Posted on 05/01/2015 3:05:31 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Prominent voices in conservative media have already begun deciding on favorites in the Republican presidential primary.
Most of the candidates and potential candidates have received at least some praise from influential voices in the right-leaning news media, but since the start of 2015, there have been clear signs of who is warming up to who.
After Sen. Marco Rubio announced his candidacy in mid-April, the Wall Street Journal editorial board, representing the corporate pro-immigration wing of the GOP, sang the Florida freshman's praises in ways unfelt by others in the field.
"The senator … has the rhetorical gifts to make a compelling case for himself," the Journal said. "His message is aspirational, and he offers a generational contrast with [Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton]." The Journal has also spoken kindly of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, but said he too often seems "diffident" about a presidential campaign.
So far only three higher-profile candidates have formally declared their campaigns — Rubio as well as his fellow Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas.
The editorial board at National Review, the flagship publication of modern conservatism, seems fond of the outspoken Cruz.
"This publication is a longstanding fan of his, dating back before he was the long-shot conservative candidate facing down Texas's political establishment in 2012," National Review's ed board wrote in late March. "He has an impressive intellect and a flair for rhetoric and debate."
Like the Journal, columnist and commentator Charles Krauthammer is a fan of Rubio, calling him "Kennedy-esque."
But like many conservatives, Krauthammer seems most deeply stirred by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who like Bush is widely expected to enter the race at or near the front of the roster.
"[Walker] has the attributes you'd want for this kind of race," Krathammer said in February. "He has appeal to the Tea Party. He has appeal to the more establishment Republicans. We're not talking about a senator, we're not talking about somebody who makes speeches. He's been a governor."
Rush Limbaugh, who with more than 13 million weekly listeners still commands the largest talk radio audience in the United States, has had some criticism for Bush. Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, a former Reagan speech writer, doesn't really care for Cruz. But neither appears to have settled on a particular candidate in what is expected to be a very large and diverse field.
"They're all gonna have their own individual consultants, fine and dandy," Limbaugh said in early April. "But I want to be the overall total campaign consultant with just one piece of advice: Never forget the enemy. The opponent is Hillary Clinton, and take as much time as every opportunity as you can to expose her, to educate the people of this country who she is, who her husband is and what would be bad if she were to win, how it'd be a continuation of more of the same that we've had for the past six and a half years."
Similarly, Noonan said around the same time that there is a "good deep bench" of "estimable contenders" on the GOP side. "A handful of them — Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Rubio, maybe [Louisiana Gov.] Bobby Jindal—are first-rate debaters, sharp advancers of a thought and a direction."
I have no use for any pundit who isn’t 100% behind Cruz. I can see why they’d be close right now, but once things get going there will be no excuse for not coalescing around the only conservative in the race.
What conservative media?
The Wall Street Journal is not.
Charles Krauthammer is not.
Rubio is not.
Krauthammer’s man-crush on Rubio is embarrassing to witness.
[What conservative media?]
Too bad we don’t have Free Republic Television.
That was so well said it needs to be said again..
“I have no use for any pundit who isn’t 100% behind Cruz. I can see why they’d be close right now, but once things get going there will be no excuse for not coalescing around the only conservative in the race.”
AND AGAIN: “I have no use for any pundit who isn’t 100% behind Cruz. I can see why they’d be close right now, but once things get going there will be no excuse for not coalescing around the only conservative in the race.”
~~Cruz OR LOSE~~
Ted Cruz 2016!
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