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Cruz: You Realize Democrats Are 'Very Eager' to Run Against Trump, Right?
Townhall.com ^ | January 13, 2016 | Guy Benson

Posted on 01/13/2016 8:10:07 AM PST by Kaslin

Of course they are. I've spoken to some of them. They're mostly keeping their powder dry for the moment, but they're so ecstatic over the Trump phenomenon that they're practically prepared to don "Make America Great Again!" hats throughout primary season.  For what it's worth, they also say they see Cruz as another easy demonization mark ("extreme" conservative, "Senator Shutdown," etc.), but they seem less smug about that assessment as Hillary stumbles and polls like this become the norm.  Why the Trump "enthusiasm" among professional Democrats? Because they know that a match-up against Trump would virtually guarantee that their team retains the White House, even with a wheezing corrupt liar as their standard-bearer. Trump's fundamentals are atrocious among the broader electorate; his loose canon schtick obviously doesn't wear well with most voters -- who'd be...highly susceptible to the tsunami of negativity Democrats' billion-dollar attack machine would unleash against him if he's nominated.  Trump is an opposition researcher's dream come true. The teflon effect goes down the tubes in a general election setting. The good news for the celebrity billionaire is that he enjoys universal name recognition. The bad news is that his political brand is horrifically bad, especially among moderate, female, young, and Hispanic voters, among whom Republicans must improve in order to win. Plus, one can't help but wonder if some Democrats may privately be pondering whether Trump will resort back to embracing the liberalism he's espoused for most of his adult life just as soon as leading certain voters around by the nose is no longer in his immediate interests.  All of this is obvious to conservatives who've consistently opposed Trump's candidacy.  What's newsworthy is that Ted Cruz is now advancing this line of argument:

.@tedcruz also suggested Democrats are "very eager" to support Trump because they want to run against him in the general election.— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) January 12, 2016


What seems to have finally -- finally! -- forced the Cruz to abandon the "we're besties!" routine is Trump's relentless, intentional amplification of the birtherism narrative, the premise of which is that the Texas Senator is ineligible for the presidency because he was born in Canada.  For reasons that we have outlined over and over and over again, this is incorrect.  Based on a commonsense reading of the constitution (US citizens who've never been naturalized are by definition natural born) and explicit federal law, Cruz can be president.  This should be a non-issue, tortured re-definitions of what "naturalization" means notwithstanding.  Trump pretends he's merely asking questions for Cruz's own good, and says that he'd "hate" to see this become a problem for Cruz.  Hey, people are talking about it, Trump shrugs with a twinkle in his eye, before warning that the controversy could lead to lawsuits and uncertainty.  And by "people" he means "Donald Trump" --  in tweets, on television, and in speeches.  Behold, a charming vignette from a recent Trump rally in Nevada:

Ted Cruz has a real cloud hanging over his head," Trump said. "So the question is: Is Ted Cruz, is he a natural-born citizen?" The crowd again shouted, "No!" "I just heard this: He was a citizen of Canada for a long time," Trump said, referring to Cruz having citizenship in the United States and Canada until recently. "He was a citizen of the United States, I believe, and Canada simultaneously. How do you, how -- what's going on here? So, he's got to straighten these things out." Trump questioned why Cruz didn't revoke his Canadian citizenship years ago, especially when he became a U.S. senator. "Does he get a pass from that?" Trump asked. The crowd again answered, "No!"

But he'd surely hate for any of this to damage his dear, dear friend, you must understand.  Cruz is punching back harder than usual because there's some evidence that this story is hurting him, among his own voters, and among the Trump base he hopes to inherit if and when the real estate mogul fades. Today's new Des Moines Register poll indicates this is less of a potent issue than PPP does, but Cruz's standing has eroded by seven points since the last survey. Yesterday afternoon, Cruz lobbed initial salvos at Trump on this, including floating the idea that Democrats would love to face Trump in the general (message: he'll lose to Hillary), and hitting Trump for citing a liberal law professor to advance this storyline (message: Trump's a say-anything non-conservative).  Then there were the additional indications that a high-octane Trump/Cruz "cage match" the latter candidate has long attempted to avoid might be coming soon, via RealClearPolitics:

Although Ted Cruz has insisted he will not personally attack Donald Trump as the race for the Republican nomination heats up, supporters of the Texas senator appear to be weighing how best to target Trump in Iowa, where Cruz holds a narrow lead. A message-testing phone call in Iowa on Monday floated seven distinct lines of attack against the national frontrunner, asking whether each one would make the listener more or less likely to support him.

Among the criticisms tested were messages about Trump's past support for abortion and single-payer healthcare (which he still defends), as well as a line "[depicting] Trump as 'a New York liberal pretending to have conservative values.'" RCP couldn't confirm for sure that these calls were sponsored by Team Cruz, despite several context clues. Well, how's this for confirmation?

Ted Cruz Says Trump “Embodies New York Values” https://t.co/nz3oVjj3yX— Andrew Kaczynski (@BuzzFeedAndrew) January 12, 2016

In NH @tedcruz takes direct shot at #Trump.Warns voters-be weary of any "NY billionaire" or "influence peddler" tied to Clinton @ABCPolitics— Tom Llamas (@TomLlamasABC) January 13, 2016

Welcome to the fight against Trump, Cruz supporters https://t.co/hnnqjwoO29— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) January 12, 2016


Oh, it's on. And Thursday's Fox Business Network debate in South Carolina could be rather memorable indeed.  I'll leave you with this Iowa anecdote that may warm the hearts of anti-Trump Republicans everywhere -- presented with the requisite caveat that rival campaigns underestimate The Donald at their peril:

At Trump event in Cedar Falls; Trump staffer asked crowd how many had definitely decided to caucus for Trump. Only about 5% of hands go up.— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) January 12, 2016


UPDATE - This escalated quickly, via last night's Hugh Hewitt Show

Sen Cruz on Trump and nuclear triad, 'Understand not just based on Sunday Shows' #glovesoff https://t.co/NqcOFNCCHe— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) January 13, 2016





TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cruz; elections; immigration; trump; trumpwasright
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To: Kaslin

I can’t think of any reason to admire Bush. Trump make me happy.


81 posted on 01/13/2016 10:00:09 AM PST by DesertRhino ("I want those feeble minded asses overthrown,,,")
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To: brickdds

Yeah. I’m a working stiff lawyer in nyc and I can afford some nice watches. It’s no big deal at all. Personally, though, I don’t like quartz movements. No personality.


82 posted on 01/13/2016 10:00:59 AM PST by Ted Grant
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To: Kaslin

Honestly, they’re not afraid to run against any of the GOP candidates.


83 posted on 01/13/2016 10:03:09 AM PST by Ted Grant
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To: roamer_1

Trump is welcome to spend his money any way he wishes. Trump would have no responsibility to our purse strings should he be President..that being the responsibility of our laid back congress critters in the House. Cruz, however IS a congress critter NOW. Tell me how this watch shows any sign of common sense. The man is no spendthrift. It might be a gift and that would be a horse of a different color. But if he purchased it himself...that would be troubling..even if he might be able to afford it and used his own money. A senator who is wise would think twice about buying a time piece at such great cost when one less expensive would tell him exactly the same. Please, use your common sense. You have been a consumer far too long to have none of that remaining in that brain.


84 posted on 01/13/2016 10:03:40 AM PST by V K Lee (u TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP to TRIUMPH Follow the lead MAKE AMERICA GREAT)
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To: Ted Grant
A fine timepiece is a great thing. I like Rolex, personally.

I bought this in the early 80s. You can tell I was poor.

 photo Air King_zpssyejhuiu.jpg

85 posted on 01/13/2016 10:03:41 AM PST by Stentor
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To: WVNan

Amen!!
:-))


86 posted on 01/13/2016 10:11:17 AM PST by V K Lee (u TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP to TRIUMPH Follow the lead MAKE AMERICA GREAT)
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To: patq

We need to restore constitutional principles and boundaries in this country.

I want an expert on the constitution; you apparently want an expert on construction?


87 posted on 01/13/2016 10:13:21 AM PST by Norseman (Defund the Left....completely!)
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To: patq

We need to restore constitutional principles and boundaries in this country.

I want an expert on the constitution; you apparently want an expert on construction?


88 posted on 01/13/2016 10:13:21 AM PST by Norseman (Defund the Left....completely!)
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To: Stentor

The air king! Nice! Great history and I really like the engine turned bezel. Sharp! I bet it gets lots of compliments!


89 posted on 01/13/2016 10:14:44 AM PST by Ted Grant
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To: CodeToad

>>Cruz is much further away from democrats, so he won’t do as well with democrats.<<

Finally, a Trump supporter who acknowledges that Trump is closer to the Democrat party than his opponents. The question, of course, is how close?


90 posted on 01/13/2016 10:15:20 AM PST by Norseman (Defund the Left....completely!)
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To: V K Lee
Trump is welcome to spend his money any way he wishes. Trump would have no responsibility to our purse strings should he be President..that being the responsibility of our laid back congress critters in the House.

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh the hypocrisy! No friend - the President is where the buck STOPS. The president signs the check those congress critters write, and is complicit in all they do.

If frugality is your thing, then look first of all to the guy who signs the deal. He is the Penny-Pincher in Chief.

91 posted on 01/13/2016 10:16:16 AM PST by roamer_1 (Globalism is just Socialism in a business suit.)
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To: Norseman
We need to restore constitutional principles and boundaries in this country.

Indeed. Right now there's only one voice in the race championing those principles. Who stands to gain by having it silenced?

92 posted on 01/13/2016 10:17:28 AM PST by tacticalogic ("Oh bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: Robert DeLong

“Alberta-born Sen. Ted Cruz has given up his Canadian dual citizenship. The renunciation became official on May 14, roughly 9 months after he learned he was not only an American.”

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2014/06/no-canada-sen-ted-cruz-has-formally-shed-his-dual-citizenship.html/

The fact that he was unaware of his Canadian citizenship will not immunize him from Democratic and MSM attacks.


93 posted on 01/13/2016 10:24:20 AM PST by yuleeyahoo ( Man does not control his own fate. The women in his life do that for him. - Groucho Marx)
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To: turducken

Yep, they are also dying for Ted’s crazy Dominionist ties to go mainstream.


94 posted on 01/13/2016 10:26:53 AM PST by dforest
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To: grania

Yeah, sure.


95 posted on 01/13/2016 10:36:41 AM PST by exnavy (good gun control: two hands, one shot, one kill.)
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To: Kaslin

As Trump has stated many time, “I haven’t even started on Hillary yet.” I don’t think the Dems want Trump as an opponent. (Nice try putting out this spin, though.)


96 posted on 01/13/2016 10:38:19 AM PST by MayflowerMadam (TDS: Hating Trump more than loving America.)
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To: exnavy
Your response: "yeah, sure"

What part of my interpretation of Trump's personality and its suitability to aspire to an excellent presidency are you saying is inaccurate?

97 posted on 01/13/2016 10:39:57 AM PST by grania
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To: Kaslin

I don’t trust Trump much, either. But I don’t trust any of ‘em, so I’ll take the guy who has huge successes throughout his career — and I don’t mean in a government office.


98 posted on 01/13/2016 10:40:58 AM PST by MayflowerMadam (TDS: Hating Trump more than loving America.)
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To: Kaslin
Of course the Democrats want to run against Trump.

Shady business dealings
Hired illegal immigrants
Mafia associations
Phony "charitable" foundation
Howard Stern interviews

And while the voiceover runs down the laundry list of 21 Questions for Donald Trump, the Dems will run endless B-roll like this:


99 posted on 01/13/2016 10:46:58 AM PST by St_Thomas_Aquinas
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To: Kaslin
Interesting tidbit in the article.
At Trump event in Cedar Falls; Trump staffer asked crowd how many had definitely decided to caucus for Trump. Only about 5% of hands go up.— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) January 12, 2016

100 posted on 01/13/2016 10:49:44 AM PST by St_Thomas_Aquinas
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