Ted Cruz Says Donald Trump Is to Blame for Violence at His Rallies

NY Times ^ | 3/11/16 | Matt Flegenheimer

[jimbo123]

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said on Friday that Donald J. Trump bore responsibility for “creating an environment” that encourages violence at his events.

Speaking to reporters at a local Republican dinner outside Chicago, where Mr. Trump had just canceled a rally amid fierce confrontations between his supporters and protesters, Mr. Cruz began by saying that the “protesters who took violence into their own hands” were responsible for the episode.

“But in any campaign, responsibility starts at the top,” Mr. Cruz continued. “And when you have a campaign that disrespects the voters, when you have a campaign that affirmatively encourages violence, when you have a campaign that is facing allegations of physical violence against members of the press, you create an environment that only encourages this sort of nasty discourse.”

Mr. Cruz invoked the protests and violent police run-ins at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and predicted that future skirmishes were likely.

“When the candidate urges supporters to engage in physical violence, to punch people in the face, the predictable consequence of that is that it escalates,” Mr. Cruz said. “And today is unlikely to be the last such instance.”

[TheConservativeBanker]

They aren’t capable of shame. They have been psychologically profiled by the Cruz campaign “big data gurus” (per the Cruz campaign).

[DoodleDawg]

I don’t know what Trump does to prevent this from happening again. He’s always gone for volume at his rallies and they can’t keep the protesters out unless they start screening. After last night every left-wing loonie organization in the country will be trying to out-do Chicago.

[CASchack]

Cruz is finished.

[stockpirate]

You are no doubt a liberal.

First you do not have a right to protest inside a rally to prevent a speaker from speaking.

You do have a right to protest outside as long as you don’t block means of access.

You’re a liberal troll no doubt, thanks for playing

[BigEdLB]

I said “probably”. In the end I will probably hold my nose if Cruz gets the nomination, like the last two times, But Cruz has shown himself to be useless by his remarks last night.

[Haiku Guy]

Trump has left himself vulnerable through his loose talk and advocacy of violence from the podium and in front of the TV cameras.

At some point Trump’s get-out-of-jail-free card must be turned back in. He can’t be saying that sort of thing, because people who really are violent, like these thugs, will sieze on any excuse.

[FreedomGuru]

“But Trump has been doing the same thing.”

Shouldn’t you be on the MoveOn dot org site?
Trump hasn’t organized thousands to block roads, scream and shout at other rallies. There is no reason to protest free speech at political rallies. I wouldn’t ever go to a democrat rally to protest or otherwise.

[Lurkinanloomin]

Really starting to dislike Ted Cruz

[bert]

——I don’t know what Trump does to prevent this from happening again——

Hire pinkerton’s and seal the riff raff mouths with duct tape, restrain them on a bus and carry them several hundred miles to be released on a deserted road with no food or water or cell phones

[grania]

Trump has not encouraged his supporters to be violent. Do you see Trump supporters disrupting First Amendment rights at other candidate's rallies? What Trump has said is that when they hit you, hit back!

Normal US citizens are fed up with Black Lives Matter and La Raza running amuck. How does that end if freedom-loving US citizens lie back and take it?

[bert]

Ok.... probably is acknowledged

[grania]

Are you switching to Trump? Keep in mind that a vote for Kasich is a vote for manipulation of the will of voters.

[JonPreston]

Trump needs to plan his future rallies in rural areas where one can only get there by car.

[Amntn]

BS.

I have watched most of Trump’s rallies and he doe not encourage violence.

He reminds people of the time when protesters, like the ones in Chicago, would not be pampered and catered to. He reminds people what it used to be like before the left took over.

[BigEdLB]

I have been voting since 72. The only time I did not vote Republican was in 1992, when I had a brain fart and voted Perot

[Cvengr]

IMHO, both Cruz and Trump are failing because they are using the type of thinking which has made them worldly successful.

Trump strives to negotiate good deal by a litany of tactics, covered by an adversarial atmosphere of moxie. It is used successfully in many situations.

Unfortunately Cruz has a legitimate point, in that Trump tends to label anybody who doesn't share his moxie as an enemy, including those who might agree with conservative principles.

Cruz, on the other hand, has gained his success by an outstanding skill in debate. He has groomed his thinking to observe a weakness in his opponent and debate the point publicly, pointing out the weakness to his advantage. Unfortunately, his myopic focus on the immediate opponent at hand, is easily misdirected to win a debate, while ignoring the more obvious issues at hand.

His focus to win the debate can be penny wise, but pound foolish. Complex sound arguments, which overlook the obvious.

Which is better for the nation?

[Mad Dawgg]

The Donald gets my vote now.

And if he doesn't get them nomination and Cruz does I vote third party.

Cruz is an asshat. This was blatant opportunism to try and score points. He is forever crossed off my list.

[gogeo]

Invite one up on stage to debate, Ted...