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.
Cruzs 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 thats 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. Id 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 doesnt agree with the sentiments. He has said that he doesnt 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 Trumps 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 Im 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.
Your words to Gods ear.........
“And who were those serious candidates? Wby Jeb and Kasich and Rubio and Walker (ok, like that last one).”
Anyone who thinks Jeb Bush, the murdering SOB, is a serious candidate, is beyond the pale.
Oh - I didn’t get that. Was that down south on this tour?
I stuck this link into Favorites to keep an eye on. They've been good at keeping it updated so far. It ends with his event in IA on the 21st and I imagine he'll take a much-needed break before he heads back to DC. We'll have to wait and see if they continue using the same link for future events.
Never said she was, just saying she’s understanding the electorate better than the career politicians.
OMG!
No, they are fighting the Unitary. Cruz has been talking about the Washington Cartel!!!!!!
They are trying to fight the system.
Did you watch the Senate floor speech by Cruz. Are you aware of the vote against Boehner??? These are moves against the cartel.
People are so Trumpified they are not paying attention!!!
What if I did not? Still feel the same?
I like the way you think
You said you gave. Were you lying?
Who do you think you are—Boehner? McConnell?
LOL!!!
Well, you know, she was such a great leader at HP ... So I am absolutely positive she would be a fantastic president /s
I note how she shrewdly steers around such hot-button issues as same-sex “marriage” - which tells me she’s another GOPe wolf.
You cant?...Really???...When your job has always been the water-boy and you never had to delivered any water (and u get paid well for it)...You'll run a bottle of donkey piss to center field or wherever your told.....like your job depended on it...
Rosie O’Donnell is a woman? DAMN; I thought it was a drunken longshoreman!
Preach it, Cruz.
Carly? Oh please, she’s a GOPE plant.
I don’t know why you think Trump will bow out. He has left a lot of money on the table by running for President. If you read his book, “Art of The Deal,” he doesn’t quit that easily. We’ll see what happens.
I agree
This is my point about Trump’s name calling. It’s obvious that many of the 17 aren’t going to become president. He is out there calling them names, and sure they are attacking him first - but, he doesn’t have to get down in the weeds and comment on every little thing that is said. The support from the other candidates could be crucial to a win for him - should he get the nomination. I think Cruz will be okay in this area because he has been civil to all the others - he might disagree with their policies, but, he doesn’t belittle them. Unless, of course, your name is Mitch McConnell.
Trumps ego will NEVER let him drop out!!! Trumps ego will NEVER let him NOT win!!!!! Trump WILL win he is NOT a loser he has surrounded himself with WINNERS, fighting to the core winners!!!! I hope ALL FREEPERS are ready for a Trump win because losing is NOT in Trumps vocabulary!!!!!
Smart boy: don’t get in a raw meat tug-o-war with a hungry pit bull.
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