Posted on 12/15/2015 7:55:24 AM PST by conservativejoy
At long last, the battle between Cruz and Trump has been joined. Trump's remarks on Cruz have made national news, and both Limbaugh and Levin have called out Trump. There's no way the moderators of tonight's debate can let this incident pass without remarking on it. Always before, Trump and Cruz have avoided coming to blows because both were mutually agreeable to it.
Now, it seems like that is no longer the case for Trump. And even if his remark may have been off the cuff (as I somewhat expect that it was) and that he probably genuinely feels no personal animus towards Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) 100%, Donald Trump cannot apologize. For one thing, I think he might be physically incapable of saying the words, "I'm sorry." As in, he suffers from a rare and debilitating throat condition that affects him in exactly one way , inability to form the words "I'm" and "sorry" in that order.
For another thing, part of Trump's brand is built on the idea that he is a guy who does not apologize, or admit error, or appear contrite for any reason. If he refused to apologize for mocking a disabled guy , and was praised by his followers for it , how can he apologize for unintentionally besmirching the political reputation of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) 100%?
For Cruz, this then becomes a case of him being in a war, whether he knows it or not. The Donald cannot back down, and thus far has had no reason to. Everyone he has taken on the GOP field has ultimately faded, with the exception of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) 94%, who at least has been kept at bay. Trump has no reason to think that tussling with Cruz will end any differently; although the reaction of Limbaugh and Levin may indicate that he may have misread the playing field in that respect.
That does not necessarily mean that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) 100% will respond in kind; in fact, I rather suspect he won’t. Cruz might well go on saying that he thinks The Donald is great, and awesome, and the best think that’s ever happened to America, even while Trump is literally spitting in his face.
However, that in and of itself does not indicating that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) 100% is not fighting; rather, it indicates that he is fighting in essentially the same manner as Ghandi, and hoping to win by roughly the same means.
But one way or another, the confrontation is coming. Trump realizes that he cannot win the nomination with just the ~30% that he has, and the amount that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) 100% is consolidating against him has reached the point of presenting a genuine threat to Trump. Unlike Carson, Trump knows better than to expect that Cruz will be undone on his own through being unprepared or ill-equipped to handle hostile questioning.
Sooner or later it had to happen, and Trump is dictating that it will happen now.
Cruz is my #1 guy, but it is my deepest hope that he not fall for this kind of skullduggery. Trump would be an acceptable #2, especially if he arrives at the convention with Cruz as his running mate; I’d rather these two guys not provide the Clintons and their media lackeys with ammo against each other later on. Either one of them would be eons better than the unacceptable choices pushed by the establishment.
Trump sometimes speaks before he thinks but in a way it is a window to his mind. I would rather have an open mind that these mindless fools we have in politics. I’m done with the entire empire we call Government. There is no one better than Trump. Trump/Palin.
Trump was specific on the one statement by Scalia....and IMHO, Trump was absolutely right. Scalia said....”Blacks belong over here....not with the elite, top of the line, big boys”.
I also have the live button.
I will be streaming the debate tonight as well.
The rumble of the century!
Toronto Red vs. the Golden Helmet
Agree. And from what I’ve heard and read, Trump didn’t call Cruz a maniac per se (which the press keeps saying), he said he kind of “acted” like one.
BTW - I don’t post often, but I always enjoy reading your posts - keep up the good work, Jane!
Best,
SC
That was my argument yesterday. I read the exact statement of Scalia that Trump was referring to. Scalia may have not meant what he said, not the way he said it anyway but yes, it sounded just as you say.
I’m going to stick my neck out and predict that Trump does not attack Cruz tonight. Why should he when all he has to do is say Cruz agrees with him 100% its just that he always has to think of it first. :-)
On immigration all Trump has to say is I’m sending them all back Senator what is your plan and then listen to Ted’s patent answer that we will have a “conversation” about it after the border is secure. Not too reassuring. :-)
And ... will Trump continue these attacks ... using the rhetoric of the Left?
. What utter horse hockey!!! That is straight from DU and does NOT belong on a conservative website.
/ dweeb rant
The assumption seems to be that Trump possesses equal conservative bona fides as does Cruz. When Trump came after Cruz from the left, he cast even more doubt on his.
Cruz wasn’t slapped. If he can’t handle a little barb from Trump, wait till the media and Dems scrutinize him.
The chances are pretty high that Cruz will have his hands full with Rubio on the attack tonight, as well. This may somewhat alter the abuse-TRUMP agenda of the debates.
These 2nd Tier guys are fighting among themselves to secure first place, for the second place, to the first place.
Yikes!
The character of Scalia’s comments changes more than somewhat when it is revealed he was repeating a third party’s objection to obtain the reaction from one of the first parties.
The crux of the comment was that affirmative action was objected to by plaintiff and others because it hurt the individual students admitted under it. What was stated was that (paraphrasing) unqualified individuals who happen to be black and are therefore admitted to top-rated schools for which they are unprepared suffer from the so-called compassion of affirmative action, because they are unprepared for the academic work.
Trump has a tight rope to walk as he still needs to explain why he would be a better choice considering Cruz's (alleged - snicker) rise in the polls.
Have to walk that fine line of selling himself without being negative on Cruz.
Cruz has his act down and doesn't seem to want to go negative on Trump. I give him credit for that. It's smart. He knows he would need to have ALL of Trump's supporters to beat Hillary.
The question has a false premise - Cruz never said that about Trump. If you bothered to listen to the audio or read the unedited transcript, you would know that. Even if you want to stretch credulity and assume Cruz was implying those sentiments, that is still very different from Trump directly saying that Cruz was unqualified and did not have the temperament to be president. (Really? Trump questioning the temperament and judgment of ANYONE else into question???)
I believe Donald Trump to be congenitally incapable of apologizing.
In a PC dominated world, that is almost refreshing, yet it leaves a man that wrong with no honorable way out.
I know that today as I took my kids to school in Ventura County - I wished that Trump was president now and not Cruz. I am excited to see where I stand tomorrow.
This is so awesome to finally have a choice between two great candidates!
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