It's not like we're going to get through to anyone who is anti-Cruz. You cannot reason people out of a position that they did not reason themselves into.
Posted on 02/04/2016 9:58:03 AM PST by SoConPubbie
Little Rock, Arkansas Donald Trump, in a tit-for-tat with his chief rival coming out of Iowa, accused Texas Sen. Ted Cruz of bearing direct responsibility for the Affordable Care Act.
"Ted Cruz gave us Obamacare," Trump said at a Wednesday rally in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The line of attack invoked the landmark health care law that is anathema to many conservatives. Cruz, for his part, has accused Trump of supporting Obamacare, too, accusing Trump as holding the same position on healthcare as Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.
Trump's rationale for his claim is a little roundabout. It's based on the fact that Cruz supported John Roberts' nomination to be chief justice of the Supreme Court, which in turn led to the law being upheld twice before the court.
"[Cruz] pushed him. He approved him," Trump said. "And Justice Roberts approved Obamacare twice when it should have been rejected. His vote got it over the top. Ted Cruz did that."
Trump arrived nearly two hours late to the rally due to mechanical issues with his plane that forced his team to land what is colloquially coined "Trump Force One" in Nashville, Tennessee. He took a different plane to the rally.
"There was a minor mechanical issue and Mr. Trump traveled the rest of the trip in a small charter aircraft," said Hope Hicks, Trump's spokesperson.
The late arrival didn't dampen Trump's energy as he launched more attacks at Cruz, calling him "dishonest" in reference to allegations from another candidate, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.
Carson has accused Cruz's campaign of trying to poach his voters by sending an email to Iowa voters claiming Carson was leaving the race, based on a CNN report that Carson would be absent from the trail and returning home for awhile. Cruz has since said that his staff should have sent a follow-up note to correct the first email. Trump wasted no time in trying to capitalize.
"I said how can they do that?" Trump said. "And everybody said, 'How can they do that?' And then he doesn't get the votes, Ben, but Ted gets the votes."
Wednesday marked a change in demeanor for Trump since Tuesday - from humble to angry. Trump posted a series of angry tweets, calling for a re-do of the Iowa caucuses, just two days after delivering a gracious concession speech in which he congratulated Cruz.
"He should just give it up and move on to New Hampshire," said 26-year-old Scott Tierney, after rolling his eyes. Tierney, a software salesman, from Conway, Arkansas, said he will vote for either Trump, Cruz or Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
Others disagreed.
"I don't think he's a sore loser," said 42-year-old Kris Clayborn, a Trump supporter from Harrison - nearly a three hour drive away. "I know there was a lot of Democrat problems as far as the caucus. To see it on the Republican side doesn't surprise me."
In Arkansas, Trump spoke in front of the an arena that was slightly more than half full, even as Trump claimed it was a record crowd of more than 12,000. Trump may also have committed a college football faux pas - complimenting the University of Alabama's football team - an SEC rival - of Arkansas. The crowd booed.
The crowd was rowdy. One man roamed the floor at the Barton Coliseum wearing a black t-shirt that said "Obama Is A Terrorist" on the back.
While Trump shook hands on the rope line, a topless man with "T R" painted on his chest continuously tried to get Trump's attention. Another man wore a Denver Broncos bathrobe to the rally, to commemorate the Super Bowl. His name was Harrell Boyles and he also wore a pink tie with pigs on it under the bathrobe with a badge pinned to it that said "OMG GOP! WTF?" To complete the outfit, he wore American flag shorts.
Trump heads back to New Hampshire Thursday for four public events -- his first day on the campaign trail with four stops.
You are right. If he is going to attack Cruz, do so over some legitimate issue. No one but DEMOCRATS and John Roberts are responsible for Obamacare. It’s a documented fact.
Oh funny. Trump wasn’t running for President when he gave the off the cuff praise to his sister.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryanne_Trump_Barry
I guess I needed to read more on her. She spoke for Alito and endorsed him so I think you might not know what you are talking about. I see nothing about her being pro choice. Where do you see that?
No, Cruz recruited Roberts as an attorney who had argued cases before the Supreme Court 35 times and won 29 of the cases. In other words, he got the best litigators he could find.
I seem to remember Cruz wrote a flowery letter praising Cruz to the Senate. Can you confirm this?
Cruz pushed for Luttig, who had been his boss. But once GWB picked Roberts, Cruz supported the pick. That is generally what is expected. As a boss, when making a decision, I want my people to give me their best judgment and to forcefully argue their point of view. Once I make a decision, however, I expect them to publicly support the decision to the hilt, even if they don't personally agree. Jeb should know that, he is being stupid. If he were president, do you think he would permit any of his staff to publicly oppose his nominations?
Only an idiot or Trump could blame Cruz. It’s like blaming a gun dealer for selling a gun to someone who has ll the right credentials. Buyer goes out and does harm to others without any previous indications of their actions.
Somebody is grabbing for straws.....
Actually, the comment was made in August of 2015, so he certainly was running for president, and it was not an "off the cuff" remark, it was in response to an interview question.
Oh well. Don’t vote for him then. And when the country falls apart don’t come crying to me.
caca // phony... Like 'phony crap'?
The fire marshal at the venue estimated the crowd at 12,000. Who should we trust the liberal MSM or the fire marshal?
But but...liberal reporters in media are much more trustworthy than any fire marshal! /S
My sister has voted democrat for decades. Last republican she voted for was Gerard Ford. But that has never stopped me admire and love my sister. There is much more to life than politics.
That proves born in Canada Rafael Cruz is a poor judge of character. Cruz knew Roberts well, and still pushed him.
I love and admire my sister. And you know what, she is a fantastic lawyer. But she is also a flaming liberal, and if asked, I would never suggest I would make her a judge if I had the power, let alone a Supreme Court justice. You keep trying to downplay this like he was just being nice to his sister. But the next president could have 3-4 SCOTUS picks, and the only clue we have as to the type of person Trump would pick is what he says - and what he says should scare every conservative who cares about the direction of SCOTUS.
Oh, Cruz was supposed to be able to look 7-8 years into the future and tell what Roberts would do? Please, that is the weakest and silliest argument you could make.
“No, Cruz recruited Roberts as an attorney who had argued cases before the Supreme Court 35 times and won 29 of the cases. In other words, he got the best litigators he could find. “
And HOW did that work out??? You made my point. Cruz picked his pal, pure and simple. Cruz is the reason we are stuck with Obamacare regardless of all that spew he wasted all our time with in the Senate, where he NEVER accomplished one thing!
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The article is foolishness from top to bottom.
And Trump is having a psychotic crisis over the realities of this election.
Trump was never a “front runner,” the MSM simply declared him so.
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“Only an idiot or Trump could blame Cruz.”
But if Roberts was the key vote that got rid of Obamacare, the Church of Jesus Ted and Latter Day Cruz would be telling us how Cruz’s keen insight in seeing rising conservative talent was instrumental to getting Roberts nominated to the high court, and that his fearless advocacy for him is the reason why Obamacare was defeated by that one vote!
But Roberts dun screwed up so......CRUZ HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!!!!!
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You continue to be a disgusting, malodorous liar.
Cruz had nothing to do with the Roberts selection; it was way above his “pay grade” at the time.
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