Posted on 02/04/2016 10:47:52 AM PST by SoConPubbie
Senator Ted Cruz on Thursday battled with ABC’s Tom Llamas after the Good Morning America reporter accused the Republican of using “dirty tricks” against Ben Carson in Iowa. Regarding a press release and a tweet sent out by the Cruz campaign on caucus night, Llamas demanded, “Will you fire or suspend anyone at your campaign for putting out misinformation?...Is it a dirty trick to confuse voters?”
Llamas has a history of going after the 2016 GOP field. On August 20, 2015, he screamed at Donald Trump, lecturing him that “anchor baby” is an “offensive term.” On January 6, 2016, the journalist scolded Cruz, wondering “how can you be a president” if you “hate Democrats” and the “culture of Washington.”
See transcript below:
GMA
2/4/16
7:04am ET
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We’re going to move on to the race for president now, Your voice, your vote. And just two days before our big GOP debate, brand-new poll out moments ago shows Donald Trump holding on to a 20-point lead in New Hampshire over Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz as two more candidates drop out of the race and Trump accuses Cruz of stealing the Iowa caucuses. So there's a whole lot happening. ABC's Tom Llamas tracking all the latest from Manchester. Good morning, Tom.
TOM LLAMAS: George, good morning to you. So many developments on the GOP side, Senator Rand Paul dropping out. Santorum dropping out, endorsing Senator Marco Rubio and as you just said, Donald Trump now accusing Senator Ted Cruz of stealing the Iowa caucuses while also learning there are some dangers to campaigning.
PILOT: We have an inbound emergency. Runway is going to be shut down.
LLAMAS: Overnight, a scare in the air for Donald Trump. Trump Force One forced to make an emergency landing in Nashville because of a mechanical problem.
PILOT: Runway 20 right cleared to land.
LLAMAS: Trump eventually hitting his campaign stop in Little Rock eventually.
TRUMP: Suddenly, my guys said, “Oh, that's okay, we can go back to New York, Mr. Trump. We can come another day.” I said, “There's no way. I love Arkansas.”
LLAMAS: There's also no stopping Trump's new attack, claiming Senator Ted Cruz cheated his way to victory in Iowa.
TRUMP: What he did to Ben Carson was a disgrace that he had quit the race. Everyone knew he didn't quit the race.
LLAMAS: Trump, referring to this Cruz campaign e-mail sent on caucus day. They cite a press report saying Dr. Carson is taking time off after Iowa. It goes on to say, “Please inform any Carson caucus goers of this news and urge them to caucus for Ted Cruz.”
TRUMP: It's not a mistake. He did it on purpose.
LLAMAS: Carson says it hurt his chances in Iowa and he's calling for accountability.
BEN CARSON: At least those people who are responsible should come out publicly and admit what they did.
LLAMAS: Cruz apologized to Carson but is standing by his campaign's actions. Will you fire or suspend anyone at your campaign for putting out misinformation?
TED CRUZ: No. We're not going to scapegoat anybody and I would note that the news story that our team passed on was true and accurate. CNN reported it.
LLAMAS: But is it a dirty trick to confuse voters?
CRUZ: Is it a dirty trick to pass on your news stories? You're in the business. Would you think it was if I forwarding an ABC story or just a dirty trick to pass on CNN stories?
LLAMAS: Cruz lashing out at Trump, saying the billionaire is stirring the pot because he lost in Iowa.
CRUZ: Well, listen, it is no surprise that Donald is throwing yet another temper tantrum, or if you like, yet another Trumper tantrum.
LLAMAS: As Cruz and Trump spar, Governor Chris Christie is keeping the pressure on Senator Marco Rubio. Christie warning of the dangers of electing another first term senator.
CHRIS CHRISTIE: Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.
LLAMAS: Now, Governor Christie part of that pool of governors that right now is sort of at the bottom of the polls along with Jeb Bush and Governor John Kasich, all campaigning very hard in New Hampshire hoping for a ticket to South Carolina. George.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Okay, Tom, thanks very much.
After noting that the story that Carson would be taking some time off came from CNN, Cruz challenged Llamas: “Is it a dirty trick to pass on your news stories? You're in the business. Would you think it was if I forwarding an ABC story or just a dirty trick to pass on CNN stories?”
I started as a Carson supporter, changed to a Cruz supporter, but could not take the weasel answers from him.
I appreciate your charitable assumption, but I now support Trump.
Carsons staff went to Cruz Monday.....so it doesn’t appear they were slighted one bit......besides Ben’s been struggling with his campaign long before this.....he would have preferred making an exit of his choosing....didn’t happen the way he wanted.
Carson looks like he is out. Iowans need to know before they vote. Most will go to Cruz, I hope.
Show me a CNN Tweet or report that says that?
In the history books it will be written that Ted Cruz and his campaign used NASTY and DIRTY tricks on a fellow Christian the good Dr. Carson. I had a personal email exchange with someone in the Cruz campaign today and to say the least I am still extremely disappointed Ted is not taking action to discipline the wrong doers including Steve King and Rick Scott.
Now Not firing people is a good thing. Yeah, Cruz takes the blame. What the hell does that mean if there is no penalty?
I watched the video.
In the video, CNN reporters never explicitly state that Carson was dropping out of the race.
However, they go way beyond simply reporting the news that Carson was returning home. They stated it was very unusual and something to the effect that presidential candidates should never do what Carson did if they want to be serious candidates for the presidency.
I would have walked away from the broadcast with a very fuzzy idea of what was actually going on. Was Carson just taking a break? Or did CNN reporters know more than they were apparently permitted to tell, by implying that Carson was no longer a serious presidential candidate?
At some point, reporters cross the line when they start giving out campaign advice to presidential candidates and imply stuff about candidates without actually stating it explicitly. That is unethical. It can lead people to falsely conclude that a candidate is not serious when actually he or she still is serious.
Given CNN reporting’s breach of ethics, is it right or wrong for someone on Cruz’s campaign in the heat of battle merely to connect the dots that CNN reporting conveniently laid out in public for everyone to ponder?
So, the ends justify the means?
Sounds more like Clinton every day.
I need to remind you that Trump came in 2nd - the historical position that leads to the presidency. And he certainly was responsible for the vast turnout in Iowa. Hardly accurate to say his supporters just didn’t show up. They showed up plenty.
with all due respect, does the candidacy require a fighter or a slacker? should the nomination go to a guy who flies home just at the time of the iowa caucus?
do you want a fighter or a slacker for a candidate? what good is working within a party if the party candidate will not fight at the last moment while people are still voting or deliberating?
Cruz is wrongly ignoring that the timing of the ABC rumor about Carson stinks. And Cruz should not have relied on what ABC said but should have called Carson and asked him imo. But I guess that Cruz is content to find out about things through the news like Obama does.
Cruz seems to be following in the campaigning footsteps of Hillary Clinton imo.
Post one verifiable source that shows Cruz saying that Carcon was dropping out, just one. No third party opinions, afterthought, etc, none of that. Prove that you know what you are talking about. Give us fact not opinion.
I can/t believe I/m actually rooting for Karl Rove/s explanation....
Rove, not a Trump fan by any means, explained how the Cruz cheating could have cost Donald the election.
The Cruz Campaign tweeted: Press says Carson is going to take a break...... so tell all the Carson people to campaign with Cruz.
____________________________________________________________
Well let’s use a bit of logic here, we know that Rove is a GOPe stooge, can we agree on that?
We know that Rubio’s people were passing on the same info on the same CNN report, not as efficiently as his campaign org was weaker.
Yet Rove doesn’t mention the Rubio ‘fraud’, wonder why that is?
Today Carson is laying off 40% of hid staff perhaps he is going to fold up his tent very soon now.
Trump is collapsing nationally losing about 30% of his support nationally.
The GOPe realizes all of the above, Cruz has the funding to stay in the game to challenge Rubio their designated candidate all the way through.
They are focused on destroying the conservative with a chance to win.
That is Ted Cruz.
Stop this crap now!
Cruz’ Iowa campaign chief received a message from the Carson campaign that the CNN report was not accurate, that Carson would continue on to NH and SC. This message was received BEFORE the misinformation was transmitted to the Cruz operatives. So they knew beforehand.
But Cruz’ campaign chief went ahead and knowingly lied, and sent misinformation directly to 1500 precinct captains to inform Carson caucus goers that CNN reported Carson would be dropping out and to caucus with the Cruz caucus.
Only 4 Carson caucus voters from each of the 1500 Iowa precincts were needed to put Cruz over the top of Trump. Many also went to Rubio.
Cruz is now making an attempt at damage control spinning it was CNN that is culpable.
I understand the pickle that Ted is in, but the people in his campaign do not appear to be the sort that can uphold the clean guy image that Ted wishes to project.
Are you saying that had Cruz won by more there wouldn’t be an issue? Because people have yet to prove that a single person changed their votes based on this. The CNN report while never saying anything about Carson suspending his campaign did hint very strongly towards it. Now I have heard that Rubio has done the same thing.... but no calls or comments that why if rubio had switched just 17 votes in every precinct why Carson would have beat him. this is the same argument as i heard on here about how if only the Pats had scored one more touchdown per quarter they would have won.
First, maybe the Carson campaign shouldn’t have released the press statement until they had an idea of what the message they were sending would have.
Second, CNN should have done a better job of verifying the info, and maybe stating that the speculation of Carson dropping out was just that speculation. Now finally for the Cruz campaign maybe an argument can be made that they should have verified the validity of the story; however the story was announced just minutes before the polls opened and the doors closed, when it would shortly be too late to do anything about the info if it was correct. Now saying that 4 votes from every precinct was all it took; would it not be foolish to squander the little time you have to convince those voters, to fact check a story being pushed by an organization that is supposed to fact check stories before they air them. If news agencies don’t fact check they get sued, and the Cruz campaign worked from the false assumption that the story was valid. Is it okay to throw an election because all of the available info says one thing, but you have to check it cause it might not be true. Even Fox was saying that the Carson statement along with everything that has gone on had raised eyebrows. Fox just has more journalistic ethics than the MSM when it comes to differentiating facts from speculation...(notice I did not say opinion, because fox has an opinion and slants coverage towards that opinion).
No he did not knowingly lie. The whole story continues to be fed with misinformation......why not drop it since Carsons bowing out and his staff boogied Monday to the Cruz team......which in itslef spoke volumes.
Rove still has a lot of butt hurt over this: http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2015/06/cruz-book-rove-bullied-him-over-bush41-support-and-called-bush-too-old-for-such-judgments.html/
The fake Ben Carson controversy should end here and now
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3392877/posts
The fake Ben Carson controversy should end here and now
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3392877/posts
The timeline shows clearly he (Cruz’ campaign chief) received the correction from the Carson campaign and went ahead with the misinformation not to staff members but directly to 1500 precinct captains.
He can’t run away from that. Sorry but it’s on the record. He saw an opportunity to cheat, and he took it. He’s shown himself to be a scumbag.
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