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Cruz Walks Out on Castro Speech at Memorial Service for Mandela
National Review Online ^ | 12/10/13 | Jim Geraghty

Posted on 12/10/2013 6:28:07 PM PST by bigtoona

Senator Ted Cruz (R., Texas) walked out of the memorial service for Nelson Mandela when Cuban “president” Raúl Castro began speaking.

“Senator Cruz very much hopes that Castro learns the lessons of Nelson Mandela,” said Sean Rushton, Cruz’s communications director. “For decades, Castro has wrongly imprisoned and tortured countless innocents. Just as Mandela was released after 27 years in prison, Castro should finally release his political prisoners; he should hold free elections, and once and for all set the Cuban people free.”

Earlier in the day, President Obama shook hands with Castro.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: castrospeech; cruz; cruz4prez; mandelamemorial
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To: Telepathic Intruder

I’m not suggesting it’s a problem.
Maybe she’s there as a undercover agent.
2016 is a ways off yet.


21 posted on 12/10/2013 6:58:00 PM PST by nascarnation (Wish everyone see a "Gay Kwanzaa")
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To: mazda77

Chill out. Why do you insult me when I have a legitimate question? My question is, why should Ted be surprised at the funeral of a friend and fan of the Castro regime to see one of the Castros give a speech?


22 posted on 12/10/2013 6:59:40 PM PST by River Hawk
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To: mazda77

And saying “someone who is more perfect than all of us” is way out of line. I have the right to question Ted Cruz like any other politician.


23 posted on 12/10/2013 7:01:42 PM PST by River Hawk
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To: Oliviaforever

I’m not excusing Mandela for what he did. I’m just talking about his passing. There’s nothing to be gained for conservatives/Republicans to denounce Mandela, although they shouldn’t wax eloquently about him either.


24 posted on 12/10/2013 7:04:54 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Governor Sarah Heath Palin for President of the United States in 2016)
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To: River Hawk

From my understanding, it is because of R Castro imprisoned Ted Cruz’s father. It’s a personal thing.


25 posted on 12/10/2013 7:04:54 PM PST by 1_Rain_Drop
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To: 1_Rain_Drop

Maybe so, but then why be such a Mandela fan then?


26 posted on 12/10/2013 7:06:06 PM PST by River Hawk
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Rather than getting into the whole Mandela hysteria, how about just issuing a short statement such as “I express my condolences to the family of Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa. I understand the great admiration his people felt for him and I wish the nation of South Africa the best.” Or something like that. Then get back to the Budget or something like that.


27 posted on 12/10/2013 7:08:55 PM PST by River Hawk
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To: nascarnation

It’s just a big nefariously nepotistic empire.


28 posted on 12/10/2013 7:09:57 PM PST by stevio (God, guns, guts.)
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To: River Hawk
Maybe this will help:

The Cruz/Mandela Dilemma (Vanity)

29 posted on 12/10/2013 7:11:16 PM PST by 1_Rain_Drop
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To: bigtoona

I’m not here to dump on Cruz, but I would never attend the funeral of a man like Mandela. At taxpayer expense? Nope! If I could snap my fingers and show up at no cost, I not only wouldn’t walk across the street to attend, I wouldn’t snap my fingers to.


30 posted on 12/10/2013 7:11:44 PM PST by DoughtyOne
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To: unixfox
THAT would be gravitas.
31 posted on 12/10/2013 7:12:00 PM PST by Ghost of SVR4 (So many are so hopelessly dependent on the government that they will fight to protect it.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

I really like Senator Cruz but in my opinion this is the first disappointing, non conservative act he has made. Wasting taxpayers money to attend that circus just to appease a voting block doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy. At least he stuck it to one commie while there.


32 posted on 12/10/2013 7:13:25 PM PST by RS_Rider (I hate Illinois Nazis)
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To: bigtoona
Yes, I still drool.
33 posted on 12/10/2013 7:14:48 PM PST by JPG (Yes We Can morphs into Make It Hurt.)
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To: Oliviaforever
"Mandela was violent and was sent to prison for acts designed to destroy a government."

Oh my gosh! (Rewind to 1776...)

34 posted on 12/10/2013 7:15:13 PM PST by MV=PY (The Magic Question: Who's paying for it?)
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To: River Hawk

There were, how many, eighty world leaders at this funeral? Whatever our opinion of Mandela may be, that is not what his reputation is. I doubt that will change, any more than Lincoln’s will, whatever the truth may be.


35 posted on 12/10/2013 7:15:25 PM PST by RobbyS (quotes)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

“There’s nothing to be gained for conservatives/Republicans to denounce Mandela...”

Only the truth.


36 posted on 12/10/2013 7:16:27 PM PST by Oliviaforever
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To: 1_Rain_Drop

Thanks for the link!


37 posted on 12/10/2013 7:19:58 PM PST by River Hawk
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To: Telepathic Intruder

“the right thing is in fact the lesser of two evils, because choosing nothing is through inaction a choice for the greater evil”

Wow, that gobbledygook sounds a lot like that “the perfect is the enemy of the good” horsepoo that was slung around here last fall, trying to get conservatives to compromise their principles.
And I suspect we’ll see it again, since we’re seeing it now.

I don’t care if Goldwater came back in a toga on a chariot trailing flame: If he walked and talked like a CINO I’d be hooting him. Same with Giuliania, Romney, Rubio, Bush or any flavor of the month.
If Cruz stays a conservative, he keeps my support. If you don’t like that, too bad.

Forget the pussyfooting and try this one for size: `In matters of taste, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.’ T. Jefferson
Maybe if we tried adhering to that, the GOP might stop caulking our conservative butts with birdlime come election time, for money and support, then ignoring us—if not ridiculing us—the rest of the time.


38 posted on 12/10/2013 7:20:06 PM PST by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: All armed conservatives.)
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To: RobbyS

There are several issues at work here.
Mandela was a famous world leader, so it’s not surprising his funeral would be a big deal. Not at all surprising Obama and former presidents would attend.
As for Cruz, I just think he laid it on a Little thick on Mandela then making a big show by walking out on Raul Castro. It was good theater all right.


39 posted on 12/10/2013 7:22:04 PM PST by River Hawk
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To: River Hawk

Sure, question all you want and way out of line is not what I call referencing someone who used his faith to try and change others rather than to shun them. Wise up.


40 posted on 12/10/2013 7:25:58 PM PST by mazda77
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