Posted on 01/18/2016 3:22:43 PM PST by SeekAndFind
One thing we’ve gotten used during the presidential campaign of Donald Trump is the the presence of huge (sorry… YUGE) crowds at his rallies. It’s been one of the dominant features in all the earned media he receives and keeps the networks lining up to cover his events even as he insults them to their faces. We’re also accustomed to the occasional protesters who show up and wind up being quickly escorted from the venue. But one thing we definitely do not see at these huge events is widespread booing and catcalls directed at Trump himself from his army of generally loyal fans. And yet, that’s exactly what happened in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina this weekend. Let’s go to the video.
So what did Trump finally do to turn his own crowd against him? From the context in the video there seems to be only one explanation. He went after Ted Cruz pretty hard and the audience did not appreciate it. (NBC News)
Among conservatives, Donald Trump can typically do no wrong -- until he attacks Ted Cruz.
On Saturday, Trump drew boos from a grassroots conservative crowd during remarks at the South Carolina Tea Party Coalition Convention for his attack on Cruz’s previously undisclosed loans.
“You give a campaign contribution to Ted Cruz, you get whatever the hell you want,” he said, before boos erupted from the crowd.
Trump went on as the boos grew louder: “Say whatever you want, it’s okay, he didn’t report his bank loans. He’s got bank loans from Goldman Sachs, he’s got bank loans from Citibank, folks, and then he acts like Robin Hood?”
I don’t know if Trump takes something away from this encounter and changes up his strategy or not, but he’s got plenty to think about. He can attack the Democrats (obviously) and the crowds go wild. He can go after the media in the most scathing ways and his supporters will join in with his withering criticism. He is also free to go after all of the establishment GOP candidates with insults and barbs, calling Jeb Bush low energy or Chris Christie a liberal, and the faithful will lap it up like milk from a saucer. But his anti-establishment base seems to like Ted Cruz and they don’t care to see him get muddied up at a Trump rally.
This shouldn’t be too surprising. Trump and Cruz are as close as you’d get to natural allies in this race, even as they battle each other for first place in Iowa. Donald Trump is bashing down the gates of the establishment GOP from the outside even as Cruz has spent several years setting it on fire from within. The real secret to the success of both men thus far has much less to do with their specific policy proposals and everything to do with knocking over the apple cart which conservatives now view as being full of rotten fruit.
It sounds like the crowds are picking up on this, though whether it shows up in their respective poll numbers remains to be seen. For months now, the “bromance” between the two seemed to be a winning formula. The Trump / Cruz blanket fort was a fairly safe space and each of their supporters seemed to at least respect the other candidate no matter which they were supporting. But now Mom and Dad are fighting and the kids aren’t alright.
John Hawkins seems to find the entire situation bewildering.
This is confusing for two reasons. First, who cares if Ted Cruz has loans and didn't report them? Whatever, right? Secondly, why do people boo what's true?
On the one hand, this should have been predictable. Trump attacks anyone who either begins to rise in the polls or raises a lot of money, as well as anyone who comes after him first. Cruz qualifies on two of those fronts at least. As to the particular issues he’s hitting him on… meh. I’ve written about the entire birther thing here before and I find it an empty threat, devoid of any interest beyond the positive outcome of having SCOTUS resolve the whole “natural born citizen” thing once and for all. As to the loans, we covered that here as well. It’s a minor foot fault at best, with some money being stuck in the wrong column on a spreadsheet.
But Trump needed some breadcrumb to go after the Texas senator on, and that’s what presented itself. The question now is whether or not we’ll see Trump back off on the attacks or at least soften them a bit. Cruz seems to remain quite popular with Trump’s base of support and if his fans start drifting away or getting turned off it wouldn’t be shocking if such a turn of events resulted in a direct benefit for Ted Cruz.
Debunked.
You could tell from the video that it really made Trump mad. He left there like a scalded dog.
Rush was talking about this today. The video is available to anybody interested. Trump was booed for attacking Cruz.
When Colbert’s audience booed Cruz, Colbert needed to step in and protect Cruz. Cruz needs way too much handholding.
On one hand, they are glad Ted is getting the business by Trump, but then they think about Trump as an end result.
They are probably wondering if they can find anyone else - cuz Jeb! fizzled out on them.
Wait! Is that Romney on the phone?
10 boos
200 people
robust applause 30 seconds later
Other than that, what a scathing attack on Trump.
LOL.
Another article brought to you by the Rino Elites, Salem Media Group, Cheap Labor Whores.
Trump attacks anyone who scares him. Once he gets beyond today’s fear, he attacks what scares him about tomorrow and forgets yesterday’s fear. Very shallow approach. Focus on Bern and Hillary, Donald.
I was 100% with Trump til this and now I’m moving on.
I’ve favored Trump, but his attacks on Cruz are really turning me off.
Rush is a BS artist. He acts as if everything started with Obama and the Democrats, and forget ‘Jobs Americans don’t want’ Bushie and the Republican Traitors off the hook. He is more of the same, ‘if we just elect more Conservatives’ crap. He is a Rino playing mindgames.
If that’s what you think you need to do, do it.
I’m standing with Trump. I think we need his drive to actually get things done.
And the Cruzbots attacking Trump are turning me off. So it is even Stevens.
If Cruz was the candidate he would be Palinized X 10. The comedy routines mocking him and his lunatic father would never stop, he is not electable.
One Cruzer tells a lie, and the whole flock of them swears to it. Then posts it 50 times from every source who picks it up.
Keep your ‘anointed one’. He’s the status quo and will keep the GOP in one piece.
Followed by a standing ovation as Rush pointed out today. All from a tea party crowd.
10 boos
200 people
robust applause 30 seconds later
Other than that, what a scathing attack on Trump.
LOL.
Anyone can go see the Truth Trump ended up with great applause by Tea Party people. If Palin endorses this will be the reason why.
Ted’s people are going after Trump the way people go after Palin.
Meanwhile Trump’s daughter Ivanka has done a very uplifting radio ad
http://www.donaldjtrump.com/media/ivanka-trump-radio-spot
Go Trump Go
Of interest
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