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Ted Cruz Won Troubling Debate
Rush Limbaugh ^ | 3/4/16

Posted on 03/04/2016 11:44:11 AM PST by justlittleoleme

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: You know, I don't go into these debates with any expectations anymore. That's the key to being able to handle all of this. If you go into these debates expecting your candidate to be treated fairly, you're gonna be disappointed. Whoever your candidate is, if you go into these debates expecting fairness, however you define it, you're gonna be disappointed.

I just watch them. I watch them and soak it all up as a sponge. Literally I try to shelve every expectation I've got and every hope that I have, whatever they are, and whoever I happen to be pulling for, broom that, too, and just watch it, just take it in as it happened and judge it accordingly.

Here's my takeaway from last night. We'll of course fill in blanks and get into this in great detail, but I think Ted Cruz won that debate hands down. I don't think it's even close. I think Ted Cruz Ted Cruz was in a different league last night. Ted Cruz was in a different debate than what everybody else was doing, including Kasich. I think Ted Cruz was running rings around everybody in terms of awareness of the issues, knowledge of the issues, mastering whatever it was that was discussed.

Megyn Kelly tried a couple of times to insult him in questions and take him off balance and it didn't work either time. He did not respond to her in a negative way. He just took her question, answered it, and blew it out of the park. The one question where she said, "So, it looks like in this instance we just can't trust Ted." And his answer specified how her question was misleading and had incorrect data in it.

I think it was a polling question on a CNN poll, Trump and 49%, and Cruz pointed out in that poll that he's the only one beating Hillary in that poll. This is not to say that if you like Trump, if you like Rubio, if you like Kasich that I thought those guys didn't do well. I'm just telling you: As I watched this thing with no expectations and with no hopes and with no preconceived notions of what was gonna happen, I just thought last night...

Within the context of what happened last night, nothing compared to what's happened on previous occasions. No baseline from previous debates or appearances from which I'm making comparisons, just within the confines of that debate last night. When Ted Cruz got the question about Detroit -- Flint, Michigan -- he's the only guy that got the answer right. Now, the things other people said about it were true, but Ted Cruz is the only guy that got anywhere close to explaining what's wrong with Detroit. Liberalism! Left-wing policies!

For 50 years, everything that's going wrong wherever you go in the country, the people that have been running it are left-wing Democrat Party. Wherever they've been in charge unchecked, everything's a mess just like it is in Detroit. I think Cruz's skills as a debater were on full display last night for anybody to see, but there was a period of time early on in the debate where he was the new Ben Carson, meaning he didn't speak or wasn't heard from for easily a half hour.

His sections, his portions of the debate, nobody would call the most entertaining.

The most entertaining portions obviously were between Rubio and Trump. And Trump is entertaining and captivating and dominating ever he is participating, no matter what he says and no matter how he says it. But I really, for the first time, I actually... I don't know how else to explain this other than to say in terms of the old way that we used to consider qualifications for the presidency, the old way in which we used to analyze competence, Ted Cruz hit a grand-slam home run last night.

But that's not how we make judgments on these things today.

That's not a complaint. It's just an observation. I'm not whining. I do not whine. So that's my overview. Of course there are intricate elements and details of this thing last night to discuss. We'll do that while mixing your phone calls in with the program today. Plenty of audio sound bites to review from debate last night as well. One of the items of focus last night based on just my perusal of Drive-By Media coverage, is some people think that Trump flip-flopped in a major way on immigration on the H-1B visa questions and discussion.

There are other people who are expressing incredulity that Trump seemed to not know what "off the record" means, based on his answer about the New York Times. The off-the-record questions came up regarding Trump and his interview off the record with New York Times editorial board. And everybody's dying to know what he said, because he won't tell anybody what he said and he won't release the tapes. And they asked him -- the moderators and a number of people challenged him to release the tapes.

"Tell us what you said there, Mr. Trump," and Trump said, "I have too much respect for 'off the record.' I have too much respect. I wouldn't do it to the other guys. I would hope they wouldn't do it to me." And I admit I was scratching my head, because off the record is a protection for the journalists. The candidate in this case or the subject of a news story is totally in control of off the record. If Trump wants to release it, he can. If New York Times does, they are violating a profound journalistic principle.

If they release it -- which I think they've already done. I think the New York Times is even alluding to this, to BuzzFeed, and getting this whole thing going is a giant violation of journalistic ethics. But Trump himself is in total control. He's the one that would demand "off the record." The media doesn't offer it to you. And if they do, you've gotta be very suspicious about it. Very rarely will the media offer you "off the record." Now, maybe for an editorial board meeting, maybe it's standard operating procedure to be off the record and everybody knows it going in.

But normally whoever is the subject, whoever's the interviewee has to request "off the record," and then the media either agrees to do it or not, in which case the interviewee then decides how much he or she wants to say. And if the media will not go along with a request to go "off the record," you shut up, has been my experience. The only way you go forward's if they grant you your request to go "off the record." But it's not something that anybody but the interviewee is in control of. So it's not that the New York Times and Trump have to come to an agreement.

It's totally up to Trump. It's like grand jury testimony. Grand jury testimony is secret, private, "off the record," but if the subject wants to go out and talk about it, the subject can. But the prosecutors can't and the grand jurors can't, whoever else is in the room can't. But if you want to... If you're being asked to testify, if you're the witness, you can to go out and talk about what happened. You can. Very, very few do. Because when you get called before grand jury, it's generally pretty serious -- as is this.

You know, it's interesting that Hillary Clinton's...

This guy that set up her server has been granted immunity.

And when I first heard that, I said, "That's not gonna mean anything is going to happen. This guy has no knowledge of anything, other than how the thing was set up." But then I learned he's been granted immunity, which told me, "Well, that means there must have been a grand jury. And if there's a grand jury, that means somebody's presenting evidence of what Mrs. Clinton did, and this guy is being granted immunity as a means of facilitating the investigation into what Mrs. Clinton did or what Mrs. Clinton asked this guy to do."

So the existence of a grand jury in this case, that changes the focus of that particular story in a powerful way.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Snerdley, if you had to use just one word to describe the debate last night, could you come up with that? I know I'm putting you on the spot here. I'll give you mine. I'll give you my word. My word to describe the debate last night is "troubling," and I'm still troubled by it. I was troubled by that debate last night, and I still am. And I'm still trying to nail, drill down to exactly why. You know, there's a... Right now -- and it was last night, too. There's a -- I don't know what -- feeling of unease. I mean, I laughed at the parts that everybody laughed at, and I watched this, but something about it, I...

I don't know that it was just one thing about it, but I didn't... I didn't finish that debate relishing coming here to talk about it today.

END TRANSCRIPT


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cruz; cruzwon; rush; rushsaidcruzwon; tedcruzwon; trump
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To: vette6387

Wow, you just chopped my full sentence and quote it without indicating that you had chopped my sentence off?

You not just grasped at the straw man but CREATED it?

You actions prove you are a Trump supporter.


41 posted on 03/04/2016 12:07:32 PM PST by sagar (3 way race; cranky populist - Trump/Sanders, establishment - Hillary/Roobio, conservative - Cruz!)
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To: vette6387; sagar

“...in terms of the old way that we used to consider qualifications for the presidency, the old way in which we used to analyze competence, Ted Cruz hit a grand-slam home run last night...”

Everybody has their own standards. Everyone has a different way to critique. Rush uses old debate standards of giving real answers instead basing his critique on best use of demeaning childish rhetoric used as smoke and mirrors which is his prerogative. As is it your prerogative to enjoy the DT Barnum show.


42 posted on 03/04/2016 12:07:42 PM PST by huldah1776 ( Vote Pro-life! Allow God to bless America before He avenges the death of the innocent.)
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To: Durbin
Why would a conservative like Rush take a liberals side???????? Trump has yet to say anything conservative he has not agreed to compromise on after. How is he going to be any different than what we now have in rino leadership other than he can be an ass back at anyone attacking him? Did they not run as conservatives then betray the base????

I do not get you people, you do not even listen to Trump and you do not care because he lets the MSM and other have it.....there is no principle Trump has stated that he has agreed to stand totally firm on other than a wall.....then what people?????????? RINO CENTRAL is what.

43 posted on 03/04/2016 12:07:49 PM PST by Lady Heron
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To: justlittleoleme
think Ted Cruz was running rings around everybody in terms of awareness of the issues, knowledge of the issues, mastering whatever it was that was discussed.

Even if one concedes that, it is irrelevant. While Cruz rose to Megyn's bait, Megyn does not set the agenda for the American people. The American people do. Trump has tuned into the right frequency and no one else has.

44 posted on 03/04/2016 12:07:50 PM PST by AndyJackson
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To: TexasCajun

Bevks threat should be addressed by the Secret Service


45 posted on 03/04/2016 12:08:06 PM PST by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: napscoordinator

Yeah.. It was funny.. Much different than kids attack each other now.


46 posted on 03/04/2016 12:08:27 PM PST by HangingTuff
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To: jimbo123

47 posted on 03/04/2016 12:08:48 PM PST by Rebelbase (Best election ever. Sick of it already, but best election ever.)
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To: AndyJackson

“And that is the thing. Who do you want in your corner fighting for America like it used to be. Little marco, or “true conservative” Cruz, or the Trumpmaster.”

Why does it not surprise me that you would refer to Trump as a master?


48 posted on 03/04/2016 12:09:11 PM PST by Durbin
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To: rovenstinez
CRUZ did win the Debate, the only intellect on that stage.
49 posted on 03/04/2016 12:09:43 PM PST by annieokie
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To: justlittleoleme

If by win, he means ‘ate the most boogers’, then yes, Ted won.


50 posted on 03/04/2016 12:10:03 PM PST by patq (America Needs A Strong President, Not a Booger Eater)
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To: Lady Heron

My comment was satire. You don’t have to explain it to me.


51 posted on 03/04/2016 12:10:08 PM PST by Durbin
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To: justlittleoleme

Cruz sure is a well spoken liar.


52 posted on 03/04/2016 12:10:12 PM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: TTFlyer

Frankly, the slides and videos thrown at Trump, combined with the litigious actions and words of Megyn, tell me Trump was the winner. Without having to say a word.


53 posted on 03/04/2016 12:11:06 PM PST by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto!)
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To: sagar

“Rump is the fraudster, a Grade-A Con Man. “

I agree, Rump Limbaugh, is a con yet his listeners still follow the fat ass. Is he back on the pills?


54 posted on 03/04/2016 12:11:22 PM PST by patq (America Needs A Strong President, Not a Booger Eater)
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To: alstewartfan

If you pay attention to the drudge poll... you will notice that most of Trumps votes came in practically before the debate even started, but as the debate went on Cruz’s numbers kept going up and Trumps down, but Trump had such a massive lead among those who said he won before the debate even started Cruz couldn’t catch up


55 posted on 03/04/2016 12:13:34 PM PST by TexasFreeper2009 (You can't spell Hillary without using the letters L, I, A, R)
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To: Maelstorm
Cruz has one path to potential victory. He has to make sure Rubio loses Florida badly. The only way that this happens is if Cruz supporters vote Trump in Florida.
And how is that better than having Cruz supporters voting for Cruz in Florida?

You need to work on your logic and reasoning skills.

56 posted on 03/04/2016 12:13:39 PM PST by Johnny B. (Donald Trump: the choice of the Jerry Springer generation!)
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To: jimbo123

What comes around, goes around. Keep posting. Let me know when something like this happens to you, ok?

One evening while working at Macy’s I was wearing a long black skirt that had a wide bottom. After coming out of the rest room I walked through basement department up the stairs to the first floor and stopped on the stair case to the second floor to talk to a co-worker. Another woman came up to tell me my skirt hem was tucked into my pantyhose. I laughed my bare butt off. It was long enough to cover but it was still hilarious.

So, be prepared and remember, XYZ.


57 posted on 03/04/2016 12:14:03 PM PST by huldah1776 ( Vote Pro-life! Allow God to bless America before He avenges the death of the innocent.)
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To: Durbin
What the HELL!? Has it come to THIS!? Has Free Republic lost its way?!

Man I hope you speak in jest only.....

58 posted on 03/04/2016 12:15:02 PM PST by AmericanInTokyo ( MSM: Rig primary coverage for weakest candidate: McCain/Romney/Trump. Then destroy, post-convention)
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To: combat_boots

59 posted on 03/04/2016 12:15:29 PM PST by TheThirdRuffian (RINOS like Romney, McCain, Trump, and Rubio are sure losers. No more!)
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To: vette6387

Is there anyone who does not praise Trump you don’t call gope? There is one candidate spreading divisiveness. He bashes all who disagree with him and praises all who do. Pavlovian. His fans mostly do the same. There should be some semblance of respecting other opinions in there some where instead of screaming liar liar or little marco. There is no way he can bring our country together. It is not who he is. His best attempts at being “statesman like” include talking about his penis. He changed several policies during the debate that I guess he has walked back today. Clear thinker? Or rattled by the boos.


60 posted on 03/04/2016 12:16:44 PM PST by libbylu (Cruz: The truth with a smile.)
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