Posted on 12/14/2015 10:42:35 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Perhaps you have watched one, two, three, four or even all five. Perhaps you haven't watched a single one.
But regardless of what group you fall into, you might want to watch tonight's Republican presidential candidate debate, which will air on CNN. It will be the sixth held this year and it will give you a chance to take either an initial or second look at Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who now seems to have the best chance to overtake front runner Donald Trump and win the party's nomination.
The GOP establishment has watched on with unease as Trump has seized the top spot in the polls and stubbornly held on to it for the past five months. While the appeal of the outspoken Trump has shown some signs of slipping as of late, the Republican brass has come to take his candidacy seriously. They realize he could be their candidate come November, and are seemingly worried it would harm their party's chances to topple the assumed Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton.
Part of the reason behind Trump's staying power is no mainstream candidate has emerged as a serious threat. Many GOP insiders had hoped Jeb Bush would supply that threat, but he has failed to inspire the electorate and it is now obvious that a third man named Bush will not be elected president, at least not in 2016.
So, as they put preferences aside and develop more of an "anyone but Trump'' approach, Cruz, who is hardly a friend of the establishment, has to be considered or reconsidered. He has taken the lead in the polls from Trump among Republican voters in Iowa, which will kick off the primary season when the state holds its caucus on Feb. 1.
Cruz seems bound and determined to transform the Republican party. He is an unabashed conservative and tea party darling, who became the national face of the 2013 government shutdown. He openly feuds with his party mates, and has been known to describe GOP leaders as spineless and feeble.
As a result, he has developed numerous enemies in Washington, and to this point, does not have a single Senate colleague backing his campaign. He might be considered an insider merely because of his elected position, but he also could just as easily be considered an outsider looking in.
This might present a quandary for traditional Republicans, but it also presents an alternative and opportunity to those who cringe at the idea of Trump being nominated. Cruz has enough of a bad boy reputation to appeal to the disenchanted, and enough of a link to traditional government to appeal to the mainstream.
Iowans go to the polls in six weeks. New Hampshire voters one week later. The Illinois primary will be held March 15.
It's obvious the campaign is heading into a critical phase. While voters are coming closer to settling on a choice, many have not made up their minds, and many have not given much thought toward Cruz yet. If you want to make an informed choice at the ballot box, you might want to start tonight.
Thanks for your reply.
Kankakee, I saw ssthat city on the weather forcast on WGN once
I believe that Trump has Americas best interest at heart and except for Cruz the rest are self serving pricks imo
He may have burned some bridges with his brutal honesty (about the rest of the Congress' brutal dishonesty) but that can be rectified if he wins the Presidency.
Punditry w/o tangible support is just words - we need to get behind those we want to succeed in a tangible way...
Now for a short public service announcement to all on FR:
We need to ensure we don't get another Obama-like America Hater as the next President.
The best way to ensure that is to actively support a candidate as the next President.
I prefer Cruz and my money goes to his campaign, hence the Cruz link. If you like someone else, donate to him/her (find your own link to do it) and if you use FR and don't donate, then please don't complain about the welfare leeches or those who have Obama Phones because, functionally, you are no different than any other FReeloader
PS - If you are one of those who cannot afford even a small donation to FR or a candidate, God Bless and happy FReeping!.....
GO CRUZ!! Keep it up Trump!!
“Teddy believe that we should take care of the damned ILLEGAL INVADING HORDE.”
You are either ignorant, or a liar.
I also have a tremendous amount of gratitude for what Donald Trump has done and that easily translates into a vote depending on who comes out ahead.
I do not want them destroying each other though. I really see their best interests in working with each other. The concerns I have for Cruz is attracting enough voters nationwide to support a conservative with the full power of the lying socialist media bombarding him. I believe he can effectively sell himself but I believe him and Trump would be unbeatable even in the face of socialist voter fraud.
Well turned and accurate phrase. Some of us don't see the presidency as an entry level position in government and others don't care. And some of the same people who opined that experience as a governor is superior to a senator are enthused about a billionaire real estate developer and "reality" TV personality candidate with a few co-authored business how-to-guides under his belt, but who has never held a public office of any kind.
Reagan was ready to be president after eight years as executive of the largest State and seventh largest economy on the planet. I'd be much more comfortable about Trump if he had a term of two in Albany dealing with the sausage works of governing.
They could take public transit.
You prove my point! Cruz isn’t going to build the wall or deport foreigners in the US! Get the criminals out! Only his true supporters would know this!
just once, i would like to see some of these damn trumpeter swans refute any of the things in your post instead of just attacking the messenger or saying, “yeah, well you’re guy sucks too”. Good grief, people, take off the rose-colored glasses, step away from the koolaid and realize that your guy has some major, serious flaws and some terrifying reasons to NOT trust him. I am a Cruz guy, but I can cite areas where I disagreed with him. These trump people just will not even look at his flaws. It’s like their fingers are in their ears and they’re singing LA LA LA, I CAN’T HEAR YOU! Donald Trump will be the biggest mistake conservatives will EVER make.
People touting Cruz as the “legitimate conservative” or whatever are ignoring his record. The word “conservative” no longer means what it used to mean but is now a comfy high horse for those who are besieged by Trump criticizers in their circle. The so-called flight from Trump to Cruz is really just a little shuteye to get away from the horrible realities we face as a nation and the innovative plans we have to make to save ourselves.
Yeah, and trade, guns, common core, executive orders, military, and security. That’s good enough for me. And the fact that he scares the living daylights out of the establishment is enough right there.
Hey, I'm still pissed at Rush Limbaugh for siding with the establishment on bloody Thursday when Drudge, working with the Romney campaign, headlined a load of false anti-Newt stories that were ultimately debunked, but which cost him the nomination before hand. Rush said "A lot of people have been ripping on Matt Drudge... But in terms of all this stuff, it's odd to me to hear people complain that Drudge selects his stories and distorts his headlines to forward an agenda." Which was a load of crap, of course. Why would Drudge not know what he is doing when publishing a load of false Newt stories? Newt was leading in Florida then plummeted as a result. Rush Limbaugh only commented to debunk those claims only after it was too late.
That's why I like Savage's term for Rush, "Hush Bimbo." I only like Rush when he's on his game, but during elections he is entirely useless and his alliances suspect. Mark Levin too, who also covered for Drudge's treachery as well.
Thanks to Drudge et al., retard Rick Santorum took Newt's place and then promptly lost to Romney, just as planned.
As I said, you are either ignorant of Ted Cruz’s plan, or are lying about it.
Read for yourself:
https://www.tedcruz.org/cruz-immigration-plan/
It says a LOT of things about illegal immigration and amnesty and deportations. But to directly address your false allegation, his plan stipulates, “Prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving financial benefits.”
So, please, inform yourself before further libeling a good man such as Ted Cruz.
“He is squishy on some social issues - I know it and it does bother me, but I still am supporting him because if we don’t deal with some big issues like terrorism, and illegals we won’t have a country to worry about social issues.”
It scares me when “Christian” folks (I notice you quote Spurgeon) makes compromises like this. You should know that the opposite it true. You get the social/morale issues right THEN the other stuff will fall into place. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness...”
“For all these reasons love him or hate him - Trump is the most logical candidate.”
I see it as exactly the opposite. Because Trump is absent on social/moral issues and only supports what is truly conservative when it suits whatever his current agenda is, he cannot be trusted. The “logical” choice for a true conservative (especially one socially so) voter is Ted Cruz.
I cannot ever vote for Donald Trump. Not in a primary or general election. I have zero trust in his judgement and his moral character. I “believe” that many social conservatives (I am evangelical) like myself will just stay home or leave the ballot blank if this man is on it.
This is not a pout. I cannot stand before God and say I voted for this person. Every fiber in my being screams that he is not a person to be sitting in the chair of POTUS.
Bravo, sir (or ma’am!)
OMG!!! 17 years versus 16 years. Your act as much as a 3rd grader as Trump. What's next...Nanny Nanny BOO BOO?????
You are a joke,
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