From their rhetoric you would think Donald Trump invented the smackdown of the media.
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