Posted on 12/23/2015 8:03:10 PM PST by Isara
This morning the Politico came out swinging at Ted Cruz with the headline “What Ted Cruz said behind closed doors” as if to suggest it would be different from what he says publicly:
In June, Ted Cruz promised on NPR that opposition to gay marriage would be "front and center" in his 2016 campaign.
In July, he said the Supreme Court's decision allowing same-sex marriage was the "very definition of tyranny" and urged states to ignore the ruling.
But in December, behind closed doors at a big-dollar Manhattan fundraiser, the quickly ascending presidential candidate assured a Republican gay-rights supporter that a Cruz administration would not make fighting same-sex marriage a top priority.
In a recording provided to POLITICO, Cruz answers a flat "No" when asked whether fighting gay marriage is a "top-three priority," an answer that pleased his socially moderate hosts but could surprise some of his evangelical backers.
In fact it wasn’t a ‘flat no’ as Politico says if you listen to the audio:
Listen to the audio at the link.
Here’s the transcript for those of you on mobile devices:
Male questioner: "Can I ask you a question? So, I’m a big supporter. And the only issue I really disagree with you about is gay marriage. And I’m curious: Given all the problems that the country's facing - like ISIS, the growth of government - how big a priority is fighting gay marriage going to be to a Cruz administration?"
Cruz: "My view on gay marriage is that I’m a constitutionalist and marriage is a question for the states. And so I think if someone wants to change the marriage laws of their state, the way to do so is convince your fellow citizens - and change them democratically, rather than five unelected judges. … Being a constitutionalist is integral to my approach to every other issue. So that I'm very devoted to."
Same questioner: "So would you say it’s like a top-three priority for you - fighting gay marriage?"
Cruz: "No. I would say defending the Constitution is a top priority. And that cuts across the whole spectrum - whether it’s defending [the] First Amendment, defending religious liberty, stopping courts from making public policy issues that are left to the people. …
"I also think the 10th Amendment of the Constitution cuts across a whole lot of issues and can bring people together. People of New York may well resolve the marriage question differently than the people of Florida or Texas or Ohio. … That’s why we have 50 states - to allow a diversity of views. And so that is a core commitment."
But even more than it not being a ‘flat no’, Politico even makes a stunning admission that basically makes the point of this entire article moot:
“While Cruz's private comments to a more moderate GOP audience do not contradict what the Republican Texas senator has said elsewhere…”
Politico is basically trying to make an article out of what they are deeming as nuance, using that to suggest that Cruz is saying something a little different privately than he says to voters when that’s absolutely not the case.
Cruz responded today in a press conference where he said the secret tape contains nothing different than he’s said on TV over and over again and that he finds it amusing that advisors from other campaigns would seize on this to suggest it’s devastating for his campaign:
Ted Cruz Responds to Politico Secret Tape (Video)
Mike Huckabee is one of the ones jumping on this, saying in a statement:
"Conservatives are being asked to 'coalesce' around yet another corporately-funded candidate that says something very different at a big donor fundraiser in Manhattan than at a church in Marshalltown. Shouldn't a candidate be expected to have authenticity and consistency, instead of having to look at a map to decide what to believe and what to say?
"One reason I do respect Trump is that whether you agree with him or not, he doesn't pretend with his principles or change his message depending on his location or audience. If issues like marriage and the sanctity of life are truly issues of principle and not just politics, then there should not be geographical boundaries to what is right and wrong."
As Allahpundit points out at Hot Air, “On what planet is Donald Trump, former Democratic donor, a model of ideological principle and consistency? Because it's not this one.”
How is NPR a different audience than a homosexual activist?
Trump has another growing problem in the south with confederate monuments becoming an issue at just the wrong time for him.
Kind of a sorry tribute to our education system that some can't grasp reality.
Perhaps you believe that whether or not homosexuals get married is a top priority for turning the nation around. So many seem to be so sexually oriented with their votes....
Make thyself useful....
Now for a short public service announcement to all on FR:
We need to ensure we don't get another Obama-like America Hater as the next President.
The best way to ensure that is to actively support a candidate as the next President.
I prefer Cruz and my money goes to his campaign, hence the Cruz link. If you like someone else, donate to him/her (find your own link to do it) and if you use FR and don't donate, then please don't complain about the welfare leeches or those who have Obama Phones because, functionally, you are no different than any other who enjoys the fruits of others' work for your own benefit.
PS - If you are one of those who cannot afford even a small donation to FR or a candidate, God Bless and happy FReeping!.....
GO CRUZ!! Keep it up Trump!!
I’m a Trump supporter but I know “the treatment” from the media when I see it. If they can’t make some that is true into an attack they just twist or distort the facts. This is why I say Cruz cannot fight off “the treatment” throughout a general election. Remember that scumbag Reid declaring the Romney didn’t pay his taxes? Not true of course but it forced Mittens onto the defensive and he never got off of it.
“Can you prove that Trump is no longer beholden to all of those liberals that he traded money for favors during the last 30 years???”
Well, can you prove he is?
Cruz is not giving out money, he is taking money for favors. Which position is more independent?
Wait a minute, I was raked over the coals yesterday for “aligning” myself with a leftist rag after I made a comment on their article about Cruz.
“Trump when it came down to defending the Constitution threw it under the bus in the Kim Davis case and with Pamela Geller’s case.”
How does Cruz differ from Trump when he says he will fight for the Constitution but he will not fight gay marriage?
Gay marriage will end up destroying our society. We can ride the 10th amendment down into oblivion if we so choose.
Does anyone really think that our Founders ever contemplated the possibility of gay marriage being the law in any shape or form?
The writers of the Constitution designed the Constitution to serve as a shield to protect us from tyranny, and to flourish in a Christian culture, as they noted, not as a device to allow in every counter-cultural perversion demented people dream up.
good call
Stop making excuses for Trump. He blew it on this issue with his lack of support.
Cruz even fought for religious freedom before the Supreme Court and won.
“Stop making excuses for Trump. He blew it on this issue with his lack of support.”
I made no attempt to make excuses for Trump. You, though, need to make excuses for your man Cruz. He is the one who says he will not fight gay marriage, after going on record that he would fight gay marriage. He said that he would fight for the Constitution but would not fight gay marriage. Evidently, he thinks that gay marriage is constitutional the way it was decreed by the Supreme Court. He just disregarded the tenth amendment, upon which he has made his case. What other conclusion can you draw.
Cruz never said he wouldn’t fight gay marriage. Stop making fiction.
Trump hasn’t mentioned fighting gay marriage or said it was his top 3 issues.
When it comes to social issues Trump has been silent
I don’t have to prove Trump is beholden to those liberals that he traded favors for money. Maybe you should prove Cruz is beholden to big GOP donors, especially since most of his donations come from small donors. Trumpets accuse Cruz of being bought, but can’t prove their false accusation so I don’t have to prove Trump is bought either. The fact that Trump could be bought should be of just as much concern as Cruz being bought. In fact, it should be of more concern because if Trump is bought then he is bought by liberals.
I would take Cruz’s conservative donors over corrupt democrats any day. Getting donations during an election is legal. Trading favors for money in political/business deals is not legal and shows major corruption in Trump’s career.
“...especially since most of his donations come from small donors.”
from Washington Post, October 26
Wealthy investors shot skeet with Sen. Ted Cruz in Park City, Utah, earlier this month. Conservative lawyers gathered in a clubby Washington restaurant last week to raise money for his presidential bid. And on Monday, billionaire technology entrepreneur Darwin Deason and five other wealthy Texans announced that they were coming aboard his campaign.
For all his bashing of “billionaire Republican donors†who “actively despise our base,†the anti-establishment senator from Texas is being bolstered by his own robust base of wealthy contributors. Cruz raised $5.2 million through the end of September from supporters who gave him the $2,700 maximum — making him No. 2 in the GOP race for large donors, after former Florida governor Jeb Bush, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute.
Your point??? Nothing you posted proves that Cruz is taking money for favors. Cruz may be number two for big donors, but he is also number one for small donors. Considering he raised over $30 million during the last 3-6 months, $5.2 million is a drop in the bucket. Cruz is still getting most of his money from small donors.
Trump made billions making corrupt deals with liberals. Trump is a close friend and supporter of the Clintons and has been a democrat supporter for over 30 years, up until less than 2 years ago. Trump is still mixed on gun rights, pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, and has criticized Romney for being too harsh on illegals, yet you now believe he has
Everything in Cruz’s past and his actions have proven him to be a real conservative and true to his word. Nothing in Trump’s past or actions has shown Trump to be anything other than out for Trump. Can you prove that as a close Clinton friend that Trump isn’t in this race simply as a spoiler to help Hillary??
“Your point???
In reference to your assertion that Cruz gets most of his contributions from the average Joe, my point was that that is not the case.
“Can you prove that as a close Clinton friend that Trump isn’t in this race simply as a spoiler to help Hillary?”
And this thing about Trump being a spoiler to help Hillary, supposedly from a man who has the biggest, most insufferable ego in world history, and has the most powerful office in the world within his grasp, and can’t wait to hand it off to Hillary, is about the dumbest thing imaginable. It takes a real flake to swallow that one. And you should know, being the obvious logical tactician that are, that you can’t prove a negative.
Can I prove? You certainly like to use that word a lot, especially for someone like you who likes to make statements about Trump that you pull out of thin air.
“Everything in Cruz’s past and his actions have proven him to be a real conservative and true to his word.”
Such as voting for the Obama agenda, i.e. TPA and the Corker bill, and publicly stating that he would fight gay marriage and then telling donors that gay marriage is not his top priority?
Contradiction: Cruz ssid that the gay marriage ruling was unconstitutional, then he says will not fight gay marriage but he will fight for the Constitution.
As far as I know, Trump has never said he would fight gay marriage, but Cruz did, and according to all you Cruz supporters, Cruz is a divine incarnation of the Constitution and the Ten Commandments and is spotless and never contradicts himself.
“In reference to your assertion that Cruz gets most of his contributions from the average Joe, my point was that that is not the case.”
Again, you only showed donations for one month and try to use that as evidence to support most of his donations are big donors. First of all, $2700 is not a big donor. Second of all, Cruz has accumulated over $30-$50 million, mostly from small donors such as myself. Either, you are just lying about Cruz to bash him or you don’t know all of the facts and should remain quiet because you are obviously wrong.
“And this thing about Trump being a spoiler to help Hillary, supposedly from a man who has the biggest, most insufferable ego in world history, and has the most powerful office in the world within his grasp, and can’t wait to hand it off to Hillary, is about the dumbest thing imaginable. It takes a real flake to swallow that one. And you should know, being the obvious logical tactician that are, that you can’t prove a negative. Can I prove? You certainly like to use that word a lot, especially for someone like you who likes to make statements about Trump that you pull out of thin air.”
Well you seem to pull out of thin air many false accusations against Cruz, even claiming that Cruz is bought. So fair is fair, I can make the same assumptions that Trump is bought. At least Cruz is getting donations from conservatives. Cruz has a trustworthy track record. Trump does not. Only a faux conservative, libertarian (aka liberal lite), or raging liberal would be so blind as to follow Trump after Trump’s history.
Trump has been a democrat supporter for 30 years. He is on record supporting illegals, gay marriage, abortion, and gun control. Trump is also a long-time Clinton friend and supporter. These are all absolute, provable facts.
“Such as voting for the Obama agenda, i.e. TPA and the Corker bill, and publicly stating that he would fight gay marriage and then telling donors that gay marriage is not his top priority?”
Again, you mislead and distort the facts because everyone knows that Cruz did not support either, but only supported poison pills for the legislation in order to kill the bills. You do realize that Trump originally supported TARP too, right?
“Contradiction: Cruz ssid that the gay marriage ruling was unconstitutional, then he says will not fight gay marriage but he will fight for the Constitution.”
Did you actually read Cruz’s statements or are you just a lying fool?? Cruz said gay marriage was not the top priority and that defending the Constitution and State rights were priorities. He also stated that neither should be determined the courts. Both of Cruz’s stated priorities include fighting against gay marriage since that is a State rights’ and Constitution issue so none of Cruz’s statements were contradictory or inconsistent.
“As far as I know, Trump has never said he would fight gay marriage, but Cruz did, and according to all you Cruz supporters, Cruz is a divine incarnation of the Constitution and the Ten Commandments and is spotless and never contradicts himself.”
This statement is funny coming from a Trump supporter. Everything Trump does and says now is a complete contradiction of the last 30 years. Trump has always and still supports liberal policies (aka gay marriage, gun control, and abortion). Trump has only taken a conservative stance on immigration. That is his only policy platform. Trump has no other platform to run on at all. Unfortunately, Trump only took this conservative immigration stance less than 2 years ago. Prior to that, Trump is on record condemning Romney for being too harsh on illegals. Trump is the epitome of hypocrisy and contradictions.
Only a flake or a fool would take Trump at face value, given his liberal past. Try researching and reading a little more, but if you continue to make false accusations against Cruz then I will continue to point out how those same accusations can apply to Trump tenfold. That is why Trump will lose the general if he makes it that far because he will never appeal to true conservatives.
“...even claiming that Cruz is bought.”
Did not say that, only to inform you that he has billionaire backers.
Cruz, along with all the senators except Cotton, voted for the Corker bill. That bill was written by the White House. It contained no poison pills. The Corker bill enables Obama’s Iranian deal. That is why Obama salivated over the bill. It allows the largest terrorist-supporting state in the world to develop nuclear weapons and the ICBMs necessary to deliver them to your back yard.
BTW...I’ve yet to see a Cruz supporter claim Cruz is perfect, but he does fight for and protect the Constitution and State’s rights. He is much more conservative than Trump hands down.
Trump has never done anything conservative or anything to defend and protect any conservative values, including the Constitution or State’s rights so it doesn’t make any sense that any conservatives would support Trump.
“Did not say that, only to inform you that he has billionaire backers.”
But you did try to use evidence of Cruz having billionaire backers to imply that Cruz is bought by his donors and Trump is “independent”. I only pointed out that your claim does not change the fact that most of Cruz’s donors are us “little guys”. Besides, Trump has done more deals with billionaires and democrats over the last 30 years than Cruz ever will. So if your assumptions were valid then both candidates are potentially influenced by the wealthy.
Again, you’re misleading on the Corker bill as a way to deflect from the fact that Trump supported TARP and every liberal agenda for the last 30 years.
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Has Pollutico ever offered a truthful report on anything?
Never.
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Very obvious that pollutico is trying to protect Trump, the MSM candidate as Cruz ovetrtakes him.
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