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Boehner Calls Trump His “Buddy” and Cruz “Lucifer in the Flesh”
John Boehner, avatar of the loathed GOP establishment, took the stage at Stanford University Wednesday night to get a few things off his chest:
Much of the discussion — and laughs — focused on Boehner’s views on the current presidential candidates. Segueing into the topic, Kennedy asked Boehner to be frank given that the event was not being broadcasted, and the former Speaker responded in kind. When specifically asked his opinions on Ted Cruz, Boehner made a face, drawing laughter from the crowd.
“Lucifer in the flesh,” the former Speaker said. “I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life.”
Boehner described other Republican candidates as friends. In particular, he said he has played golf with Donald Trump for years and that they were “texting buddies.”
…Later, he added that he had known Clinton for 25 years and finds her to be very accomplished and smart.
So, let’s get this straight: Hillary is accomplished and smart, while Ted Cruz is Beelzebub, Infernal Sovereign of the Netherworld. I shouldn’t be surprised that the former Speaker of the House is Trump’s buddy; not many Orange-Americans have made it so far in political circles.
Boehner for the most part accepted Trump as the presumptive Republican nominee, though he did express his surprise at the candidate’s success. While he did not praise Trump’s policies, the former Speaker did say he would vote for Trump in the general election if he becomes the Republican nominee. He said he would not, however, vote for Cruz.
Fellow establishment gadfly Peter King thought Boehner’s remarks were far too kind:
In an interview with CNN, the New York Republican congressman told Wolf Blitzer he agreed with the former House speaker, who called Cruz “Lucifer in the flesh” on Wednesday night.
“Maybe he gives Lucifer a bad name by comparing him to Ted Cruz,” King said.
Thankfully, there was one Republican elected official who was willing to defend Cruz, anti-establishment Sen. Mike Lee:
Published in General
I see no evidence in his life before this campaign to suggest this.
This paragraph is a perfect description of Trump, substituting “make America Great Again” for “the constitution and role of government.” Cruz demonstrated his knowledge of the Constitution while solicitor general and respect for free markets while at the FTC.
Trump’s history suggests he doesn’t believe any of his current positions.
This is a description of Trump.
Yes. People are picking up on this in him and just cannot put their fingers on it. I think his value system is whatever it takes to make Ted Cruz president. He means it in so far as he will use it get Ted Cruz to where he wants to go.
Unreal. You dismiss Cruz’s entire career and campaign as ruthless self-promotion, while thinking Trump, whose career has been based around building up “Trump” as a brand, is running because he cares about the country. The man who slaps his name on every casino, hotel, steak, vodka, diet pill, and university he can- he’s the guy running for the good of the country. But the guy who memorized the Constitution as a kid? Only in it for himself.
Alright. Not sure if you believe anyone else’s entire life is a lie, but to each their own. Have a good weekend!
Serious question. If having Trump as the Republican nominee is the way to bring the Trump voter into the Republican party- if that is the path back- what happens next? Trump won’t be the candidate forever. Someone else will have to fill that spot eventually. What happens with the Trump voters that are being/would be brought in then? What does the party do at that point?
Isn’t this true about any candidate’s supporters – Trump’s, Rubio’s, Kasich’s, Cruz’s, whoever’s?
The most substantive thing I’ve been able to glean from Trump defenders is that they want higher taxes on imports, they want off-the-cuff stream of consciousness rhetoric to prove your straight talk bona fides, they want a southern border wall, and they want to send five million people across the southern border just to let them return to the U.S. again.
Wow that was fact filled! Judd Greg, who did not run for reelection in 2010 (that would be two years before Cruz was elected to the Senate), left for Goldman Sachs in 2011, the went to go on as CEO of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association – from May of 2013 all the way to December of 2013 (Hmmm, he must have achieved everything he wanted to in that extended amount of time!) -no actual interactions referenced or recounted with the ‘evil’ Ted Cruz? I agree with Larry Kohler and suspect that many of impressions are similar in nature – that is to say B.S.
Trump voters are the ‘path back’ for the Republican party? Path back to what? If supporting a man (with whom you disagree 75% of the time) to become the party leader is justified by believing only he can lead the party to electoral success, then why have a party in the first place? What should the party stand for? Just winning? At any and all cost? Is power the only purpose? If the Republicans win elections by becoming Democrats-light, did they win? Or did the Democrats?
Beautifully put. The only argument for Trump is Hillary Clinton.
Probably not the only argument, but since Trump is the presumptive nominee, a pretty darn good argument. However, presumptive is not absolute. Therefore I have zero issues with those favoring Ted Cruz continuing their enthusiastic support for him right up until the time he has lost. At that point I would hope that most of you realize that Hillary Clinton is a much worse choice, and the only other choice, and therefore all of this “Trump is a Nazi (err..National Socialist) talk will end. I do not believe that Ted Cruz is a liar, that he has spent his life lying, and that the fact a John Boehner or a Judd Gregg doesn’t like him means that I shouldn’t like him. It actually makes me like him even more. If by some miraculous event shaded , no doubt, by some form of political chicanery, Ted Cruz becomes the Republican nominee, I will wholeheartedly support him.
Cruz does send off the creep vibe, which is what most people are picking up on. However, I think we can trust Jay Nordlinger who is a very good friend of Cruz when he states:
But listen: Ted was advancing ideas in which he believes. He was doing that on that campaign, and he has always done it. Seldom have I met someone so devoted to ideas.
…
This is important: Ted was amazingly free of cynicism. What do I mean by that? I mean, he really believed in America, free enterprise, and all that rah-rah stuff. Other people feel the need to roll their eyes a bit. Not Ted.
If I watched television, I might believe that. However, I don’t watch the hate media, because I see how it influences even conservatives who know better.
There are plenty of people with creepy vibes out there, though.
And since Cruz is from Texas, let’s make it a Stetson.
If indeed Cruz is as coldly ambitious as you say (and I’m not saying the man lacks ambition), then he is not nearly so smart as everyone says he is (including those who dislike him). For his calculated efforts do not seem to be winning him the nomination. If he really is willing to do whatever it takes, it would seem he would have tacked leftward some time ago.
Then it’s well past time for them to elaborate. The only substantive complaint I ever hear regards Cruz’s leading role in the government shutdown. That’s simply not enough.
Boehner was in the House. Cruz was in the Senate. How much did Boehner work with Cruz? How much did Peter King work with Cruz?
Cruz reminds me of Nixon, minus the paranoia and the liberalism. They both are/were kind of uncomfortable in their own skin and not well suited to politics. And they both are/were wicked smart.
We could do a hell of a lot worse than a conservative, ethical “Nixon” and we almost certainly will.
And yes, I do consider Cruz to be ethical.