Posted on 11/24/2015 5:28:49 AM PST by VinL
Over the course of his brief, polarizing career in electoral politics, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has been called many names, especially by liberals. "Dirty Syrup Guzzler" (Jon Stewart). "Creature from the Nether Regions" (Cher). “"The Most Dangerous Canadian in America" (the Huffington Post).
Yet so far the most indelible description of Cruz has come from a fellow conservative. In 2013, when Cruz decided to protest U.S. drone policy by filibustering the nomination of incoming CIA chief John Brennan, John McCain told reporter Jon Ward.. now a senior political correspondent for Yahoo News .. that his junior colleague was a "wacko bird."
The sobriquet stuck. It was emblazoned on T shirts. It appeared in countless headlines. Cruz himself proudly displays a black WACKO BIRD baseball cap with a picture of Daffy Duck on it in his Senate office.
By using that particular moniker, McCain was, in effect, dismissing Cruz as both flighty and crazy. And for the most part that is exactly how the Texan has been characterized in both the press and the public imagination since he alighted on Washington, D.C., nearly three years ago and immediately set about trolling his fellow Republicans and hijacking the legislative process: as an irresponsible far right demagogue prone to behave in irrational, counterproductive ways. Cruz's showy obstructionism suffers from "basic logic problems" and "just doesn’t make sense," wrote the Atlantic's Molly Ball in 2013. "Zealot leaders" like Cruz "forget that the key to leadership is essentially getting results by moving agendas ahead," added Inc. magazine.
Many pundits were skeptical when, in a speech at Virginia's evangelical Liberty University on March 23 , Cruz became the first Republican to announce he was entering the 2016 presidential race. As the New York Times' Nate Cohn put it at the time, "The most interesting question about Mr. Cruz's candidacy is whether he has a very small chance to win or no chance at all."
But suddenly it seems that Cruz is running what even Dan Pfeiffer, a former top aide to President Obama, concedes is "the best campaign on the other side." (snip)
Wiki documents that Cruz was born in Canada.
How exceptionally presidential to have a master plan and have it working beautifully. It’s the sign of a leader whom people choose to follow. It’s what GOP needs in their nominee.
However:
If Cruz gets the lead, anywhere, for more than a poll or two, the adulatory pieces will stop and all of a sudden he will be Hitler to the drive-bys.
The drive-bys may indeed go after Cruz but, unless I've misread his background, there isn't anything out there to get him with.
Perhaps they'll go after his Dad as an evil Christian Pastor, but that'll only piss off we Evangelicals.
It'll be an interesting election cycle to closely watch.
The corrupt ruling class is in a panic. Trump might actually win the Republican nomination and then beat Hillary! Their gravy train ends when an honest American not beholden to billionaire donors and super PACs occupies the White House. And their is only one candidate not beholden to billionaire donors and super PACs. Donald Trump.
“You said that all Cruz had to do was agree with Trump”
Yeah. That’s only saying that when Trump puts these issues on the campaign map by making “controversial” statements that get the media to go nuts, Cruz has the benefit of already having those positions, and merely having to agree (or not disagree), and can completely avoid the firestorm that Trump goes through.
“I’m concerned about Trump in a debate with Hillary. He has survived the debates thus far on his popularity, not on his ability to argue the issues.”
Debates dont mean as much as people think (as this primary season is showing). As long as you dont pull a Mondale and say you are going to raise taxes, spend time looking at your watch, look like a Gore-bot or say that you wouldn’t want the death penalty if your wife was rapped, they usually dont sway many.
Your unqualified personal opinion is duly noted and summarily dismissed as an unqualified personal opinion. It is also tired and worn out, having been invalidated by the lack of any competent court that has determined Cruz to NOT be a citizen who can hold the office. Or perhaps you can show where Cruz was not a citizen at birth who was required to submit to the naturalization process.
So unless you have some plan you will personally put into action that will disqualify Cruz, what’s your point, other than you don’t seem able to offer any compelling reason to vote *FOR* another candidate and are reduced to dragging out this tired, worn-out smear against the sole conservative candidate in the race?
Opinions vary.
Three months ago you couldn't buy a positive Cruz story, but do you remember all the fawning stuff about Fiorina? Then, when she faded, there began to appear all these stories about "Carson surging." But once they had him "surged," they killed him off.
We know Ted is a great conservative, a stand-up guy, and intellectually by far the best guy in the race. That said, I don't think he can effect change in DC because he is a politician and still thinks like a pol. But I'd love to see him as Veep or better yet as Chief Justice nominated by Trump. (I do believe they have a deal).
But, that said, how would the drive bys attack him? As a "crazy, far-right ideologue" who would "shut down the government," a "lone-wolf" with "no friends in the Senate," who is the Senate equivalent of a Pat Robertson.
All that said, if it was Ted, I'd give to him, work for him, and I do expect he would beat Hillary. Then the trouble starts . . . .
The difference I see with Cruz is that he has promised to restore the Constitution in all matters of governance, and after 0bama, that's exactly what's badly needed.
But, don't get me wrong, if Trump is our candidate, I will get right behind and support him.
But I stand with Cruz.
Cruz is the exact same position that Obama was in in 2008, except Obama provided "proof" he was born in the USA and Cruz can not. You can bet the farm that if Cruz is the nominee, the Democrats will attack Cruz as not an NBC and attack conservatives for being hypocrites on the issue. While I consider Hillary unelectable due her incompetence she jut might be able to convince enough people that Cruz is not eligible to get elected. That is a unnecessary risk I'd rather not take.
Birther cleanup on aisle 8. Birther cleanup on aisle 8, please.
I'll be seeing them again in a couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to it.
In Canada, Cruz, was born.
I hope you are right about the debate issue. Frankly, I like Trump and think he would make a good leader for the country, but he does not have an in depth knowledge of many of the issues. It shows in some of the debate questions.
Hillary is a professional liar and B.S. artist and can come across as knowledgeable to voters not informed enough to know she’s wrong.
If Trump is in the debate, the audience size will automatically be greatly increased. Unless he gets up to speed on the issues, that could be a problem.
There have been many comments directed to me on the thread, I didn’t reply because no one addressed the article. (Few probably read it).
The article’s purpose is to provide historical reference to Cruz’s genius at strategic planning (”he’s a prodigy”).
I bet no one even got to the part where Cruz was Boehner’s lawyer, and overturned a decision favoring McCormock (sp) in the infamous covert taping case.
You supporters of other candidates can denigrate Cruz as much as you like, but at end point, he has anticipated your every argument. Ultimately, his opponents must defeat his plan to obtain the Presidency, and they don’t have the wherewithal to do it.
And I would be the first to agree that Ted is the “most” non-politician of anyone in Washington since Ron Paul.
You will find that a Jebbie supporter is steadfast to the core and won’t change until Barbara gives permission.
How could they? They read the headline - then in the words of Barry - got all wee-weed up. Then it was all about throwing spit balls as fast as possible.
You would imagine that conservatives would be thrilled to hear that a solid conservative would be advancing in this race.
Damned shame, too- it was a great article.
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It sure helps to actually have the cognitive power!
He is the only one of the candidates that does.
The rest of the field appear to be completely captive to their emotions and libido.
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