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Surprise: Trump goes positive, yanks ad attacking Cruz in South Carolina
Hot Air.com ^ | February 11, 2016 | ALLAHPUNDIT

Posted on 02/11/2016 6:37:09 PM PST by Kaslin

From now on, if you want to hear how Cruz is an unlikable illegal immigrant from Canada with a nasty disposition who cheated Ben Carson, has run wild like a “maniac” in the Senate, is on the take from Goldman Sachs, and, by the way, is a “pussy,” you’ll have to settle for watching Trump’s rallies or one of his 35 interviews a day on cable news.

When it comes to ads, he’s all about positivity.

On Tuesday, Donald J. Trump's campaign started running a negative ad in South Carolina against Senator Ted Cruz that was searing, describing the winner of the Iowa Republican caucuses as a fake and a "Washington insider."

The spot also scolded Mr. Cruz for his campaign's role in spreading claims that Ben Carson had suspended his campaign while the caucuses were taking place; Mr. Carson, in fact, had not ended his candidacy, and Mr. Cruz later apologized to him.

But on Wednesday the spot was abruptly pulled down by the campaign. The Wall Street Journal reported on the strategic shift, saying that Mr. Trump's campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, had made the decision to go with all positive spots beginning on Thursday. Mr. Lewandowski made the decision after seeing that Mr. Trump's more positive-focused tone in New Hampshire appeared to help him at the end, according to The Journal.

That’s one possibility. Trump fans may like mean Trump but undecideds who are worried about his temperament surely prefer nice Trump. Another possibility per Sean Davis is that this is just another case of Trump demonstrating his mastery of the media, knowing that his ad will get plenty of free hype now from cable news as The Ad That Even Trump Thought Was Too Negative. I think there’s probably an element too of Trump wanting to play the victim next week, knowing that Cruz has little choice but to attack him as a fake conservative, a Christian in name only, and a loose cannon. Trump likes to be seen as a counterpuncher so that he can claim self-defense when he’s accused of being a bully. He’ll probably get more mileage out of telling people “look how statesmanlike I’m being as Ted Cruz throws the kitchen sink at me” than he will from running one ad a few times on South Carolina TV. Attack ads, after all, are what politicians do, and Trump’s not supposed to be a politician. So long as he sticks to ripping Cruz to shreds in earned media rather than paid media, he’s still an “outsider,” I guess.

Speaking of ads, here’s a new one from Cruz that dropped this afternoon targeting … Marco Rubio. You can see the strategy here: To beat Trump, Cruz needs to consolidate conservatives, and plenty of conservatives are still behind Rubio. I don’t know if goofing on Rubio voters for having been naive is the best approach to conversion, though. I also don’t know how long Cruz and Rubio are planning to wait on attacking Trump in earnest while each tries to eliminate the other. Righties have been screaming at them and (especially) Jeb Bush for months to stop waging this dangerous war to become the one true Anti-Trump while Trump advances through the primaries unhindered on the assumption that there might be time to stop him later, but it looks like that’ll have to wait until Nevada, and maybe even the southern primaries, at the earliest.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: ad; attack; cruz; negative; positive; trump
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To: txnativegop
Why don’t Trump and Cruz concentrate on ridding the primary of other candidates.

It's best if the GOPe vote stays split.

41 posted on 02/11/2016 7:20:59 PM PST by Paul R.
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To: WENDLE

Im half with you, never that the wall would happen but, we see it AGAIN in Europe

I say let the guys on the border run the border let the guys in the zone run the zone.

I blame that on the FED not Ted


42 posted on 02/11/2016 7:23:30 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: Paul R.

best for who?


43 posted on 02/11/2016 7:25:27 PM PST by txnativegop (Tired of liberals, even a few in my own family.)
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To: mylife

The wall will happen BIG TIME. Ted is a great fighter. He filibustered— He called that sorry POC McConnell a liar . He is courageous and stalwart. We need to turn all political guns on RiNio. He is THE WORST!!


44 posted on 02/11/2016 7:26:31 PM PST by WENDLE (Trump is not bought . He is no puppet.)
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To: 20yearsofinternet
I look forward to tomorrow’s installment of "Tan Hairpiece Eminent Domain Trump Curse Word French Poodle Forgot To Put Toilet Seat Down".

Lol...me too!

45 posted on 02/11/2016 7:27:45 PM PST by mac_truck (aide toi et dieu t'aidera)
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To: Shortstop7

“Southerners in general are just good, kindhearted people.”

Yes we are. And we are real good at spotting a pole cat tool :-)


46 posted on 02/11/2016 7:28:00 PM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: RedStateRocker

Fellow Conservative?

TRUMP IS an opportunist looking for a payday.

Ted will slay the socialists that are in WAY over their heads already


47 posted on 02/11/2016 7:28:10 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: bigtoona

Trump is the greatest person in the world, living or dead.


48 posted on 02/11/2016 7:29:14 PM PST by altura (Cruz for our country)
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To: txnativegop

Yeah, I’ll take either one of the two.....


49 posted on 02/11/2016 7:30:37 PM PST by JBW1949
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To: WENDLE

Amazing that they are building walls in Europe, After the enemy is in.


50 posted on 02/11/2016 7:30:50 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: txnativegop

btt


51 posted on 02/11/2016 7:31:17 PM PST by Ciexyz
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To: altura

A fair point.


52 posted on 02/11/2016 7:31:43 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: mylife

TAKE DOWN THE WALL AT THE WHITE HOUSE!!


53 posted on 02/11/2016 7:32:30 PM PST by WENDLE (Trump is not bought . He is no puppet.)
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To: altura

Krauthammer said Trump isn’t a conservative....

Maybe he’s not, but he IS PRO America...That’s what I want in office....


54 posted on 02/11/2016 7:35:13 PM PST by JBW1949
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To: JBW1949

There is no God but Conservatism, and Ted Cruz is it’s prophet.

Where have I heard something like that before?


55 posted on 02/11/2016 7:37:35 PM PST by r_barton (We the People of the United States...)
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To: JBW1949
"Krauthammer said Trump isn't a conservative."

Neither is Krauthammer.

Leni

56 posted on 02/11/2016 7:37:57 PM PST by MinuteGal (GO TRUMP GO !!!)
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To: Kaslin

Nobody did so cut the dramatics.


57 posted on 02/11/2016 7:38:43 PM PST by enduserindy (Republican’s have sold the path, not lost it.)
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To: SeaHawkFan

Someday the people who carry his water are going to realize it’s a bag of urine.


58 posted on 02/11/2016 7:41:27 PM PST by Theophilus (The GOPe are dealers. The Marxist Democrats are duelists.)
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To: PastorBooks

Seriously don’t think so.

Cruz insulted New York.....
New Yorkers don’t forget, and neither does Trump


59 posted on 02/11/2016 7:41:42 PM PST by Guenevere (If.the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do....)
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I am gonna say this, NOBODY! NOBODY! fought alone for the people like Ted.

The rest are all professional players in it for money and power.

I am hitting the hay and will be back tomorrow swearing on the bible and the constitution even if I am a sinner that does not run a bunch of casinos debts and my freekin mouth


60 posted on 02/11/2016 7:42:06 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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