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Ted Cruz: ‘Foolish’ for GOP to criticize Trump
Polittico ^ | 8/10/15 | Kate Glueck

Posted on 08/10/2015 8:07:54 PM PDT by VinL

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on Monday warned that the Republican presidential candidates who are slamming Donald Trump do so at their political peril.

Cruz’s remarks, which came during an interview with POLITICO as he swings through the South on a bus tour, are among the most detailed comments to date regarding his reluctance to criticize the real estate mogul, who is currently leading the polls in the GOP primary.

“I would … note that an awful lot of Republicans, including other Republican candidates, have gone out of their way to smack Donald Trump with a stick. Now I think that’s just foolish,” he said.

Asked why, Cruz paused and then replied, “Donald Trump had a rally in Phoenix, Ariz. [to which] between 10 and 20 thousand people came out. When you attack and vilify the people at that rally as crazies, it does nothing to help Republicans win in 2016. I’d like every single person at that rally to show up and vote in 2016, knock on doors with energy and passion, and turn this country around. If Washington politicians show contempt and condescension to those [voters,] that is a path to losing at the ballot box.”

And when asked whether he wants those voters to eventually support him, he replied, “It is my hope to earn the support of the supporters for every other candidate in 2016.”

In contrast to most of the other Republican presidential contenders, Cruz has refrained from directly condemning Trump for making comments targeted at prisoners of war and at women, even as he has indicated he doesn’t agree with the sentiments. He has said that he doesn’t want to engage in “Republican-on-Republican violence.”

When a reporter noted that he is one of the most outspoken critics of Republican leadership in Congress, Cruz stressed that he has no problem highlighting policy differences, and may do so down the road with Trump.

“There are no doubts that there are policy differences between me and Donald Trump’s past policy positions,” Cruz said.

For example, Trump drew fire from other Republicans — though not from Cruz — when during the first GOP presidential debate last week he appeared to take a favorable view of single-payer health care in other countries.

“There may well come a time in this conversation where we discuss those differences more fully,” he continued. “No one is asking about tax policy. [The media] wants me to comment on the salacious back-and-forth, and I’m not going to play that game.”

Instead, he was quick to praise Trump for bringing the issue of illegal immigration to the forefront. Cruz, who takes a tough line on illegal immigration, may have crossover appeal to some of the same voters who are turning out for Trump, an anti-illegal immigration hardliner who has made highly controversial comments about undocumented immigrants.

“I am grateful to Donald Trump for forcing the media to talk about illegal immigration,” he said. “Illegal immigration is a tremendously important challenge facing this country, and it is an issue where I have been leading the fight for many years.”


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: New York; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 2016election; cruz; election2016; newyork; tedcruz; texas; trump
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To: TChad

Krauthammer is pro-abortion and pro queer “marriage” but says the states should decide. Will claims to be pro-life, but says queer “marriage” is a constitutional right. Bernie Goldberg is pro-abortion, pro queer “marriage”. Dennis Miller, pro-abortion, pro queer “marriage”. Gutfeld, pro-abortion, pro queer “marriage”. Megyn O’Kelly, pro queer “marriage”, as are the majority of the blondes on Fox News, with the exception of my girlfriend Shannon Bream.

Pick it up at 3:46.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=251&v=3HbGByORvv0


101 posted on 08/11/2015 9:00:09 AM PDT by NKP_Vet
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To: FlipWilson

I quit listening to Krauthammer a few years back, can’t recall the issue I disagreed with him on, but I have purged him from my TV. Same with Will. I still listen to Laura and some others. I miss Michelle Malkin. She is a pistol. Not too many I listen to anymore. It’s true...most of them think of themselves as our “betters” deciding for us. Bullpucky to that.


102 posted on 08/11/2015 9:04:56 AM PDT by tioga
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To: NKP_Vet

Oh, great. That lineup of viewpoints is scary. Why does anyone think FOX leans right? Obviously, they just don’t yell it at us, but they lean left.


103 posted on 08/11/2015 9:07:05 AM PDT by tioga
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To: VinL

Why the GOP hates the message Trump is sending is scary. They want his rhetoric on illegal immigration shut down. That makes them no different than the Dems. And that is just one issue they are Dem on. There are plenty more. Notice not one thing has changed since they took over. Not a one.


104 posted on 08/11/2015 9:42:03 AM PDT by tioga
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To: henkster

When they trow eggs make omelets.

I like’em with onions, green peppers, cheese, and bacon bits.


105 posted on 08/11/2015 11:28:44 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist (Truth is a priceless commodity worth more it's weight than Gold, GOP plays with fools gold)
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To: The_Victor

Yeah, stick with one wife.


106 posted on 08/11/2015 11:30:33 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist (Truth is a priceless commodity worth more it's weight than Gold, GOP plays with fools gold)
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To: TChad
All three have damaged their own careers, and for what? Their opposition to Trump may actually have helped his candidacy.

Megyn Kelly maybe, but is anybody talking differently about Will or Krauthammer than they were a month ago, a year ago, or a few years ago?

If you don't trust them now, they've probably done something in the past that made you not trust them then.

Will and Krauthammer probably have helped Trump, but for good or ill, they've been around a long time and will be around for some time to come.

107 posted on 08/11/2015 11:51:50 AM PDT by x
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To: zot
Very good! These statements by Ted Cruz are right, and well-spoken. He just went up several notches in my esteem.

He seems to do that a lot. I'm also impressed with his campaign, which shows an unusual combination of creativity and discipline.

108 posted on 08/11/2015 4:18:32 PM PDT by Interesting Times (WinterSoldier.com. SwiftVets.com. ToSetTheRecordStraight.com.)
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To: VinL

Trump is the best thing to happen tpo Cruz.

See my tagline!


109 posted on 08/11/2015 5:05:17 PM PDT by Grampa Dave ("Cruz is the Donald Trump of the beltway!")
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