Posted on 01/15/2016 1:41:05 PM PST by Brices Crossroads
Watching the Fox Business News debate last night, in particular Donald Trump's savage rejoinder to Ted Cruz's attack on "New York Values", I was reminded of a debate over twenty five years ago when another young Senator found himself on the receiving end of a similar shiv in the ribs from a more seasoned competitor.
In the 1988 Vice Presidential debate, Senator Dan Quayle was attempting to allay fears that he was too young (41) for the job. He compared his level of experience to that of John F. Kennedy at a similar point in their careers. His opponent, Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen, stood and watched until Quayle finished and then uncorked among the most memorable lines in American political history: "Senator, I knew Jack Kennedy, I served with Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." Quayle stood frozen at his podium, head down as Bentsen slowly and deliberately delivered the line, as if waiting for the blade of the guillotine to drop. When is was over with Quayle could only respond weakly, "That as uncalled for, Senator." Perhaps it was. I certainly thought so. But that single line, perfectly delivered, spelled the end of Dan Quayle as a political figure of consequence.
Fast forward to the debate last night. Ted Cruz set forth his bill of particulars against New York's sins of social liberalism (which actually afflict the entire country in varying degrees) in a rather transparent attempt to pander to the evangelicals in Iowa. When Cruz had finished Trump slowly and deliberately, in hushed tones, painted a picture of New York and New Yorkers as resilient and brave in the aftermath of 9/11. As Bentsen had hearkened back to a martyred President, Trump channeled the New York Fire Fighters and other heroes of September 11. The reaction was so electric that Cruz actually joined the audience in clapping for his opponent. By the time Trump turned to look at him and call him out to his face, Cruz just stood there mute with a sheepish smile on his face, like a beaten puppy. I was embarrassed for him. The optics of the exchange were so devastating for Cruz that it is hard to see how he recovers. The fact that Trump had telegraphed earlier in that day that he intended to allude to 9/11 made it all the more perplexing that Cruz, a reputedly seasoned debater, was unprepared for it and in fact doubled down on his earlier statements, leaving himself wide open to Trump's thrust. While Quayle was caught by surprise, Cruz was hoisted by his own petard.
Finally, pandering on social issues, such as abortion and gay marriage, is standard fare in a GOP primary. GOP candidates have been doing so for well over a quarter of a century. On the the rare occasions when the GOP has won elections in the last 25-30 years, the results for social conservatives have been underwhelming. I must confess that I have been taken in by this pandering more than once, because of my desire to see Roe v. Wade consigned to the ash heap of judicial history. No more. The candidates who shout the loudest and promise the most on this score never get around to the fact that a President's power to affect these issues is severely limited. From now on, it is not who yells the loudest about abortion that will get my vote, but the candidate who, I believe, will fight the hardest and most effectively to get his court appointments confirmed. Donald Trump has said that his favorite Supreme Court Justice is Clarence Thomas, the most conservative Justice on the Court and among the most conservative in history. I have no doubt that Trump would use his powers of persuasion and negotiation, including brass knuckled threats of political retribution against Senators, in order to get his nominations confirmed.
While Ted Cruz is certainly willing to talk about the social issues, at least in Iowa (if not at his fundraisers in Manhattan), I do not believe he would be nearly as effective in nominating conservative judges and, more to the point, getting them confirmed.
I’ll pick Cruz’s conservatism over Trump’s New York liberalism any day. http://www.dailywire.com/news/2651/heres-video-proof-trumps-cynical-phony-new-york-ben-shapiro#.VplLXGBy6RQ.twitter
You, Trump and New York values deserve each other. Good luck.
Oh my.... Butt hurt much??
Ignore the naysayers...they don't get it and never shall, due to their own biases. OTOH, they don't represent the majority of Americans.
Yes, they are and it’s going to hurt them a lot worse...soon.
Cruz needs to double down, in the same fashion Trump did on a variety of his statements. He’s got all the press right now. Make his point and repeat it for about two weeks. There is no doubt that NYC is one of the most liberal places in this country. Pound on it. He should not miss this opportunity.
“Dan Quayle moment”
Wishful thinking.
Wow. Comparing Cruz to Quayle. That’s quite a stretch. Is that desperation flop sweat I’m seeing on your brow?
What Cruz did was a rookie error in what will be a national campaign.
He forgot he was not running in Texas only this time. He had a national audience.
Ted Cruz should have dropped it and moved on last night and he foolishly doubled down on it and was sheepishly speechless after that Trump comment. I like Cruz as President and if not then I’m OK with Trump as President but why Cruz continued on and on about it was baffling. I understood that NY is a cesspool and I wouldn’t dare live there if given a choice but there’s much bigger fish to fry for Cruz and get he mucked it up
The fact that Trump had telegraphed earlier in that day that he intended to allude to 9/11 made it all the more perplexing that Cruz, a reputedly seasoned debater, was unprepared for it and in fact doubled down on his earlier statements, leaving himself wide open to Trump’s thrust. While Quayle was caught by surprise, Cruz was hoisted by his own petard.
The Biggest Rookie Mistake in US Political History.
But thats ok. Cruz will be primed and ready by 2024, when Trump is retiring from office.
DAMN! You just KNOW Cruz has this clip queued up for a TV ad:
TRUMP: It would not disturb me. I mean, hey, I lived in New York City and Manhattan all my life, so my views are a little bit different than if I lived in Iowa, perhaps…
“Cruz needs to double down, in the same fashion Trump did on a variety of his statements. He’s got all the press right now. Make his point and repeat it for about two weeks. There is no doubt that NYC is one of the most liberal places in this country. Pound on it. He should not miss this opportunity.”
I think you’re correct. Right or wrong, this strategy seems calculated on Ted’s part. I think his people saw this week that they’re losing their grip on Iowa, and had to make a risky play based on some push-polling of the “New York Values” message. Not quite a Hail Mary on his part, as he’s in the game, but more like an onside kick when the game is tied and there are 6 minutes left in the 4th quarter.
A lot of Freepers here are now born again NYC culture lovers.
Its amazing how effected people, even conservatives, get when embroiled in a cult of personality.
If Trump runs as Hillary’s VP, I guarantee some Freeper votes are going with him.
This will be interesting to watch play out.
"LIKE"
And there are a lot of ex-pat New Yorkers or children of New Yorkers living in Texas now. So who ever told Ted that this was a "GREAT TACTIC" is a MORON!
Ditto
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