Posted on 12/16/2015 7:56:14 AM PST by VinL
Ted Cruz arrived in Las Vegas for Tuesday night's fifth Republican debate surging in the national polls and as the newly anointed favorite in Iowa, where support among evangelicals was always expected to be a strength. After the performance he turned in under the bright lights of this latest debate, he's likely to depart riding an even bigger wave of attention.
Cruz has always been one of the strongest and most experienced debaters on the stage, but he was even more aggressive on Tuesday than he has been in past debates. Instead of focusing his attention on criticizing the moderators as in previous performances, he used their questions to his advantage, embracing frontrunner Donald Trump early and attacking more mainstream rival Marco Rubio late.
Those two candidates had strong nights as well, Rubio, in particular, largely held serve in the establishment lane, but Cruz was the one who appeared to hit more of his marks and take fewer hits during the freewheeling and combative event.
One of Cruz's best moments came early in the night. For months, the Texas senator has been playing the long game with Trump, campaigning in the slipstream of his blustery belligerence on immigration and foreign policy in the hopes of eventually nabbing his supporters if he ultimately drops out. But on Tuesday (snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
1. Carson tanked irrevocably, that 10-12% is now mostly Cruz's vote.
2. Rubio was evicted from the tea party/conservative vote
3. Bush and Christie did well enough to remain in the race, further dividing Rubio's vote.
4. Cruz is now Wall and no legalization.
5. He got trump's imprimatur ("wonderful temperament").
Not a bad night going into Iowa.
Cruz is going to get a nice bump from the debate performance he totally created a clear difference in his understanding of the issues from the others, and from Rubio who I think was his biggest threat. Rubio will sink.
Part of his strategy to give Trump a yuge bear hug and then inherit his supporters down the line.
Kinda pushing on those last two but you’re right.
And #3 is a very good point I missed.
Cruz’s statement on legalization was interesting.
I have not supported legalization in the past and I do not intend to in the future.
Past and future. What about the present?
Intend to is pretty weasely.
If Trump should fall, Ted will pick up the flag and lead the charge! The Republic is safe!
The question is if a debate happens in a forest and no one watches it, is there a winner?
Your user name is a bit unnerving, considering.
:D
Good analysis! I thought Paul helped himself last night...might keep him around a bit longer...through Iowa.
If the MSM can somehow manage to take out Trump, they will make short work of Cruz, and will utterly try to destroy him, solely to set an example.
It was only ‘weasely’ to those predisposed to see it that way.
To the rest of us it was a pretty definite statement from a man who has always declared his opposition to legalization of illegals.
Last night was the moment Cruz needed to stick an ice pick through Rubio’s heart.
Did it work?
Cruz made himself so clear even a weasel could understand it, but even that wouldn't keep the weasel from intentionally distorting it. Look in the mirror, your post is the work of a weasel.
Last night cemented the fact that Trump is driving the GOP agenda for 2016, he’s the likely nominee and Cruz will probably wrap up the second spot.
This is what Salamander is referring to:
The Charge of the Light Brigade was a charge of British light cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854, in the Crimean War. Lord Raglan, overall commander of the British forces, had intended to send the Light Brigade to pursue and harry a retreating Russian artillery battery, a task well-suited to light cavalry. However, due to miscommunication in the chain of command, the Light Brigade was instead sent on a frontal assault against a different artillery battery, one well-prepared with excellent fields of defensive fire.
Although the Light Brigade reached the battery under withering direct fire and scattered some of the gunners, the badly mauled brigade was forced to retreat immediately. Thus, the assault ended with very high British casualties and no decisive gains.
The events are best remembered as the subject of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s narrative poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade” (1854). Published just six weeks after the event, its lines emphasize the valour of the cavalry in bravely carrying out their orders, regardless of the obvious outcome. Blame for the miscommunication has remained controversial, as the original order itself was vague, and the officer who delivered the written orders, with some verbal interpretation, died in the first minute of the assault.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade
Kinda pushing on those last two
***************
Nah —— had 3 others I didn’t post, they might have been pushy. -:)
The uniparty is praising Amnesty Ted. Why am I not surprised.
Truz and Crump will make up the ticket. JMHO! /snicker
You misquote him and then call him a weasel based on your sloppy misquote.
Cruz used the word "Never"!
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