Posted on 12/11/2015 5:40:01 AM PST by VinL
One day after a report that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) questioned Donald Trump's "judgement" in a private event, Trump called out Cruz for criticizing him behind close doors but refraining from negative comments in public.
Looks like @tedcruz is getting ready to attack. I am leading by so much he must. I hope so, he will fall like all others. Will be easy!
.@tedcruz should not make statements behind closed doors to his bosses, he should bring them out into the open - more fun that way!
Cruz has so far refrained from bashing Trump in public. After Trump announced his proposal to ban Muslims from coming to the United States, Cruz disagreed but stopped short of condemning Trump's remarks.
But the Texas senator spoke about Trump and Ben Carson during a Manhattan fundraiser on Wednesday, according to the New York Times.
"Who am I comfortable having their finger on the button? Now thatâs a question of strength, but itâs also a question of judgment. And I think that is a question that is a challenging question for both of them," Cruz said of Trump and Carson.
Cruz has started gaining on Trump in the key primary state of Iowa, which may be making Trump uneasy. The real estate mogul has a habit of attacking his Republican rivals when they rise in the polls, as both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal noted this week. Trump may have released his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country in an attempt to boost his support with evangelical voters in Iowa.
I had hoped for a TRUMP/CRUZ ticket in 2016, looks like Ted may be shutting that door, to bad.
Donald’s campaign strategy is to keep everyone talking about the Donald rather than issues.
It's the Republican primary. It's a circular firing squad by definition.
The last one standing goes after Hillary, and anyone who thinks Trump and Cruz are going to link arms and go forth together is going to be very disappointed.
Cruz seems to be trying to obey Reagan’s commandment of not attacking other members of your party.
To quote Trump...
“I triple dog dare ya.”
All Trump needs is bait and to be pointed in a direction by the media..And he will bark.
He needs to learn he doesn’t have to respond every time somebody could have potentially said something negative about him.
Let’s see if Cruz plays this right.
First, a couple of observations. Nothing Cruz said was really critical of Trump or Carson. In fact, Cruz told his donors flat out that he wasn’t going to go after them at all. He said he would let the natural progression of the arc play out. It’s already happening with Carson.
Second, Trump is a counter-puncher. The reason that is his reputation is that he is very good at it. If you give him something to counter, he will hit you back hard. But Cruz hasn’t given him enough to counter yet. That’s why Trump is taunting him, saying ‘go ahead and hit at me, I’ll take you down like the others.’ If Cruz doesn’t hit at Trump, even with the dare, Trump can’t unleash his devastating counter-punches.
Third, Trump understand the media news cycles like no one else. He gets ahead of stories and forces the narrative in his own direction. Believe me, he is having the time of his life getting his ego stroked like this. He is on the front page four to five times a week, and he loves it! But that means that he can’t waste a lot of time waiting for Cruz to throw a punch. If Cruz doesn’t take the bait in the next few days, Trump will have moved onto something else.
So all Cruz has to do is not say anything that will allow Trump to counter-punch. That’s it.
Have we gotten to the bottom of this yet? Didn’t Cruz question the tape itself?
‘Cruz’s campaign dismissed the story as “misleading,” but Cruz himself said he would not comment on something he “may or may not have said at a private fundraiser.”’
http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-ted-cruz-judgment-audio-2015-12
Will someone please explain to me what an Iowa Evangelical is?
People that care only about how many times you’ve been to church, how many bible verses you can recite, and if you are as big of fans of Benny Hinn as they are.
They also will toss their vote to whomever kisses their rear hard enough.
Mind you they seemingly never have the ability to deliver the state to the red side for some reason, but they will demand that you kiss their ring every 4 years.
Considering the vast opposition to Cruz among insiders in his Senate election, in the Senate and in this race, I am hardly worried about the monied interests behind Cruz. Anyone running a billion dollar campaign has to have supporters - both grassroots and monied. Even Trump has interests. Look at his eminent domain position. It’s self-interest. That’s simply a fact for 100% of people (minus the occasional Mother Theresa who only serves). In business, politics, charity and more, everyone operates with some self-interest and bias. Cruz is the least of my worries here. Those I see lined up are the more principled conservatives and those with a vested interest in defending western culture and religions.
I am not for or against either of these men, but Cruz has done more to advance conservative causes in the past few years than any individual. He’s stopped bad legislation and advanced good bills and amendments.
Ted Cruz should not stoop to the level of falling for the bombastic Trump’s ploys!
Since the contents of the meeting are in fact available, it tells me that Cruz didn’t promise these donors anything he hasn’t promised anything else.
If Cruz DIDN’T think his judgment was better than Trump’s, Carson’s, and the rest, he has no business running.
I admire Cruz and Trump both. But if Cruz doesn’t smooth things over, it’s going to escalate.
“And I think that [judgment] is a question that is a challenging question for both of them [Trump and Carson].”
If Cruz said that, then ‘good judgment’ is a challenge for Trump? Oh, that’s a sly insult — IF Cruz said that. More cutting than any vulgarity.
But if he did not say that, then why the heck is he taking his time about denying it?
Odds are that this is going to escalate, and the way it’s leaking out? Odds are it destroys Cruz politically unless he says something profound or from the heart.
I’d really hate to see his statesmanlike career obliterate because he refuses to recognize a terrorist surge into our nation. That’s the main reason for a safe border.
An Evangelical that lives in Iowa? just a guess, I have to guess because only God Almighty, who knows everything, and their god, satan know what the heck the media, the gop, the political ruling class and the dnc are talking about.
Cruz needs man up.
It’s just possible that Trump fans are also Cruz fans and attacking Cruz could blow up in Trump’s face.
B
See how easy it was...
I don’t think what he said was particularly harsh. Trump, Cruz, everybody knows they’re going to have to go at it face to face eventually. I think what Don is doing here is trying to draw Cruz out, bait him, get him to fight at a time and place not of his choosing. I do not think Cruz will take the bait.
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