Posted on 12/31/2015 12:10:12 PM PST by Isara
Ted Cruz told presidential campaign supporters on a New Year's Eve phone call that the next 90 days could decide the election - and he warned them to prepare for an onslaught of attacks due to his recent surge in the polls.
"We're now in the final sprint," the Texas Republican senator said. "We're winning right now. And as a result, I want to tell everyone: Get ready. Strap on the full armor of God. Get ready for the attacks that are coming."
The candidate made his warning on a call with 56,817 volunteers, according to the Cruz campaign.
"We ain't seen nothing yet. ... In the month of January, we are going to see millions if not tens of millions of attacks - of TV commercials, radio, of social media, of mailers," Cruz said. "And actually as it gets closer and closer to election day, it's going to get uglier and uglier and uglier."
Cruz has been surging in the polls since November - not quite outpacing frontrunner Donald Trump nationally, but coming within striking distance, and taking a lead in the key early state of Iowa.
Trump took aim at Cruz's faith background during a Tuesday speech. Cruz has also been criticized by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for some of his past comments on immigration.
But Cruz told supporters Thursday that he'd rather be under attack than not at this stage in the race.
"I want everyone, when we see the attacks that are coming, instead of being discouraged, I want us to be encouraged. There's an old line - if you're not taking flak, you're not over the target," he said. "If we were sitting here on Dec. 31 and no one was attacking us and no one was going to be attacking us, I would be deeply, deeply concerned. Because it would mean we weren't winning.
"We're winning and it terrifies them - you terrify them."
On the call, Cruz staffers asked supporters to donate to the campaign in an attempt to raise $15,000 today to beef up the campaign's grassroots organization.
Cruz hinted that he expects his opponents to try to dig up dirt on him and spread it in the next few months to undercut his momentum.
"Unfortunately, there are a lot of folks in politics who are not constrained by what they view as quaint notions of the truth. They believe particularly as you get close to an election day, that they can just toss out any lie, any attack and the attack will do its damage before anyone discovers that it's not true," he said. "So I want everyone here to get ready, because that is coming, and it's coming with a ferocity none of us has ever seen."
I hope he gets everything thrown at him.
This is where that gets put to the test. I hope I dont hear any whining from the Cruz side. This is the big dance and you better be ready to take it from all corners.
As a Cruz supporter, I actually want to see it as well. You are right, he needs to be put to the test. I think he will come out of the upcoming blitz just fine but we shall see, won’t we? If he fails... Then he wasn’t up to the challenge and it will be reflected by his numbers falling to Bush levels.
Yes, we will. I am offended when any politician lies and plays games with us, then wraps himself in holier than thou religious terms. Seriously, “Strap on the Full Armor of God”?! Beyond pathetic and offensive. I want a politician that has firm foundation in morals and ethics, I don’t care their religion and, to be honest, how or if they believe in God. But I do not want either extreme, the ones that preach to us or the ones that dismiss others religion. Cruz is over the line. Bye, bye loser.
Jane, you are so sensitive. :-)
Born in a foreign land to a foreign father. That is all I need to know about Ted Cruz.
How soon until we hear hear about Cruz parting the water? Cruz is beginning to sound a lot like the Dear Leader, the Republican Reboot. Must make Obama proud.
Bigot
noun big·ot \Ëbi-gÉt\
Simple Definition of bigot
Popularity: Top 1% of lookups
: a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas, etc. : a bigoted person; especially : a person who hates or refuses to accept the members of a particular group (such as a racial or religious group)
Full Definition of bigot
: a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance
Hey, didn’t these same people several years ago criticize Romney and Mormans for their “protection”.
Con, you are so kind. ;-)
And so the collapse begins (if he really was stupid enough to say that).
yep. Ironically, they’re also the same people that, ultimately, handed Mitt Romney the nomination and Obama a second term. If we’re real lucky they won’t start talking about what rape is and isn’t this time around.
Wow, the Anti-Christian Trump supporters are out in full view. Thanks for outing yourselves as Christian hating bigots.
For the Biblically illiterate, this is what Cruz was referencing:
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devilâs schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lordâs people.
Ahhgh!! Scripture written for the purpose of strengthening the faith of believers!
Ted Cruz is the American Taliban Aaaaaaaaagh!!
He’s going to force us all to go to church and we will miss football!!
At least Cruz knows who made America great. LOL
It is getting to the point that the Cruz legend they are spinning is going to be too big and fragile to withstand one campaign slip-up.
Obama had the luxury of a complicit media. Cruz will not.
I think a lot of the leftover candidates have caught onto what Cruz’s campaign strategy has been and they are royally PO’d and WILL move to take him down. He had better be ready.
Not at all.
I am trilingual - I speak Evangelese, Cathlish, and Secular Humanish.
I know what he was saying, and whence it came.
And, as I have said repeatedly, Senator Cruz would make a fine President.
But he is not going to BECOME President if he keeps pandering to religious nuts, not because THEY'RE not fine people, but because proclaiming the good news in Evangelese is a conspicuous failure and because it repels Catholics and Secular Humanists both.
“Wow, the Anti-Christian Trump supporters are out in full view. Thanks for outing yourselves as Christian hating bigots.”
LOL!
Don’t do impressions of leftists. Seriously just dont.
Funny, it’s the leftists that go nuts when someone quotes Scripture. You can see terms like “Christian Taliban” at DU hurled against Bible believing Christians, I was hoping Freepers would be above such Christophobic bigotry.
The irony of Trumpsters being upset at Cruz for using scripture to inspire his supporters after Trump pulled out the Christian card and insinuated Cruz wasn’t a christian.
So who’s the Christian taliban? Trump for stating Cruz may not be one cause his father is Cuban or Cruz for inspiring his supporters with a bible verse!
I don’t think he is phony, but I question his H1B visa position.
Here’s an example from Evanglish to illustrate my point: “I was a Catholic, then I became a Christian”.
Now, I know what that means. I can even translate it into Cathlish.
But if you are running for public office in Massachusetts, it’s a losing strategy to talk like that on the record.
Most normal non-Evangelicals (a large majority of voters) find talking about putting on the gospel armor repulsive. Yes, they are ignorant, and plenty of them are prejudiced.
But they all vote.
Senator Cruz would do well to heed the Lord’s advice regarding the wisdom of serpents, and the gentleness of doves.
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