Two Claims for Reagan’s Mantle (Ted Cruz and Rand Paul)

The New York Times ^ | March 23, 2014 | Albert R. Hunt

[2ndDivisionVet]

Two newcomers, Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas, are the hottest figures in the dominant conservative wing of the Republican Party. In markedly different ways, they both claim to be the heirs to the party’s contemporary patron saint, Ronald Reagan.

In a short time, these first-term lawmakers have electrified elements of the party’s base and rattled the Senate establishment. The top two Republican leaders in the chamber, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and John Cornyn of Texas, have had to defer to the political popularity of their junior colleagues.

Both are outside the party mainstream, rock stars in selective conservative circles, with an eye on the 2016 presidential nomination and on each other.

They are also profoundly different in style and substance. They reflect a party and movement that are struggling to reshape themselves despite internal contradictions.

In the next presidential race, conservatives are determined to tap one of their own. Perhaps someone else will emerge, but, for now, Mr. Paul, 51, and Mr. Cruz, 43, are the top choices of many conservatives...

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I think a recent book about Reagan’s years at General Electric help understand how his philosophy was developed.

The story is well told in Thomas W. Evans’ book, “The Education of Ronald Reagan.”

[A'elian' nation]

Not exactly “feeling” Paul either. Does anyone know of any politician that always walks like his hands are tied behind him? Does it look weird to you too?

Is it some Little Man Syndrome or something? Is there a Freeper psychologist In at the moment? That body language must say something.

[Hardastarboard]

I was wondering where this corrupt, lying piece of liberal dung ended up after leaving the WSJ. He’s a not particularly talented “B list” liberal who writes anti-conservative screeds (or subtle, misdirecting here’s “what the conservatives ought to do” pieces) with holes in the logic that you can drop a semi truck through sideways.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I remember this dingbat back from when he was on CNN’s The Capital Gang. I think he was there to make the execrable dunce Mark Shields look smart (or was it the other way around ?).

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Ted Cruz has it. Rand Paul does not.

[bigdaddy45]

So would you have the same opinion of Sarah Palin given her endorsement of John McCain in his recent Senate run?

[Hawthorn]

>> Paul is a Senator <<

There oughta be a law that no Senator or ex-Senator could run for or be chosen as POTUS. Senators are bloviators, who are almost always bad managers.

Therefore, no more JFK’s, no more LBJ’s, no more John Edwardses, no more John Kerrys, no more McCains, no more Bob Doles, no more Obamas, no more Nixons, no more Warren Hardings.

(And yes, I’d be willing to give up Goldwater and Truman as part of the bargain.)

[Din Maker]

....they both claim to be the heirs to the party’s contemporary patron saint, Ronald Reagan.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I don’t think Ronald Reagan would have endorsed Mitch McConnell over a Conservative like Matt Bevin. Rand Paul did. In my book Rand Paul has pissed into the wind.

CRUZ IN 2016!

[Din Maker]

If Cruz keeps it up he should have a good chance at the presidency.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
I will incur the wrath of some on here for saying this, but, America is ready for a President with a Hispanic surname.

CRUZ IN 2016!

[Din Maker]

Rand Paul......His endorsement of McConnell was the final straw because it was entirely unnecessary in principle except the principle of campaign money which is all McConnell has to offer as a conduit for K Street corruption. Paul is therefore a sellout

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Someone else has expressed the same sentiments as I have for weeks on here. I don't trust Rand Paul. He showed his true colors when he endorsed Mitch McConnell.

[Bigg Red]

Please! Reagan would never have contempt for “social” issues like Paul has.

***
Amen!
And Paul is an amnesty supporter.

[Bigg Red]

I don’t choose candidates based on their race, ethnicity, or sex. Cruz is my choice because from what I can see he is a courageous conservatives.

However, it would be fun to turn the tables on the Rats and tell them that they oppose him because he is Hispanic.

[Hostage]

Apples and oranges. Palin suffered in 2010 for sticking up for McCain but it was semi-understandable as McCain had brought Palin to the national stage.

But the analogy stops there.

No where and at no time did McConnell ever benefit Paul’s candidacy for Senator, in fact McConnell supported Paul’s Republican opponent, Trey Grayson, in the Kentucky primary in 2010.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/rand-paul-mitch-mcconnell-reelection-glenn-beck-interview

[Flick Lives]

Wrong. His opinion on Paul is the opinion of the vast majority of conservatives on this forum.

Show me the data, si vous s'il vous plaît.

And who are you to judge what is a misuse of the ‘english’ language? That’s English with a capital ‘E’ to you Bucko.

And one might ask... who are you? As to 'Bucko', I remain affectionately yours,

Buckaroo

[ravenwolf]

I will incur the wrath of some on here for saying this, but, America is ready for a President with a Hispanic surname.

CRUZ IN 2016!>>>>>>

I will go along with that and he will have my vote as i believe he really does represent the American people and may use common sense rather than an indoctrinated ideology.

I also agree with Paul about keeping America out of other countries business, but we helped feed the monster until it grew to big for any one to handle so how can we now just ignore it.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Cruz means cross

[bigdaddy45]

So let me get this straight.... Palin gets a pass because she had reason to be loyal to McCain? Even though he’s the RINO of all RINO’s?? Sorry to burst your bubble, but thats crap. If Palin is as courageous and “rogue” as everyone makes her out to be, then she would have had the guts to endorse McCain’s primary opponent. Otherwise, she’s just another party hack defending her friends.

[HiTech RedNeck]

A Cruz/Paul administration might look like the odd couple, but might get the enthusiasm of small-l libertarians as well as more conventional conservatives. The veep does not need to be an exact ditto of the prez. The government has tasked itself with way too much to be able to actually follow through on it, and Paul would be as good as anything to spearhead the task of “right sizing” it.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Well, fault her as you wish for a bad choice, she could have done worse. She made it crystal clear that she was going to help John McCain, and she did. That’s almost infinitely better than being a two faced hypocrite saying the right thing and usually doing the wrong thing.

[Despot of the Delta]

Scott Walker, he’s got the bona fides and liberal skins on the wall