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George W. Bush Attacks Ted Cruz. Advantage to Ted Cruz.
Red State ^ | October 19th, 2015 | Erick Erickson

Posted on 10/20/2015 6:19:50 AM PDT by Isara

“I am not aware of George W. Bush criticizing Barack Obama as intensely as he has criticized his Republican Senator in Texas.”

I continue to think Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is on trajectory to be the next President of the United States in a nomination fight against Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and George W. Bush may have just handed the whole race to Cruz.

Multiple people have told the Politico that at a fundraiser in Colorado for Jeb Bush, President George W. Bush lit into Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). Cruz could not have paid for such a sterling moment for his campaign.

A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows that more Republicans, upwards of 40%, say they would never, ever vote for Jeb Bush for President, which is more than those who say that about Donald Trump. Along comes the former President in a season of “we’ve already had two Bushes” to promote his brother by bashing Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) as “opportunistic” and self-interested.

The GOP is still wrestling with immigration reforms started by the Bush administration, TARP, the GM bailout, John Roberts, and more. Conservatives have grown more and more hostile toward Jeb Bush and his brother’s legacy. So it does not help George W. Bush to give a back-handed endorsement to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) as the antithesis of Bush Republicanism.

What’s more, in the continuing scenario where I see Cruz vs. Rubio as the logical outcome of this, Bush also dinged Rubio, but not nearly has hard as he slammed Cruz.

More troubling, I am not aware of George W. Bush criticizing Barack Obama as intensely as he has criticized his Republican Senator in Texas.

What President Bush is doing is signaling that he thinks Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is the major threat to the Republican Establishment and the candidate the Establishment fears the most. In a election year where the outsiders are beating the insiders, this will only help Cruz. In the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll — the same one showing strong anti-Jeb sentiment — Cruz had made no gains over last month. I expect this news will help him tremendously.

I also think this is another data point in why Jeb Bush walking away from the race would profoundly shake up the race in ways no other candidate leaving would.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) could not pay money for this kind of publicity in this kind of election year.

As an aside, it is a really damning indictment on the maturity of those in the room who showed up to help Jeb Bush that they’d run off to the press and mouth off about what a former President said behind closed doors while being completely oblivious to the fact that it would actually help Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

The Republican Party simply does not understand its voters any more.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bushrepublicanism; cruz; establishment; georgewbush; jebbush; tcruz; tedcruz; texas
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FYI
1 posted on 10/20/2015 6:19:50 AM PDT by Isara
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To: Isara

The more the GOPe hates Cruz. The more I like him.


2 posted on 10/20/2015 6:22:30 AM PDT by cableguymn (We need a redneck in the white house....)
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To: Isara

YEAH RAH, Old Eric is a Bush lover. He is also a doofus hypocrite.


3 posted on 10/20/2015 6:23:12 AM PDT by dforest
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To: 2nd Amendment; 2ndDivisionVet; alstewartfan; altura; aposiopetic; AUTiger83; arderkrag; anymouse; ..
TC FR photo Ted-Cruz-Ping-Donate_FR.jpg
4 posted on 10/20/2015 6:24:11 AM PDT by erod (Chicago Conservative | Cruz or Lose!)
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To: Isara

Its interesting that they all try to attach Cruz to Trump but can anybody think of another candidate Cruz has directly attacked?

He said he wasn’t going to beat up on the other candidates and has held firm to it. What it does is make other candidates appear petty and small when they attack him.


5 posted on 10/20/2015 6:27:07 AM PDT by cripplecreek (Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.)
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To: Isara

In 3-6 months I look to Cruz and Trump standing together to bring down the uniparty.


6 posted on 10/20/2015 6:27:11 AM PDT by Louis Foxwell (This is a wake up call. Join the Sultan Knish ping list.)
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To: Isara
The Bushes have a visceral hatred for people who resemble Ronald Reagan, although they tend to disguise it until the truth is forced out of them.

They also have a severe un-understanding for what "sovereignty of the people" really means.

That is why they misread the cues we give them.

And, that is why Jeb Bush should not be president.

7 posted on 10/20/2015 6:27:21 AM PDT by Slyfox (Will no one rid us of this meddlesome president?)
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To: cripplecreek

Another way of looking at it is that Cruz is doing exactly what GWB did - not fighting back and we all complained for 8 years about this. So, maybe, it’s time Cruz fought back a little - I don’t think Mr. Nice Guy can win like this.


8 posted on 10/20/2015 6:29:36 AM PDT by Catsrus ( I callz 'em as I seez 'em.)
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To: Isara

Interesting analysis from Rush’s favorite GOP-e analyst.


9 posted on 10/20/2015 6:31:36 AM PDT by TBP (Obama lies, Granny dies.)
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To: cripplecreek

A person with principles, like Cruz, stands out in a world of agendas and phonies.


10 posted on 10/20/2015 6:31:50 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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To: Slyfox
And, that is why Jeb Bush should not be president.

He never will be, no matter how hard the GOPe RINOs push. He's the 'glass jaw' guy this time around: if (God forbid) he's the nominee, even Bernie Sanders could beat him in the general.

11 posted on 10/20/2015 6:33:10 AM PDT by bassmaner (Hey commies: I am a' white male, and I am guilty of NOTHING! Sell your 'white guilt' elsewhere.)
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To: Isara

I think there needs to be a movement that follows all of Jeb’s campaign stops and greets him with “GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!”

It shouldn’t be too hard to do, if you consider the size of the crowds Trump is generating and add Carson’s and Cruz’s people to that. The one thing we can all agree on is no more Bushes!


12 posted on 10/20/2015 6:33:56 AM PDT by To Hell With Poverty (All freedom must be transported in bottles of 3 oz or less. - Freeper relictele)
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To: Isara

So what did W say about the bernie sanders and hillary?


13 posted on 10/20/2015 6:35:30 AM PDT by GregoTX (Calling Illegal Aliens "immigrants" is like calling burglars "house residents")
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To: Catsrus

“Catsrus”? Come on George W., you can come up with a better name.


14 posted on 10/20/2015 6:36:12 AM PDT by LZ_Bayonet ( I AM THE TEA PARTY LEADER !)
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To: Isara

Interesting that he attacks Cruz and not Trump.

What does this mean?

I believe that it means that the GOP donors are looking to quit donating to Jeb and start donating to possibly Cruz (not possible they will donate to Trump, who doesn’t even want their donations).


15 posted on 10/20/2015 6:39:14 AM PDT by samtheman (2014: Voters elect Repubs to congress... 2015: Repubs defund NOTHING... 2016: Trump/(Cruz or Palin))
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To: Isara
Ted Cruz - 2016!
16 posted on 10/20/2015 6:39:25 AM PDT by Tau Food (Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.)
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To: Isara

GOPe establishment slime!


17 posted on 10/20/2015 6:44:22 AM PDT by Lopeover (2016 Election is about allegiance to the United States)
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To: Catsrus
Another way of looking at it is that Cruz is doing exactly what GWB did - not fighting back and we all complained for 8 years about this. So, maybe, it’s time Cruz fought back a little - I don’t think Mr. Nice Guy can win like this

Ummmmm..No.
No one has attacked Obama more effectively or consistently.than Ted Cruz. Ted Cruz is just.pulling.his.punches in.attacking .fellow GOP candidates for.now.

18 posted on 10/20/2015 6:53:05 AM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: Catsrus
Another way of looking at it is that Cruz is doing exactly what GWB did - not fighting back and we all complained for 8 years about this.

I don't think you are paying attention. Cruz has been quite willing to attack - the difference is who he chooses to attack. While Trump and most of the other candidates choose to attack the other Republican candidates, Cruz attacks the Dems and the GOP Washington establishment. Ted is smart and disciplined, and unlike Jeb, he doesn't let what other people are saying get him off message.

19 posted on 10/20/2015 6:53:51 AM PDT by CA Conservative (Texan by birth, Californian by circumstance)
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To: cripplecreek

20 posted on 10/20/2015 6:54:16 AM PDT by Isara
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