Ted Cruz leads a prayer with 14,000 cheering evangelicals in S.C.

Washington Post ^ | February 12 at 8:00 PM | Philip Rucker

[SoConPubbie]

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Many of the Republican presidential candidates descended Friday on Greenville ahead of Saturday's CBS debate.

But only one was savvy enough to get himself enlisted as the opening act of a throbbing, trembling Christian rock concert that packed 14,000 evangelicals into a downtown arena on Friday night.

So here came Ted Cruz, striding onto the catwalk of a stage, beaming under the spotlight, leading the crowd in prayer, asking them to unite behind him in next Saturday's primary election, and jumping up like a basketball player high-fiving fans as he walked into the locker rooms in the bowels of the arena.

"Welcome to Winter Jam -- and to God be the glory," the Texas senator said.

Winter Jam is a touring, four-hour show featuring born-again Christian rock and rap artists. It performed at Greenville's Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Friday night.

Ted Cruz about to address 14,000 (!) pumped up evangelicals in Greenville. Opening act of Christian arena concert pic.twitter.com/SYBIPCVdtz

- Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) February 12, 2016

For any Republican politician, this was a captive and prized audience. Evangelical Christians are an especially influential voting block in South Carolina, especially in the Greenville area, known as the Upcountry.

Cruz gave about six minutes of remarks and prayer at the start of the concert. He thanked the crowd "for standing unapologetically with Jesus, for confessing your faith with love."

Cruz talked about religious liberty being "under assault," but said that across the country "people are waking up."

"Our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values," Cruz said. "Those values of life and marriage are under assault, religious liberty is under assault, and yet the American people are rising up."

Cruz did not attack any rivals, nor did he make an overt political pitch. But he cast himself as a champion of social conservative principles,

[WVKayaker]

Watch this FAuxNews segment from last night and tell me what you think after watching. I am a solid Trump supporter that started as a Teddy Bare!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1pNEm4zYxE

[tumblindice]

Welcome to the jungle, noob.

[The Unknown Republican]

I am taking names, and I will be throwing it back in every single one of their faces once Trump proves to be the charlatan he is. Trump supporters are selling Conservatism down the drain.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Also... I think of how Samson (powered by the Holy Spirit!) slew 1000 men with the... jawbone of a donkey.

God’s funning us, and we’re afraid to laugh.

Take Trump for what he is. He’s a Caesar man. God never wanted us to pretend America was a church when it wasn’t.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Will you eat crow for us?

[The Unknown Republican]

I am not the one being fooled.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Will you eat crow for us when you prove to be the one being fooled?

[Kit cat]

What changed your mind about Cruz???

[sruleoflaw]

No, you are right our government is not a church, but if you are at all familiar with the writings and views of our Founders you would know and be aware that our Founders always thought that our people would elect to the presidency the men of the highest, most noble and best character.

Oh, I’ve gotten a kick out of Trump, shaming the Democrats, the media and the GOP-E, but to look at him — a man of the lowest moral character — as a president, calling Fiorna ugly, Cruz someone who looks like a jerk and Ben Carson as someone who resembles a child molester (and shame on Carson for playing footsies with Trump and playing around his own stupidity in Iowa). It is beyond the pale to even consider him for president.

I saw what happened in California with Arnold and the people who help elect Trump will rue the day they supported this man-child.

[Elyse]

Ok, I watched the chairman of the SC GOP and a guy who worked for Huckabee put down Ted Cruz and cheerlead for Trump. I don’t know what the purpose of watching that was, other than losing at least 5 good minutes of my life that I’ll never get back again. You must be easily swayed from your convictions.

[WVKayaker]

Ok, I watched the chairman of the SC GOP and a guy who worked for Huckabee put down Ted Cruz and cheerlead for Trump.

Smart guys! They are not fooled by the phony, smarmy lawyer from Canada! They see the future! Teddy Bare can't win!

[VerySadAmerican]

You gave me a new tagline.

[The Unknown Republican]

I do not know Ted Cruz personally, but I have very close and dear family friends that have known Ted Cruz for years. They have consistently spoken highly of his character and assure me that he is the real deal. I trust them more than I trust Donald Trump, who has shown a chameleon like propensity to change his positions for political expediency. But to answer the question: Yes, I have the capacity to think objectively and see clearly if my elected leaders are selling us down the river. I of course will “eat crow” if Cruz were to be elected and subsequently shown to be a fraud. But from what I plainly see, that danger is most clearly present with Trump.

[WVKayaker]

What changed your mind about Cruz???

When I first started studying the candidates, I saw a man who had been involved in a lot of court cases supporting Texas. He made some good strokes and stood before the SCOTUS. But, then he started his campaign, and the "Real Ted Cruz" showed up.

He does not have executive experience. That is one of the big things that draws me to Trump. He DID build that thing. Did he play the game of donating to all sides. Absolutely. He is a winner.

Our side needs a winner. We do not need another lawyer. Trump has warts. Cruz has warts. Trump can win... and the crowds the are coming to see him aren't doing it because they want to stand outside in the heat or cold. They want to hear a positive message of real "hope and change". We need somebody to lead our country back from the brink!

Voe Trump!

[VerySadAmerican]

So she’s condemned for life? What about redemption? Has she repented? Don’t judge. @SkyNews @DanRiehl @tedcruz

If I was a twit I’d retweet that. It’s the first thing I thought when I heard he had cancelled the ad and blamed the casting agency. Cruz should keep the ad and offer to pray with her.

[Twink]

I do not know Donald Trump personally but I have very close and dear family friends that...

See how that goes?

[HiTech RedNeck]

Will you “eat crow” in a Trump presidency that proves to show he lived up to what he said, which was to make DEALS with the willing?

Even if they ended up going to liberals in some cases because the conservatives just folded their arms and pouted?

[The Unknown Republican]

Your point is fallacious. What direct link do you have to Trump that is more concrete than my link to Cruz?

So me how Trump has been consistently a conservative for the past two years; that’s right, you can’t.

[TerrisFriend]

These trumpbots who are demeaning Senator Cruz on every thread will NOT succeed. They are snakes coming out of the walls of FR—evil and loathsome. They know that Donald Trump could not lead 14,000 Christians in sincere prayer and Christian testimony. In response they are lashing out wildly at true Christianity and God’s Son, Jesus Christ by hating one of His children, Ted Cruz. Again, they will not succeed!

[HiTech RedNeck]

An excellent chance to show he cared about more than superficials.

Who knows where the lady is now? Nobody has asked her.

One wonders if Ted would have been embarrassed at having Mary Magdelene in a campaign ad.