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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
That would be more defensible if Cruz hadn’t gone so far out of his way to defend Trump personally and/or refused to criticize him for his early outrageous comments.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/18/politics/donald-trump-john-mccain-war-hero-ted-cruz/
http://www.businessinsider.com/ted-cruz-donald-trump-immigration-2015-7
Um, no. A guy who is threatening riots and whose friend is threatening visits to delegates’ hotel rooms if he doesn’t get his way? This would be negotiating with terrorists, in effect. It can’t be done.
In addition, all those who got in a slime fight with Trump ended up hurting themselves more than they did Trump. In fact, it seemed to help Trump.
So, even though many here consider it some sort of moral duty to attack Trump every minute of every day, it was prudent and ultimately a successful strategy to stay above that as long as possible. Now that it is just the two of them, Cruz has been forced to fight back on some level, but even now, it seems to help Trump more than it hurts him. His supporters just discount any negatives, ( or just plain love his mastery of mudslinging) and those who don’t support him find it distasteful for his opponents to wallow in the mud with him.
I think early on, Cruz was just following Reagan’s 11th Commandment, even if Trump’s entire campaign was based on trampling all over that rule.
Trump will lose no matter who he picks as running mate but the odious leprous taint of Trump will never leave Cruz if he decides on such a disastrous choice and kill any future prospects.
I will be Never Trump under any circumstances even with Cruz on the ticket. Unlike the 2008 and 2012 Campaigns when I voted for the top of the ticket merely because of the Vice Presidential candidate. I was wrong about 2008.
Unless that’s the deal he and Cruz cut. One term and Cruz gets to run as a sitting VP. He could also give Cruz a veto over key policy.
Trump messaging and Cruz analytics… it could just work.
Look at Cruz’s choice. He is a young man. He can win the nomination by what will be perceived as back door dealing and then lose big time when the Trump voters walk, killing his political career forever.
He can lose to establishment back door dealing and have no future career.
Or, he can run as a VP with the option for Supreme Court, negotiate a veto decision deal with Trump and position himself as either a VP and next in line or a VP candidate who was not responsible for the loss.
Do not assume a second ballot win by ‘influencing delegates’ will not get him crucified in the media. He will be Lawyer Ted the Backroom Dealer.
Now you are just trolling, Stopka. This would be THE most unelectable ticket the GOP could come up with. The con man and the preacher, neither of whom can actually smile – that’s a winner, all right!
Worse then Bush/Kasich
As I said, if that happens, I rip the Cruz sticker off my car and vote third party. I will try to participate in a party that knee-caps the GOP until it excises the malignant cancer of Trump from its midst.
I am late to this thread, but c’mon, Ted Cruz is way too shrewd to attach himself to the coming train wreck that will be the Trump campaign.
Looks like you got going for the bottom of the ticket exactly wrong, every time.
I’m okay with that. Trump is good at building things. I still don’t want him to be the most powerful man in the world.
His refusal to criticize Trump half a year before the first votes are cast is proof of his sympathy for Trump? Cruz can’t like Trump personally without opposing his candidacy for president? I don’t understand the anti-Cruz argument here. He obviously can read a poll, unlike the rest of the candidates, and knew it would be detrimental to his campaign to bash Trump until the field narrowed.
Why would Trump make that deal? Trump is all ego. He will never voluntarily step down after one term, and if he made the deal, no one would trust him to keep it.
Why would Trump give anyone veto over policy. Trump has a great brain and went to great schools. He only listens to himself for advice. He doesn’t need to give anyone veto power.
Building a wall. Where? Does a wall make sense on every inch of the border? My understanding is that Cruz, above all else, wants more manpower at the border even before the construction of a wall. I can imagine parts of the border where from an enforcement perspective or from an environmental perspective that a wall would do more harm than good. Is this really all the Trump-sympathizers have, the wall?
What about Trump/Heidi Cruz? Plot twist.
Because Ted Cruz can read and analyze polling data. Because Ted Cruz understood that attacking Trump half a year before the first contest would be counter-productive to his ability to win in IA and elsewhere. Because Ted knew that when Trump criticized you, the media uncritically repeated Trump’s criticisms like they were reading a press release and asked for the non-Trump candidate to respond. When you are not nationally, or in a primary/caucus state, a known quantity, you cannot let your opponent define you. Running as #NeverTrump rather than @TedCruz allows Trump to define you. Cruz is shrewd, and refused to play that game.
Hmm, no, I don’t see this happening. Right now, it seems like the probability of this is in the single digits, where X<=1% is considered a ‘single digit.’
There are two questions behind this proposal: 1) Could this happen, and 2) should this happen.
A1: I suppose it could happen, but again, 1% chance or less. But that’s because…
A2: I’m firmly in the #NeverTrump camp, and if Trump is that the top of the ticket, you have to ask why Cruz would want the VP slot. If Cruz is serious about conservatism and the policies he’s advocated, then I don’t see him joining with Trump. And that goes double if Cruz wants to maintain his position as a conservative politician. Anyone who runs as Trump’s VP will be joined with him at the hip and will be stuck with that from that point on. Trump is electorally and philosophically toxic. From a practical perspective a politician would only join up with Trump if he knows that Trump will win and be an effective President. So I just don’t see Cruz making that calculation.
Trumps touts that he can make deals. He likes win/win. No way to make a deal with Cruz formal, but Trump could do that informally when it would make his presidency successful. Success is what feeds his ego.
Trump’s pre-2016 political positions are well-publicized. The man is opposed to everything conservatives support, most importantly, the Constitution. I won’t support a GOP nominee directly opposed to free speech, free press, freedom of religion, private property rights. I won’t support a candidate that said in 2000 he supports the right to kill your unborn child in the third trimester. I just won’t do it. Principles matter, but not to Trump.
I will get back to you on this at the end of July, John.
Thank you for putting so well. The fact that this comes from a contributor of Ricochet deeply troubles me. The contributor should try reading Redstate or another conservative blog sometime. Conservatives oppose Trump at all costs.
Cruz is running for president. Cruz is not seeking to be nominated toe the Supreme Court.
Meh.
When you belittle John McCain’s actions while captured and tortured by the Viet Cong, it’s pretty clear what kind of a character you are.
Thought experiment: What if Donald Trump is actually the rational, thoughtful, patriotic man that some tell us that he is? What if his entire campaign is a big rope-a-dope performance? What if he has a long heart-to-heart with Ted Cruz, and reveals all of this?
…
OK, I’m still chewing on that speculation.
Look at that picture though!
He would have to do something to prove it, like leave the race and run against De Blasio for mayor of NYC.
Wouldn’t that be the ultimate irony for the #nevertrump people and all of those whose faith in God has been replaced by faith in Ted? I would be surprised, but only surprised, nothing more.
I don’t disagree with any of what you say, I’m just saying that when the cold and common calculation of which is worse, for the country, for conservatism, and in a general morality sense, Hillary or Trump, saying “It doesn’t matter I won’t vote for either” is something beyond a political calculation. It is a personal vendetta.
Either you have decided that somehow Trump is worse than Hillary, which I can’t accept as true, or you are willing to see the greater of the evils win so that Trump does not.
It’s not that I don’t understand the sentiment, I came very close to a similar decision when Romney was the candidate but ultimately decided I had to get past my anger at the Republican establishment and put the greater good of the country first. I personally can not see any justification for thinking Hillary over Trump puts the good of the country first.
who exactly is THAT? Jeez, what a cheap shot.
TDS:
Redstate is an authority on selling ads and no evidence supporting conservatives opposing Trump at all costs.