Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Looks like Trump/Cruz 2016 to Me!
I think Ted Cruz has a sense of humor.
I have not observed him meticulously throughout the campaign. Mostly because I just can’t. It’s too excruciating. I can’t listen to his preacher-speak (and, my God, the pauses!) for more than two minutes at a time. But occasionally in some of the quieter on-camera interviews Cruz conveys the image of a man who is able to step away to a distance and appreciate the humor in life. Because, let’s face it, when he signed up for this presidential campaign gig he was not expecting Donald Trump. No one expects … Donald Trump!
But while Jeb Bush sputtered in outrage and Marco Rubio seemed on the verge of tears, Ted Cruz, at some level, seems to find the whole Trump thing amusing. So in spite of the suffocating phoniness of Cruz’ delivery, in those moments when he reflects on the campaign and gives his wry smile at the absurdity of it all, Cruz shines in a way that Albert Camus would appreciate.
And those are the times that I like Ted Cruz the best.
What does that suggest about what Ted Cruz thinks of Donald Trump? Early in the campaign you will remember that Ted and Donald had a pretty intense bromance going. When Cruz organized an anti-Iran rally in DC last summer he asked Donald to attend and explained that where Donald goes, so too go a hundred cameras. “Why would I not invite him?”
Since those days, of course, things have gotten a little testy. The whole Heidi-Melania thing was not pretty. And the “Lyin’ Ted” thing is going to be tough to get past.
But nevertheless, I’m inclined to think that Cruz retains his perspective.
And any reasonable perspective on the situation looks something like this: Trump 1,150, Cruz 850.
So if I am Ted Cruz, I’m thinking: “this Trump guy is really out of control.” But then I’m thinking: “but on policy we agree on just about everything.” And I’m thinking: “together we can turn this Cleveland convention into one giant, anti-establishment love-fest.” And I’m thinking: “Cruz 2024.”
Tell me, my Ricochetti friends, is there any good reason to believe that we do not, now, have our Trump/Cruz 2016 ticket already printed? I realize that if that happens the #NeverTrump people are going to find themselves looking a little holier than the Pope. But honestly that will be good for a chuckle too.
Published in General
I guess that is conceivable. But I don’t think Trump would even want to be VP. (but that’s just a hunch).
Yes, count on it.
Thanks folks, I must have laughed 3 times in 6 comments. I think it would be a great ticket, Laurel and Hardy, a total winner. This is why I have grimaced and sunk with all the pejorative back and forth between the two. Lyin’ Ted hurts, but mocking a man’s wife…hard to get over. BUT while we are on that same subject guys: Who would you like to look at the next four years? Hey I am not running for President.
Melania Trump or Hillary Clinton
That isn’t correct. Nobody wins a landslide election in Texas with a hardline on immigration.
Then I hope for your sake that Cruz doesn’t accept the VP slot. Cognitive dissonance can be such a bummer.
I think it has become clear that the #NeverTrump movement is some sort of anti cult of personality, in that there is NO path where Trump on the ticket is acceptable to them, even in the face of a Hillary/Bernie presidency.
It is past political opposition, and in to personal vendetta territory.
I don’t support Trump, but to me this level of refusal to weigh the options signifies something far beyond political calculation. And sadly, it signals to me that despite the Democrats having the worst, most beatable candidates in my lifetime, unless we can push Cruz over the top before the convention, we will be living with Democrat Socialism for at least another 4 years.
But at least the #neverTrumps will have satisfied their vitriol. And, as a bonus, the do nothing Republican establishment will be in tatters. So, I pin my hopes for our constitutional republic not perishing from the earth on those of us who still believe being able to build a new conservative party on the ashes of the Republican ruins.
I have not voted for a Democrat for President since 1972 when I was in college, before I started to pay taxes.
If there were a Trump/Cruz ticket, or even a Cruz/Trump ticket, I would vote for Hillary or Bernie.
Trump is a cancer on the Republican Party which must be excised and destroyed. Anyone who endorses Trump is dead to me, and that includes Chris Christie, Scott Brown, and now sadly Rudy Giuliani. If Cruz runs with Trump, he would also be dead to me.
How does Cruz at the bottom of the ticket assuage people’s concerns about Trump at the top of the ticket?
What I see from the comments so far is that if Cruz accepted the VP slot, people would lose respect for Cruz.
I can see Cruz endorse Trump especially if the math works out the way its described above. He would do it in exchange from a public pledge that Trump would name him as the replacement for Scalia on the supreme court. He would do it as part of an announcement from Trump at the convention to name him. It could allow trump to consolidate as described.
But Cruz as VP that would be stupid. The only reason Cruz would do that, is because he thinks Trump would be impeached and he would become Pres as a result.
A however I think the Delegate math will be much closer. More like 1000 delegates for Cruz minimum. The results being a Cruz/Kasich ticket with Rubio as sec of state. That would give about 13-1400 delegates for Cruz. Easily crushing Trump.
Personally I would never be able to be the VP of a Person who called me Lyin’Dave the entire campaign. “censored” (by me) that guy.
I join you in not knowing. That was one reason I was poking around the Internet–I was trying to find out if he had anything in mind in terms of deregulation, which is a primary issue for me.
I saw somewhere that he will be issuing some serious policy statements in the next couple of weeks. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
His appeal when he started running was the absence of canned rehearsed speeches. He has probably by now, having gotten himself into a million positions where he had to backtrack something he said off the cuff, realizing why politicians do that. :)
I’m a diehard Romney supporter. Romney cut four hundred lawyers off the Massachusetts payroll one week, saying the state didn’t need that many lawyers on retainer. :) Bill Weld, another governor I liked, once proposed just terminating the Registery of Motor Vehicles. Just eliminate it. He never did it, but I have always loved the thought of it. :)
I’m not in Trump’s camp or Cruz’s camp. There are things I like about both of them, and there are things that alarm me about both of them. :)
I’m beginning to warm to this modern-day Jacksonian/anti-Federalist ticket.
Categorize! Eye candy on this side. Presidential material on that side. It’s not difficult.
I liked #39, but need to qualify that the only office I want to see Kasich hold has padded walls.
The Republican Party is shooting at our feet this year. We’ll get the dance step eventually. :)
I don’t see that either.
But Cruz sitting in on the Senate in Biden’s chair every day? That I can see. :)
This would be true at first. But I think having him in the VP slot, creating a strong ticket that would send Hillary Clinton packing, would have great appeal. After a while, when the electorate sees reforms happening in Washington that they desperately want to see, they would warm up to Cruz as VP if it came to that. Especially since I think Trump would be a one-term president.
I also like #39 but I wonder why you would oppose Kasich on the ticket if that would make a positive difference in Ohio and Pennsylvania. I mean the VP is about as close to padded walls as you are going to get for someone adjudged yet sane. No one will hear what he has to say.
So why did Cruz spend months making nice with Trump before the latter brought up the natural-born citizenship thing?
There’s nothing funny about it.
Might as well have called this post “Hillary 2016.”
Really dumb.
Is there something in your water? This alternate reality you seem to exist in Mr. Stopa bears no resemblance to the world I see. There is virtually no claim or assessment in your post that comports with the real world to me.
I was pondering that question yesterday in response to another thread. Ultimately, I think Cruz largely thought the anger that Trump generated would ultimately benefit Cruz as the only electable anti-establishment candidate. I don’t want to debate here whether Cruz is electable, but I think it’s safe to say that Cruz is confident he is electable. I think Cruz thought, like everyone else, thought Trump would implode and be around in April, much less leading in delegates.
VP means he has a snowball’s chance in heck of being President. I think Kasich is several factors more dangerous to the republic than Trump on his worst day.
If this happens not only will I not vote for it, I will support any primary challenge to remove Cruz from the Senate should they lose the general.
If Trump is a one-term President, it is because Trump will have been a disastrous President, destroying any chance Cruz has at succeeding him.
This assumes he is capable of self-reflection. I’ve seen no evidence of that.
Bucky Boz:
You said, betcha can’t name even one issue where Cruz has echoed Trump.
0n foreign guest workers, TPP, amnesty, and the border wall,,Cruz has very recently switched positions.
Last summer, nobody I think, including Cruz thought Trump was going to be a serious contender.
I think it was smart at the time to not alienate Trump or his supporters.
He is going to build the wall, and hire Donald to do it. There’s one for openers
What color is the sky in your world?
If Reagan can pick a Bush, anything can happen. Lombardi rules.
Also, Trump really had yet to reveal his true colors to quite the extent he has since then.