Cruz campaign puts family out front

Politico ^ | 11/28/15 | Katie Glueck

[Isara]

In the Texas senator's bid for the White House, his father and wife are the tip of the spear.

To one degree or another, every candidate running for president has enlisted their family in their effort. But none have gone so far as Ted Cruz, whose surging campaign has placed his wife Heidi and father Rafael at the tip of the spear, leading fundraising and organizing efforts as if they were paid staffers.

Neither has a formal title, but as the Texas senator continues to roll out endorsements and assemble a growing network of supporters in the early states and across the South in anticipation of the March 1 primaries, the influence of his wife, on leave from her position as an executive at Goldman Sachs, and his father, a pastor who is a fixture on the evangelical speaking circuit, is becoming stamped across his campaign.

Rafael Cruz has been central to his son's evangelical outreach efforts for months. For many Christian conservatives, the first introduction to the Cruz family was through Rafael, who served as a key bridge between religious leaders and the campaign. Last summer he did a multi-city swing through Iowa churches where he was accompanied by the Cruz campaign's Iowa state director and preached about the importance of getting Christians to vote. His son is rarely the subject of his sermons - but it's implied.

For most of the campaign, Heidi Cruz focused almost singularly on fundraising. But after largely playing a behind the scenes role, she has started ratcheting up her public presence in recent weeks. She joined Twitter this month and has already done solo swings through states including Alabama and Georgia, maintaining a pace that sometimes rivals her husband's, with as many as three stops a day. She has a heavy travel schedule planned through the end of the year.

Just as important, Heidi Cruz has joined Rafael Cruz in quietly courting lawmakers, according to several legislators who are backing Cruz, sometimes forming a one-two Cruz family punch before the senator gets involved.

Bob Vander Plaats, a prominent Iowa social conservative whose Family Leader organization hosted a presidential forum earlier this month, has met at various times with Rafael, Heidi and Ted Cruz as he weighs an endorsement.

"Cruz definitely has made this a family affair," he said, ticking through all the spouses of candidates he hasn't met.

Like other candidates' wives, Heidi Cruz's public mission is, in part, to soften the edges of her husband, who is reviled by many of his Senate colleagues. But her actual portfolio is much broader, encompassing fundraising, strategy and tactics.

The Cruzes met while working on George W. Bush's campaign - and Heidi Cruz held several roles in the Bush administration - so she is as comfortable talking strategy with donors and GOP officials as she is in the more traditional political spousal role of opening up about family life and humanizing her husband.

"She's very sharp in her own right, very impressive," said South Carolina State Rep. Wendy Nanney, who got a call from Heidi Cruz during which the two discussed the Texas senator's record as well as Nanney's own work challenging abortion rights. "It was a great conversation with her, I was very comfortable, and that led into a meeting with him, [and my] being very comfortable and able to talk very openly."

Nanney is now one of Cruz's South Carolina co-chairs.

"Ted and Heidi are the closest Republican equivalent of the political powerhouse couple Bill and Hillary Clinton," said Cruz campaign chair Chad Sweet. "Their marriage was forged in the heat of a presidential campaign and their partnership in American politics has not stopped since. Each is a formidable politico in their own right."

Now, through social media and radio hits, women's lunches and phone calls to key activists, Heidi Cruz is intensifying her public efforts to shore up support for her husband, a mandate that includes showcasing a gentler side to a candidate who is rising in the polls but is sometimes stiff while working a crowd, and has drawn criticism from top Republicans ranging from John Boehner to George W. Bush.

"This election is going to come down to trust," she said in a recent interview with POLITICO. "If you are looking to trust someone, you need to know them, and knowing them is multidimensional...The news media loves to portray Ted as such a serious person, the media tells you he doesn't connect, and when I tell you these things about how well he connects not only with voters but with family, I think it goes against that narrative."

She talks about her husband's fondness for Broadway musicals and his inside jokes with their two young daughters, and in front of women's groups has stressed that he has compassion for single mothers, in part because that was his half-sister's experience.

"I want to show people that Ted can unite this party, that Ted is speaking to common-sense principles that bring us all together," Cruz said. "I also want to show this country that he is incredibly thoughtful, both professionally and personally. This is a man who's never missed a date night, who's never missed a birthday, who loves his girls so much like every father does in this country.

"Not all the public know that yet, and the media loves to paint him as a fiery, outspoken advocate for the extreme right that can never win," continued Cruz, vowing to show that that's not the full picture.

Steve Deace, an influential conservative Iowa radio host who is backing Cruz, had several meetings with the senator, his wife and his father. Deace's wife also had lunch with Heidi Cruz.

"They each have God-given roles and just complement each other very well," said Deace, calling them a "model contemporary Christian couple."

"Ted's got the killer instinct when it comes to pursuing principles," he said. "Heidi's got the killer instinct when it comes to gathering resources to run a successful campaign."

Yet Deace's first connection to the Cruz family was through Rafael Cruz, whom he met in Iowa evangelical circles. That's not an uncommon experience: Eric Woolson, who worked on Christian conservative outreach for Scott Walker in Iowa before the Wisconsin governor dropped out, told POLITICO recently said that he was constantly running up against pastors who were glowing about "how impressed they were with Sen. Cruz's dad, how much work he'd done."

[HiTech RedNeck]

The number one qualification for president is of course where a candidate stands on the issues.

How about what forces are guiding that candidate???

[HiTech RedNeck]

OK fine, he managed lawyers. You know how the USA loves lawyers.

[Isara]

Trump supported TARP, auto bailout and Porkulus bill, i.e., Trump is for big government and big businesses.

Trump's Record on Free-market Issue: (from the Conservative Review)

Trump has a terrible record on free market issues. The only bright spot is the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing, but this glimmer is countermanded by his repeated support for bailing out Wall Street and the auto industry, and increased stimulus spending. Of particular concern is Trump's belief that the government can use eminent domain powers to seize private property in the name of private economic development. This comes as no surprise, given his support for using eminent domain to profit his own company.

Trump supported the Supreme Court’s 2005 decision in Kelo v. City of London, allowing public authorities to seize private land for economic development by private investors; Trump said, “I happen to agree with [the decision] 100 percent.” (National Review)  This is no surprise given Trump’s attempt to use eminent domain in his own line of work. (Institute for Justice)

Trump supported President Obama’s 2009 stimulus, saying: “The word stimulus is probably not used in its fullest…you know, certain of the things that were given weren't really stimulus. They were pork, as we call it, or they were gifts to certain people. But overall, I think he's [President Obama] doing very well. You do need stimulus and you do have to keep the banks alive.” (CNN) 

Trump supported TARP, saying, "You had to do something to shore up the banks, because ... you would have had a run on every bank." (CNN) 

Trump supported the 2008 auto bailout, saying, “I think the government should stand behind them 100 percent. You cannot lose the auto companies. They’re great. They make wonderful products.” He also said that the federal government could “easily save the companies.” (Daily Caller) 

Trump criticized the Federal Reserve’s intervention in the debt market, saying quantitative easing creates “phony numbers” that mislead the marketplace and “will not ultimately benefit the economy. The dollar will go down in value and inflation will start rearing its ugly head.” (CNBC) 

Donald Trump has a history of using eminent domain to complete business deals. Multiple times Trump has supported the use of government agencies to take possession of homes and businesses for use in his private business plans. Eminent domain seizures are reserved only for public use of property rather than abuse by the government taking property from one individual and giving to another. (Washington Post) 

Donald Trump has sought and received crony capitalist tax breaks for his commercial properties in New York. These tax breaks, and even an abatement, force the property taxes of other property owners to rise at the expense of the connected. Special treatment for one business or industry over another with the tax code conflicts with free market principles. (National Review) 

In 2009, Trump supported Barack Obama's call for limits on the pay of executives. (CNN)

[FreeReign]

Lets pretend the two brothers are committed Christians. I can write the brutal media narrative for you:

Hold on now.

The media will write brutal narratives about any Republican nominated and especially Donald Trump.

And BTW you don't have to pretend the two brothers are committed Christians, they are. The third guy is an fracking/energy guy and the biggest donor of them all is an anti illegal alien invasion guy.

All noble cause, and this is how campaign donations and the first amendment are supposed to work.

[caww]

..."For the first time in eight years, I won't have to suppress my gag reflex and run to turn off the TV".....

Exactly!.....I will be so happy not to see these displays time and again....

[Isara]

OK fine, he managed lawyers. You know how the USA loves lawyers.

You move the goal post, eh?

[FreeReign]

How about what forces are guiding that candidate???

A good candidate on the issues will only react to good campaign donation "forces".

And BTW, as I've mentioned, Ted Cruz does have good campaign donors.

[Unmarked Package]

Heidi Cruz is a treasure and wonderful partner in life for Ted.

I wish I could find video of her speech at the Rally for Religious Freedom in Greenville, SC on 11/14/2015. In the speech, Heidi described the cute activity with their two young daughters, Catherine and Caroline, in which they earn credits for reading and discussing Bible passages during each week. At the end of the week they can exchange their credits for treats and small favors. The girls always want Ted to tally the credits at the end of the week because he adds the sound effect of a cash register with a hearty “Cha-ching!” It really is a wonderful family environment in their home and the girls obviously adore their Mom and Dad.

[caww]

Well just a small idea of Cruz experience....would certainly suggest he’d have no issue with delegating responsibility....

...Private practice with the law firm now known as Cooper & Kirk and later with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP.

....The George Bush campaign including drafting the winning argument in Bush v. Gore.

....Associate Deputy Attorney General, US Department of Justice.

.....Domestic Policy Advisor, Bush White House.

....Director of Policy Planning, Federal Trade Commission.

....Longest serving Solicitor General for Texas.

.....US Senator.

Whether you think this experience is relevant or not is a value judgment.... To say that someone with this ‘sustained’ experience at the highest levels of state and federal government doesn’t have experience is rather buffoonish.

Some would make the virtue of executive experience a deal breaker just the same........... I would counsel that executive experience is only important if it is coupled with an executive ‘temperament’.

Being an successful executive may entail knowing how to delegate and what to focus on, but it doesn’t necessarily follow. ....Peter Drucker’s seminal work, The Peter Principle, is devoted to people who were successful until they weren’t. In the words of Frederick the Great, “I once had an ass who followed me on a dozen campaigns, at the end he was still an ass.”

[CatherineofAragon]

"Exactly. No nudies floating around, no cringing that he’s “Uncle Joe II”, no hate for Americans or switching positions in order to sell himself. Refreshing!"

That's right. And to think we used to take for granted having a president who didn't actually despise America.

[CatherineofAragon]

They make me so sick. They’re a grifting sideshow.

[DJ MacWoW]

Even the Clinton’s gave patriotism lip service.Their contempt wasn’t so open.

[caww]

I know...and that from the get go....I was so embarrassed by Michele's displays..and her clothing was atrocious!

Even after they cleaned up her wardrobe...you cannot take the hood out of this gal...

[SmokingJoe]

Are you for real?
Look, we get it, you love Trump. Fine. But if you want to troll Ted Cruz threads, at least get your facts right will ya?

[MeshugeMikey]

Ted hails from Outpost of Liberty !

I smell VICTORY!!!

photo by "meshuge mikey"

[MeshugeMikey]

Real Americans!

[HiTech RedNeck]

This kind of resume might indeed work to Cruz’s advantage — still, many people are just going to tag him Senator, which if Cruz really is a good boss, is a step down which is like asking why a software engineer was driving taxis as his most recent job. The Senate hardly is an esteemed body in the American eye today. Its old Constitutionally august nature changed with the means of electing it.

[HiTech RedNeck]

He didn’t manage lawyers?

[FourPeas]

[caww]

Cruz fought the Senate on both sides of the aisle....and is still fighting them during his campaighn.......so it’s not accurate saying Cruz as a Senator is a step down....he went there to make a difference and then some...and he’s done just that .....