Posted on 01/18/2016 2:33:22 PM PST by Isara
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) blasted 2016 rival Donald Trump on Monday, questioning his ties to Democrats and previous support for liberal positions as the two battle for the top spot in Iowa.
"If he's giving checks to Democratic politicians and he supports their views... then it starts to suggest, 'gosh if he publicly supports their views if he finances their causes,'" Cruz told Boston radio station WRKO. "Then suddenly when he announces as a candidate for president, every single one of his views changes - listen if he has had a change of heart, I am thrilled."
Cruz, who is competing with Trump for the GOP nomination, added that if Republican voters want a nominee who will "cozy up to Chuck Schumer - by the way he's written checks to Chuck Schumer, I never have - then you ought to be backing him."
The Texas Republican's comments come after Trump told ABC's "This Week" that Cruz is a "nasty guy" and "nobody likes him. Nobody in Congress likes him."
The two candidates have been locked in an escalating rhetorical battle this month after Cruz said that Trump represents "New York values."
Trump, in return, hit Cruz over previously undisclosed loans he accepted from Goldman Sachs and Citibank to help finance his Senate run. Cruz, on Monday, suggested that Trump's criticism was hypocritical, calling it "more than a little rich."
"You want to assess who stands with Wall Street? Then look at the actual records of the candidates," he added. "Donald Trump vocally and enthusiastically supported TARP, the bailout of the big banks. He vocally and enthusiastically supported Barack Obama's stimulus plan."
Trump suggested that the loans underscored that the senator is controlled by the banks.
While Cruz had long been reluctant to take on Trump directly, the two have stepped up their rhetorical barbs as they head toward the Feb. 1 Iowa caucus.
Trump has led the Republican field in recent Iowa polling, but Cruz claimed the top spot in a Des Moines Register/Bloomberg poll released last week.
Trump is planning to campaign in Iowa this week with stops scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
While Cruz on Monday urged primary voters to study candidates' records, he sidestepped directly calling Trump a "fraud" or a "hypocrite."
"Those are your words," he told radio host Jeff Kuhner, adding, that he doesn't plan to get into a "food fight or personal insults."
However, he noted that "Donald seems very rattled right now. ...He's been launching an awful lot of attacks in the last couple of days."
Before 2015 Trump has supported every position except conservative ones. He’s a New York, open borders, globalist, progressive. He’s saying what he’s saying now so conservatives will vote for him. Period.
Cruz is conservative to his core.
So if all Trump says about Cruz is true, why did Trump pal up with Cruz until it became apparent that Cruz might beat him?
So either Cruz isn’t Satan, or Trump has terrible judgment.
Trump says he’s going to build a wall when running in a primary and says we need to leave borders behind when he’s not running in a primary.
Trump is an American. Cruz is a closet Canadian.
Nice dodge.
Now try answering my question.
One thing that Trump has done that I don’t think even Obama has done is cut business deals with the Mafia.
Irony. Do you remember what Trump said about Cruz last summer?
That’s a real mature post
-— Donald Trump vocally and enthusiastically supported TARP, the bailout of the big banks. He vocally and enthusiastically supported Barack Obama’s stimulus plan.” -—
And he contributed to pro-abortion Democraps for almost 20 years.
Expose the fraud, Ted.
What have these guys been waiting for?
Add open borders to that list.
Cruz doesn’t even remember living in Canada. How many Canadians knew the American Constitution by heart when they were 13 years old? I’ll bet Trump can’t even recite the Preamble.
Every conservative voted against that Hurricane Sandy pork fest. Every conservative was and is against redistribution of wealth.
I believe that a Cruz/Trump ticket would be the strongest ticket against the DemonRATs. Each has their strong expertise and weak shortcomings. Both would add to the team their strong skills and ideals. I believe they would learn from each other and the result would be a winner for America.
I believe that Trump has been a fighter for decades and knows how to make up and shake hands at the end of a fight. Such a reconciliation should be an offer to the other to join them on the ticket.
You are convincing-who?
Yourself, the dem/rino sophisticates?
What actually is your desired purpose?
Who doesn’t hate NYC/Manhattan money but likes their money?
Ted Cruz, (R)-Goldman Sachs
Can’t handle the truth I see.
-— Trump borrows billions from George Soros and trashes Cruz for an asset secured personal loan. -—
Trump doesn’t understand basic finance.
Or he’s lying.
Maybe both.
No, it is two ointments, er, Corinthians.
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