Schumer is never to be trusted. Even now, perhaps especially now, that he has "come out against" the president's plan for selling out the U.S.A....
But I shouldn't open with a digression. So let's get back to Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. Cruz first.
I cannot begin to tell you how much I admire this guy. Among other things in his bio, I admire the fact that he clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Which tells me that Senator Cruz has had an in-depth insider's view of "how the sausage is made" at the Supreme Court. (Potentially valuable information in the right hands.)
What I most admire is Cruz's steadfast, principled, faithful commitment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that he is the last, best hope for a restoration of the original distribution of powers, clearly envisioned by the Framers, as between the federal government and the sovereign states. Washington nowadays is nothing but an insatiable maw, feeding its lust for tyrannical, illegitimate power by systematically engulfing the sovereign powers — the retained powers — of the several states that ratified the Constitution. And this at an alarming rate. I imagine Senator Cruz finds this situation alarming, too. And I believe he's got the chutzpah to call the depredations of corrupt government to justice.
What worries me, dear marron, about Cruz's candidacy is that I don't see his appeal among/to woman voters as very high at this time.
This is not to say that the "woman's vote" is a "bloc" phenomenon. There are women out there who are sane, rational, historically literate who uphold and defend the Constitution as the indispensable foundation of a rule of law, not of men, which alone can guarantee a system of individual liberty under equal justice. How large a segment of the female voting population out there who actually cares about such considerations at this time, heaven only knows.
I do notice that political messages directed to the "woman's vote" are basically emotional appeals. I also notice that emotional appeals test better with females than males.
Be that as it may, it might be helpful if Cruz could reveal something "warm and fuzzy" about himself. Otherwise, I fear potential female voters might regard him as "too aggressive, too hard-hearted, too uncaring about the downtrodden," etc., etc., and be totally "turned-off."
Assuredly, the Hillary campaign with try to manipulate this situation to their advantage. (Assuming Hillary is the candidate, and right now I doubt we can say that is assured.)
WRT Marco Rubio: Your referred to his "unfortunate walk on the wild side with Schumer." I just chalk this up to his "youth and inexperience." :^)
Looking ahead, further down range, Rubio could benefit from 8-year's seasoning as Veep — assuming the presidential candidate can win the general election against whomever the Dems stand up.
I had a nightmare recently: That Julian Castro (current mayor of Los Angeles) would somehow, miraculously find himself the nominee of the Democrat party. Noise has already been raised that he is a serious candidate for Hillary's Veep spot.
Were Castro to succeed, that would assure President Obama has a hard-core left progressive defender and protecter of the so-called "Obama Legacy."
This is serious business folks. I hope that most of America isn't sleep-walking through it all.
Thank you so much, dear marron, for your kind — tongue in cheek! — words. You bring a smile from me, ear to ear!
Well, the latest poll after the debates makes some things pretty clear.
1) Despite their efforts, they did not lay a hand on Trump.
2) The people who absolutely benefited most from the main debate were Cruz and Carson. And well they should have. Theirs were the most principled and constitutionally oriented (IMHO) comments and disposition on that stage.
Now, it is also clear that Fiorina also benefited from her performance in the earlier debate. I think she has wasted that in the mean time amongst conservatives with several of her comments (ie. on immigration and about Megyn Kelly).
Anyhow, I believe that Trump’s presence continues to be a benefit to the overall process, and that those candidates who are astute, know how to position themselves an continue to articulate the clear conservative, constitutional message...without joining in the attack Trump mentality that the media, the DNC/Libs and the establishment Republicans have gotten into.
Donald Trump, 23 percent (up 1 point)
Ted Cruz, 13 percent (up 7 points)
Ben Carson, 11 percent (up 3 points)
Carly Fiorina, 8 percent (up 6 points)
Marco Rubio, 8 percent (no change)
Jeb Bush, 7 percent (down 3 points)
Scott Walker, 7 percent (down 3 points)
Mike Huckabee, 5 percent (up 1 point)
Rand Paul, 5 percent (down 1 point)
Rick Perry, 2 percent (no change)
John Kasich, 2 percent (down 1 point)
Lindsey Graham, 1 percent (no change)
Bobby Jindal, 1 percent (no change)
Chris Christie, 1 percent (down 2 points)
George Pataki, 0 percent (no change)
Rick Santorum, 0 percent (down 1 point)