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

Skip to comments.

GOP insiders: It was a rough night for Ted Cruz
Politico ^ | 01/29/16 | Steven Shepard

Posted on 01/29/2016 5:25:37 AM PST by 20yearsofinternet

In the final debate before Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses, Ted Cruz had the worst night of the seven GOP presidential candidates on stage Thursday.

That's according to a plurality of the Republican members of The POLITICO Caucus - a panel of strategists, operatives and activists in Iowa and the other three February-voting states: New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. The insiders participated in the survey immediately following the debate in Des Moines, an event more notable for the absence of Iowa and national poll-leader Donald Trump than anything else.

More than 4-in-10 GOP insiders - given the choice of the seven GOP candidates on the stage, plus Trump - rated Cruz as the loser of Thursday night's debate, citing his defensive posture on his past immigration stances and opposition to ethanol subsidies.

"He seemed plastic and insincere," said one Iowa Republican, who, like all respondents, completed the post-debate survey anonymously. "The crowd clearly liked Gov. [Terry] Branstad a lot more than they like Ted Cruz."

*SNIP*

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 3dollarcanukfraud; alsoranted; canadian; cruz; debates; elections; ineligible
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-94 next last
To: Redleg Duke

If DT really wanted to dismember the DC cartel he’d hold Ted close to him. He’s jealous.


21 posted on 01/29/2016 5:59:47 AM PST by txhurl (I'm with the Nasty Canadian '16)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: scooby321

No matter the ratings, the Media/Uni-Party Complex is massing this morning to destroy Ted Cruz by any means necessary. They want Cruz rendered irrelevant before he leaves Iowa for New Hampshire.

The fix is in for Jeb.


22 posted on 01/29/2016 6:00:20 AM PST by TTFlyer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Redleg Duke
Cruz painted himself into a corner by taunting Trump as chicken to debate, and taking FoxNews side that a candidate should submit to the press, in order to inform the public. Not saying that the candidate can't call out the press, just that they are "obliged" to show up and debate.

You are right, that is not leadership. That puts a single press outlet as superior over the command decision of a leader.

And it's not as though Trump has cut FoxNews out altogether. The stakes were only one debate.

23 posted on 01/29/2016 6:00:39 AM PST by Cboldt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: 20yearsofinternet

I disagree that Cruz was plastic and insincere. I think Cruz overall did a good job in a debate where he was often the target of attacks.

Nevertheless, he did lose badly and not to anyone on stage with him but to Trump, who had Cruz stuck way downfield before the debate even began. With Cruz behind in Iowa and Trump running out the clock, Cruz had to move the ball forward, and he didnt. Major failure.

There is still time on the clock but Cruz is in the same bad position today, after a debate before millions, that he was in yesterday. What is he going to do with his remaining time? Its not clear he even has the ball anymore. He had it last night, in front of an audience of millions, and didnt move it forward a single yard.

What did he have to do last night to move the ball forward? He had to press Trump on the one-on-one debate. That was his only winning play. That opening high school standup comedy routine (dont quit your day job, Ted) was a clear fumble.

He needed to go deep, with an angry and repeated call for a one-on-one debate with Trump. He did not do that. Why not?

Two reasons, I believe, one minor, one major.

The minor reason is he would have offended his hosts Fox News, implying that their Trumpless debate was a failure.

But the major reason is that Trump had already intercepted that pass earlier in the day, by saying a one-on-one debate must be proceeded by a judges ruling that Cruz is eligible for the office of president.

So Cruz was stuck deep in his own territory, arguing strategy with the likes of Rubio and Yeb.

Major, major, fail.

In the meantime, Trump recovered possession by appearing on stage and in concert with Huckabee and Santorum, the two previous Iowa primary winners.

Trump will win Iowa by at least 7 points.

Thats a touchdown.


24 posted on 01/29/2016 6:02:36 AM PST by samtheman (Elect Trump, Build Wall. End Censorship.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: greatvikingone

I started out as an enthusiastic Cruz supporter. Then his H1B visa stance and his support of TPA had me wondering. Then I began to see that “something” about the way he talks at people. You might be starting that road, now that you’ve seen that his “humor” isn’t really funny and it isn’t satire.


25 posted on 01/29/2016 6:09:07 AM PST by grania
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: greatvikingone
Bouncing off of Trump shows Ted's true colors. Totally unnecessary...and in fact....tasty....considering what Trump was doing down the road.

And we needed another debate like we need...whatever...

It was all about Fox and their money tree.

26 posted on 01/29/2016 6:09:13 AM PST by Sacajaweau
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: FreeAtlanta
I lost interest with the excessive number of candidates

Well, the Canadian and the Cuban anchor baby aren't eligible, elitist JEB just plain sucks out loud, everybody hates Kung-fu Kasich, and Ben "the man" Carson zzzzzzzzz...

Who does that leave?

27 posted on 01/29/2016 6:12:13 AM PST by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate "Republicans Freed the Slaves Month")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: 20yearsofinternet

How did the “debate” ratings compare to the Trump event?


28 posted on 01/29/2016 6:13:38 AM PST by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate "Republicans Freed the Slaves Month")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 20yearsofinternet

“Ted Cruz had the worst night of the seven GOP presidential candidates on stage Thursday.

He’s been debating in Trump’s shadow and largely the fire has been at trump.


29 posted on 01/29/2016 6:15:47 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion (As a representative of Earth, I officially welcome Global Warming to our planet)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: P-Marlowe

If you had any doubts before, then realize that Donald Trump has at least revealed that the GOP-E long knives are out for Cruz any chance they get.

Especially if they can get Trump out of the way


30 posted on 01/29/2016 6:21:09 AM PST by xzins (Have YOU Donated to the Freep-a-Thon? https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 20yearsofinternet

Before Trump entered the race, Cruz was alternately attacked and frozen out by the press and fellow Repubs. Trump entering actually helped him, in a way, by drawing all the fire onto himself. Without Trump there, Cruz goes back to being the one to beat and the one who has to be beaten. So he again drew all the fire last night.

That said, he acquitted himself pretty well.

And, that said, the Fox press monkeys proved that Trump was right about them. It was not as bad a debate as it might have been, mainly since most of the candidates ignore the questions and talk about what they want to talk about. But really, the Fox moderators are the worst and seem to think the debate is, not between the candidates, but between Fox versus the candidates.


31 posted on 01/29/2016 6:26:40 AM PST by marron
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DouglasKC

That would have been a classy and awesome response...hat tip to you.


32 posted on 01/29/2016 6:30:55 AM PST by ripnbang ("An armed man is a citizen, an unarmed man a subject)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: xzins

The more I see of Trump the less I like him. I know I’m not alone.

What he accomplished last night was literally an attempt to shut down debate. He could have held the fundraiser tonight, but it wasn’t about the Vets, it was about him.

Megalomaniacs make lousy leaders. Obama is a case in point.


33 posted on 01/29/2016 6:31:53 AM PST by P-Marlowe (Freepers. The enemy is on the left, not the right!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: bert
Trump will win and Cruz will be second

... lol ... or third ...

34 posted on 01/29/2016 6:32:51 AM PST by dartuser
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Redleg Duke
Cruz, not realizing that he would be torn apart without Trump, shows he is not ready to lead the nation. The Senate, yes, but he needs seasoning and needs a great mentor, like Donald Trump.

--------

Cruz should have realized his time was not this time - Trump is a tsunami - Cruz should have kept to his earlier strategy of deference for Trump and set himself up for the next race.

35 posted on 01/29/2016 6:34:15 AM PST by Trumpinator ("Are you Batman?" the boy asked. "I am Batman," Trump said.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: 20yearsofinternet

It’s what we’ve been saying all along, Cruz is doing well because Trump is taking all the flak. Trump flew a different route last night and Cruz was the target.

It has to be Trump/Cruz if we are going to defeat the Progressive Media Establishment.


36 posted on 01/29/2016 6:34:31 AM PST by Bryanw92 (Sic semper tyrannis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: P-Marlowe

It was about a disagreement with Fox.

How could he have shut down debate? Everyone else was there and Cruz got hammered.


37 posted on 01/29/2016 6:35:53 AM PST by xzins (Have YOU Donated to the Freep-a-Thon? https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: WalterSkinner
..Audience packed with Paul people. Cruz did very well, Fox's ambush video notwithstanding. They would have tried the same thing with Trump. They were clearly out to take out Cruz and Trump if they could—but they didn't...

I prefer Cruz to Trump, and I thought he did alright as well. However, I do not think he comes off as charismatic. He seems intelligent and sincere, but he does not use the sort of rhetoric that stirs men's souls. Trump has the rhetoric, but IMO less substance. Rubio and Christie both present well, but they are open borders RINOs, so no sale.

38 posted on 01/29/2016 6:36:03 AM PST by Sans-Culotte (''Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small''~ Theodore Dalrymple)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: xzins

I actually enjoyed the debate. It was educational rather than entertaining. I wish Trump had boycotted all of them.


39 posted on 01/29/2016 6:38:36 AM PST by P-Marlowe (Freepers. The enemy is on the left, not the right!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: WalterSkinner

I thought Cruz laid back a little, just like Trump did the debate before. Its what the leaders do. But your right he did fine. The media sees their chance and is in full narrative mode this AM.


40 posted on 01/29/2016 6:39:31 AM PST by skeeter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-94 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