Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Trump Campaign Manager: Trump Will Debate Cruz Once Judge Rules Him Eligible To Run
BuzzFeed News ^ | 01/28/2016 | Christopher Massie

Posted on 01/28/2016 2:26:49 PM PST by SeekAndFind

Donald Trump's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said on Thursday that his candidate would be "happy" to debate Ted Cruz once the Texas senator gets a federal judge to rule him eligible to run for president.

"Once you've gotten that ruling from the federal judge and you're the last man standing in this presidential contest next to Donald Trump, we'll be happy to have a debate with you one-on-one, anywhere you want, because that's the way the system works," Lewandowski said. "But, as it stands right now, we don't even know if Ted Cruz is legally eligible to run for president of the United States."

Trump and his supporters have argued that Cruz, who was born in Canada to a U.S. citizen, is not natural born and therefore ineligible to run for president under the Constitution.

Cruz challenged Trump to debate him one-on-one after Trump announced that he would not be attending the Fox News Republican presidential debate Thursday night because of objections to the presence of anchor Megyn Kelly and a statement Fox issued in response to his complaints. "What this is, is a publicity stunt by Senator Cruz who is continuing to fall in the polls in the state of Iowa," Lewandowski told Boston radio host Jeff Kuhner, before unleashing a slew of attacks at Cruz, arguing that he had used "dark money donors" through his super PAC to offer a donation to charity if Trump agreed to the debate.

"If Ted Cruz were able to disclose the loans that he's taken out from Goldman Sachs and Citi, then maybe he would use his own money for this, but instead he's using super PAC money which I don't even know if he can do legally," Lewandowski said, referring to loans Cruz took out during his 2012 run for Senate that he did not disclose in campaign filings. "And the bottom line is, you know what we've said to Ted Cruz, go into court, seek a declaratory judgment to find out if you're even legally eligible to run for president of the United States." In the interview, Lewandowski addressed his remark that Megyn Kelly had a "rough couple of days after that last debate" and "would hate to have her go through that again," which some at Fox News interpreted as a threat.

"That's not a threat. It's a factual statement," Lewandowski said. "And the bottom line, was, she did have a rough couple days after the debate because what she did during that first presidential debate was she made sure the debate was about her and not about the candidates who were actually on the stage."

Toward the end of the interview, Lewandowski took another shot at Cruz, this time over Cruz's criticism of Trump's support for eminent domain. Lewandowski said that eminent domain would be required to build the Keystone Pipeline, which Cruz supports. "The Keystone Pipeline, as you know, starts where Ted Cruz was born, in the country of Canada, and runs right down to where he lives now, in the state of Texas, and eminent domain is an issue that you know what unfortunately, sometimes you need to use it to get projects like that done," Lewandowski said.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: birthers; canadian; cruz; dividedloyalty; dualcitizenship; naturalborn; tinfoilhat; trump
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 321-327 next last
To: j.argese
Boy, that Trump. I might not be voting for him but he sure gives the uptight a major case of the puckers.

Honest to Pete! I haven't seen this much screaming at a Stones concert.

101 posted on 01/28/2016 2:49:38 PM PST by StAntKnee (Add your own danged sarc tag)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

102 posted on 01/28/2016 2:49:42 PM PST by RavenLooneyToon (Trump or Cruz, if you don't vote then STFU and leave the country, non-voters =non-Republic.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Cruz was never “naturalized”. I’m still waiting on someone to produce the records where Cruz was naturalized. Why?

CRUZ argued many times before the SCOTUS. I may be mistaken, but I don’t think a non-citizen can argue before the SCOTUS.

Cruz was also elected as a United States Senator. I know person must be a US Citizen in order to be elected as a Senator.

If you thought Pandora’s box would be bad with Obama being ruled ineligible, every case Cruz argued would be challenged and likely overturned. Every Bill passed would be suspect.

Even then, the law is still on Cruz side.


103 posted on 01/28/2016 2:50:24 PM PST by Bryan24 (When in doubt, move to the right..........)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: samtheman

Brave Sir Donald keeps running away.

So now he’s afraid of Megyn Kelly and Cruz?


104 posted on 01/28/2016 2:51:02 PM PST by St_Thomas_Aquinas (Isaiah 22:22, Matthew 16:19, Revelation 3:7)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: mtrott
-- Well, why, exactly, is Trump willing to debate Cruz now, but not when it is down to the two of them? --

At this point, or at least up until Tuesday this week, it was to Trump's advantage to appear in the debates. It is probably to his advantage to appear in future debates, too, provided the moderators and network are moderately professional.

The one-on-one debates are generally held after the field has narrowed to two. At that point, if Trump is in the lead, it is to his advantage to NOT debate. Furthermore, the birther issue is effective, and in politics, the objective is to defeat your opponents. Trump raising the issue now, again (and he isn't going to let up) increases the awareness of the issue in the mind of the public, and may result, eventually, in some sort of determination that has more weight than hand-waving and "celebrity legal analysis."

105 posted on 01/28/2016 2:51:12 PM PST by Cboldt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: mtrott

I guess Don Trumpeone isn’t satisfied with his 70% negatives.


106 posted on 01/28/2016 2:51:30 PM PST by gov_bean_ counter (Trump to McCain - "Pass the strawberries".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: Enlightened1

I hope Drudge lists Trump for his vote for Who Won Tonight’s Debate. And we all know that, if he does, the No-Show-Trump will be the winner. Trump is usually ahead in the voting before he opens his mouth.

Let Trump prove his greatness.

Debate the best (by a mile): Ted Cruz.


107 posted on 01/28/2016 2:52:24 PM PST by InterceptPoint
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: dem bums
"This is an obvious dodge by Trump. "

Anytime Cruz wants to he can respond to any on the 3 cases now pending on the merits rather than procedural grounds and standing.

108 posted on 01/28/2016 2:52:26 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18 - Be The Leaderless Resistance)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Trump thins he should be handed the presidency without being vetted....Obama without the faux Greek columns and “God echo” stereo effect.


109 posted on 01/28/2016 2:53:19 PM PST by RasterMaster ("Towering genius disdains a beaten path." - Abraham Lincoln)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: St_Thomas_Aquinas

Brave Sir Donald keeps running away.

So now he’s afraid of Megyn Kelly and Cruz?


I guess I would say something like that too, if my candidate was so out-played in the current contest.

Now all I will say is: lets talk again Tuesday morning.


110 posted on 01/28/2016 2:53:28 PM PST by samtheman (Elect Trump, Build Wall. End Censorship.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 104 | View Replies]

To: JediJones

It ain’t England, McGee. Also it states “statutes” also in English law, so it is statutory law there, too. That’s the rub in the U.S. -— natural born is born here of two U.S. citizens. Citizenship by U.S. Congressional law is basically statutory naturalization, and does not include the English caveat that entitles English statutory citizens to ALL the rights of the natural born. Sorry, it needs clarification by the Courts and needs to become settled law, once and for all, however the chips may fall. Once a decision is made and every eventuality spelled out, we thankfully won’t have any more of these disputes.


111 posted on 01/28/2016 2:53:42 PM PST by kiltie65
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Donald does not need the debate, Cruz does. Which why every Cruz fan is demanding for a debate. Name calling etc.


112 posted on 01/28/2016 2:54:00 PM PST by Sybeck1 (Winners Win! Losers Cruise!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr Ramsbotham

Yup. He’s playing to win.


113 posted on 01/28/2016 2:54:25 PM PST by ebshumidors
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: euram

“Cruz should have gotten that issue taken care of before he even started his campaign.”

Abdo-lutely!


114 posted on 01/28/2016 2:54:50 PM PST by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra (Don't touch that thing Don't let anybody touch that thing!I'm a Doctor and I won't touch that thing!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Obfuscation by Trump. Which Cruz needs to shoot down in the debate tonight in another “put up or shut up” moment to Trump. What Donald seem to miss in his time not attending Law School is that only people who can sue to get a judge to rule on a candidates eligibility is someone harmed be that person being considered a candidate. Which most definitely does not include the ‘candidate’ but could include a competing candidate, like Trump. Cruz can only get in court to defend a suit from someone like Trump, or to overrule some official who’d ruled him ineligible, which hasn’t happened. If Trump really wanted this adjudicated, as the candidate with the most lawyers, the most experience filing lawsuits and the deepest pockets to pay for them he should file the suit himself. Then this can be resolved promptly. A campaign “$38 million under budget” can certainly afford one little lawsuit to take out his chief opponent. Or is Trump afraid to debate Cruz in court, too?


115 posted on 01/28/2016 2:54:52 PM PST by JohnBovenmyer (Obama been Liberal. Hope Changed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: skeeter
 photo image_zps1hbkpg7f.jpeg
116 posted on 01/28/2016 2:55:23 PM PST by bushpilot2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 98 | View Replies]

To: Sybeck1

Donald does not need the debate, Cruz does. Which why every Cruz fan is demanding for a debate. Name calling etc.

______________

Yup.


117 posted on 01/28/2016 2:55:31 PM PST by StAntKnee (Add your own danged sarc tag)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 112 | View Replies]

To: InterceptPoint

Trump is avoiding the Kelly/Fox trap. You can act like he is trying to "duck" Cruz, but love him or hate him, Trump is one over-confident SOB. He isn't scared of Cruz even if he should be.

But it's clear the debate moderators were rigging the game against Trump. Avoiding the rigged debate is the smart move, and doing it in a brash way keeps Trump in the headlines. Trump's probably getting twice as much press coverage as if would have gotten going to the debate.

Cruz is the one being disingenuous here. He knows Trump is dodging the Fox ambush, not him, but he's making it about him to try to tag along with Trump in the headlines. Trump's move was a jack ass move, but politically it was pretty savvy. Cruz is scrambling to keep up.

If Cruz wanted to do the principled thing, he'd step out of the debate, too. Show some solidarity with your fellow Republican candidate. Make this a liberal media vs. Republican candidates fight, and lift your whole party up, rather than tearing each other down (which, of course, Trump is guilty of, too).

118 posted on 01/28/2016 2:55:42 PM PST by Scirparius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: Sybeck1

RE: Which why every Cruz fan is demanding for a debate. Name calling etc.

A debate need not descent to name calling. How about debating the issues and where they differ?


119 posted on 01/28/2016 2:55:43 PM PST by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 112 | View Replies]

To: gg188
If Cruz just admits it, the issue "goes away," and the string pullers will be able to field unqualified candidates forever after.

Better for the country that he fight light hell to NOT have the issue adjudicated. Some "hero" judge or secretary of state will find he is unqualified, and the poop will hit the ventilator. That will grab the public's attention in a way that the current chatter just doesn't reach.

120 posted on 01/28/2016 2:55:48 PM PST by Cboldt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 321-327 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson