Posted on 03/04/2016 1:33:29 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
In theory, Ted Cruz's best states are behind him. But at the Detroit debate, Cruz was clearly the class of the field and it's clear that no one should count him out as the delegate race moves into its next phase.
The delegate math is complicated, but the basic gist goes something like this: Donald Trump has a commanding lead at the moment, but it is not a given that he will reach the 1,237 threshold he needs to clinch a majority. Simply put, Trump has failed to break through the ceiling of support he's held since New Hampshire even as the field has consolidated. While he will be helped by winner-take-all states, where he can sweep full slates of delegates even with his plurality, he may be hurt by closed-primary states, where only Republicans vote. So his path is more challenging than it appears.
Cruz's path is more challenging still. But tonight's strong performance can only help Cruz--both with voters and with the party regulars who would play a big role in deciding the nominee should there be a brokered convention.
What Cruz did at the debate was make three parallel cases:
1.) Trump is a fraud who can't be trusted to keep his word.
2.) Trump is not either conservative or Republican in any meaningful way.
3.) Trump actually is the corruption that he decries.
He advanced these arguments not one at a time, but by interweaving them with specific attacks:
* He positively crushed Trump on the use of foreign labor at Mar-a-Lago. He didn't just bring up the fact that hundreds of applicants applied for these jobs but that Trump prefers to hire foreigners instead, but included Trump's line from the last post-debate interview where he claimed that these were jobs American workers couldn't and wouldn't do.
* He thoroughly prosecuted Trump on the question of Trump's off-the-record New York Times interview, which Trump steadfastly refuses to release.
* At the end of the segment on Trump University--where Trump's best defense was telling voters that they should "wait a few years" to see whether or not he committed fraud, Cruz flashed in with a rapier: "Megyn, let me ask the voters at home, is this the debate you want playing out in the general election?" It was brutal.
* When Trump went to his poll numbers--as he always does--Cruz was ready. Trump touted a terrible CNN poll showing him at 49 percent support. Cruz waited for Trump to double down and defend the integrity of the poll. And then he noted that this same poll also showed Trump losing to Clinton and Cruz beating her.
* When the Second Amendment came up, Trump made a gauzy statement of general support. Cruz then dropped the hammer:
It is easy for political candidates to have rhetoric and say, "I support the Second Amendment." But you cannot say that and at the same time say what Donald just said, which is that on the question of Supreme Court nominees he wants to compromise and reach a middle ground with Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer. That's what he said in the last debate. . . . And I would point out, Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer are both Democrats that Mr. Trump has written checks to repeatedly. Any justice that those two sign off on is going to be a left-wing judicial activist who will undermine religious liberty, and we are one vote away from the Heller decision being overturned, which would effectively erase the Second Amendment from the Bill of Rights. Amendment rights, but when you say you'd compromise with Harry Reid, you put that in jeopardy.
* Cruz's most devastating line was probably this summation:
I understand the folks who are supporting Donald right now. You're angry. You're angry at Washington, and he uses angry rhetoric. But for 40 years, Donald has been part of the corruption in Washington that you're angry about. And you're not going to stop the corruption in Washington by supporting someone who has supported liberal Democrats for four decades, from Jimmy Carter to John Kerry to Hillary Clinton. You're not going to stop the corruption and the cronyism by supporting someone who has used government power for private gain.
Political history shows that debates don't change anyone's minds, they simply solidify the opinions of the those who watch them.
Actually, Kasich was the adult but none of us will vote for him.
Well said. There is recognition on both the Left and Right that the parties have co-opted the system. They've been serving up candidates the elites want. Candidates controlled by the elites; all while dividing the country.
No, just waiting for people to get tired of and hoarse from the screaming so it quiets down enough to be heard.
Keep your powder dry, and aim small.
True, very true.
“Do you get the impression Trump is a blank canvas onto which his followers project their own desires?”
Not really.
But doesn’t that sound so intellectual, so profound, so insightful?
“Do you get the impression Trump is a blank canvas onto which his followers project their own desires?”
Not really.
But doesn’t that sound so intellectual, so profound, so insightful?
Why does @tedcruz keeping lying about @realDonaldTrump supporting Carter when Trump was on the Reagan 80 finance committee?— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) March 4, 2016
.@marcorubio & @tedcruz are smarmy establishment liars. Funded by billionaire puppet masters. #FOXDebate— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) March 4, 2016
Former @GeorgeHWBush WH counsel Boyden Gray joins Cruz national finance team.— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 3, 2016
Jonathan V. Last didn’t watch the same debate that I did.
LOL!
Yes, a lot like the 0bama phenomenon of 2008.
But if Trump had done it he would have been coronated King of America on the spot, right?
I love the dancing ted
And compared to the rest of the field, he is SO righteous.
Righteos on ted!
umm...he’s already won more general elections than the bloviating boor has.
Put down the kool-aid...life’s sweeter without it.
I'm 100% for Trump. He did what he had to do to WAKE UP voters. Establishment voices sure were silent when all the maneuvers to keep Trump from even running, then from even getting in the first debate, were occurring.
What happens if the nomination is stolen from Trump? Mitt and the Backstabbers will declare victory and say people have voted and shown they want business as usual. Just like they did after the nomination was stolen for Cochran.
My take...Cruz is a horrible debator and he's very fake and insincere when he goes off on one of his spiels. He's a combination of HS Debate and the Senior play. Of the three wannabees, it's Kasich who showed knowledge, temperament, and perspective. And I don't particularly like Kasich, 'cuz he did his Ohio thing by starving local budgets. Trump/Kasich? Sure. Different skill stets, very different backstories, temperments that could work together. Trust Kasich to make policy....no way.
Cruz did perform well. Maybe he gained a few votes from Carson-Kasich-Rubio.
Trump held his own. He didnt gain; but didnt lose votes either.
Mar 15 starts winner take all. If Trump is high man at 39% in those states, he gets 100% of the delegates. Of course, if Cruz, Rubio, Kasich is high man then that person gets 100% of the delegates. If the current trend continues Trump will be high man in most of those winner take all states.
Take IL as an example. Can you imagine GOPe Edgar, Fahner, etal coalescing around their mortal enemies, the Cruz delegates? The GOPe thing is not just a DC cartel thing. Each state has its own small closed country club. They cannot imagine associating with the neanderthal Cruz types. The last time it was tried it could not last 3 days with Jack Ryan.
Yeah, I know. That was a crude and childish response on my partBut still far more classy than the typical Trump or Trumpster response.
Gist:And notice how carefully the Trumpeters are avoiding the actual issues, and instead using personal insults and diversion tactics.
Bull crap!! I voted for Cruz for Senator but will vote for Trump for President this November. I voted for Trump in the Texas Primary.
This also allows me to give the middle finger to the ruling elite.
GOPe spin/propaganda machine is off to the races this morning.
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