Posted on 01/19/2016 8:53:57 AM PST by Isara
WHITEFIELD, New Hampshire - Ted Cruz challenged Donald Trump directly by name for the first time on the campaign trail - despite his refusal for months to engage in a "cage match" with the GOP frontrunner.
"There are many people that are observing this race nationally [who say it] is coming more and more down to a two-man race between me and Donald Trump," Cruz said. "And we're at the phase in the race where the voters are beginning to look very, very carefully at the records of the candidates."
Cruz has consistently avoided attacking or questioning Trump.
But on Monday night, Cruz willingly highlighted Trump's record, drawing contrasts with him for the first time on the campaign trail.
Cruz rehashed the debate in 2013 over the Senate's comprehensive immigration measure and then asked the crowd of 100 to reflect on Trump's whereabouts during the conservative backlash.
"We were on the verge of losing this fight and 12 million people here illegally being granted amnesty," Cruz said. "And yet, when that fight was being fought, Donald was nowhere to be found."
He then told the voters they have "reason to doubt the credibility" of a candidate who takes these hardline positions only after announcing his candidacy.
Cruz also highlighted TARP, the 2008 bank bailout, as well as the stimulus package passed by Congress in 2009.
"On both of those, I opposed it," Cruz stated. "On both of those, Mr. Trump supported them."
He then squared up an attack on eminent domain, suggesting Trump "supports using government power to seize private people's homes to give them to giant corporations to, say, hypothetically build a casino."
Cruz still says he has "no intention of reciprocating" the "insults" launched by Trump.
"I will continue to sing his praises personally," Cruz added. "But I do think policy difference are fair game."
Earlier Monday, Cruz also noted Trump's past support for universal healthcare coverage.
Where other GOP candidates have faltered and fallen after challenging Trump, Cruz's approach - policy-driven and meticulously-worded - could be an effective disarming of his rival just two weeks before the Iowa caucus.
Rich Kardell, a physician who drove an hour for the event from Gorham with his two sons, arrived to the event wavering between voting for Trump and Cruz. After the event, Kardell's perception had changed.
"Donald has kind of gone both ways and changed his opinion," Kardell said. "Everybody changes their opinion, but it seems that Donald has different reasons for changing his opinion."
Kardell suggested Cruz "addressed Donald appropriately" and led him to question what would "stop [Trump] from changing his line later."
And Steve Jesseman, a campground owner from Lisbon, refused to rule Trump out for his vote after Cruz's Monday night event, but he said he is now "closer to voting for Cruz than when I got here."
"[Cruz] provided the contrasts, but he did it nicely," Jesseman said. "He didn't do it cruelly."
Over the last several days, Trump hurled personal attacks at Cruz, calling the Texas senator "bitter" and "testy" and "nasty."
Aims directly at Trump for the 1st time? Somebody obviously hasn’t been listening to Cruz recently. He’s been spending more time on Trump than on his own positions.
History repeats itself: rabid Paulistas, Obama supporters, .... they refuse any due diligence on their cult leader.
Where was Trump during the 2013 immigration fight? He was writing articles for CNN calling for “leave[ing] borders behind and go for global unity when it comes to financial stability.”
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/22/business/opinion-donald-trump-europe/
Thanks! Good article. Hard to ignore the facts....well, for some of us.
http://www.libertyconservatives.com/ted-cruzs-biggest-flip-flops/
Yep. Cruz is the man. Praising DT. Outlining differences. The truth with a smile.
[Yet, less than 24 hours after he said that, he is starting another fight.]
You must be new here. Ted’s flip-flopping is well documented among the pages of FR.
;-P
Yet, less than 24 hours after he said that, he is starting another fight.
Going after Trump on policy differences is "starting a fight"? No, attacking someone personally, calling them "nasty" and such is starting a fight. Cruz has promised to not attack Trump personally. Highlighting policy differences between you and another candidate is called "campaigning". But then Trumpets think that any opposition to the Donald is close to blasphemy...
From my side it is the Cruz supporters that are acting cultish. I like both Trump and Cruz, but the bitterness of Cruz supporters is turning me off on Cruz. I was a Trump #1 Cruz #2 choice guy. You guys keep this crap up and I will never ever in my life vote for any ticket with Cruz on it.
[He’s not acting like a child and saying nobody likes Trump.]
Sending Fonz pictures is not acting like a child?
"On both of those, I opposed it," Cruz stated. "On both of those, Mr. Trump supported them."
From where? A Texas courtroom? This is no different than Zero claiming that he 'opposed the Iraq war'. From where? The Illinois State Senate?
He didn’t make fun of Trump’s hair and orange face did he? That’s what Cruz means, and what he said. No personal attacks, like Trump is doing. He’s highlighting Trumps many inconsistencies.
[From my side it is the Cruz supporters that are acting cultish. I like both Trump and Cruz, but the bitterness of Cruz supporters is turning me off on Cruz]
You’re not kidding! I was hoping Cruz could get this citizenship mess cleaned up so he could either be Trump’s VP, or could take the mantle should Trump ever bow out.
Now, after watching how he is acting and reading more about his background, I wouldn’t even elect him to shine my shoes.
No. But you just did. Stuff it Snake Handler.
Donald J. Trump, mmm mmm mmm.
You’re more patient than I am. I wouldn’t vote for Cruz for dog catcher at this point. And I was totally in the tank for Cruz until at least the end of the summer.
MAYBE, after he’s gotten a few years older and some life experience under his belt AND actually PROVEN himself beyond some words and picking some unwinnable fights, then I MIGHT be persuaded differently.
The guy is 45 years old and has never had a job outside government/politics. He hasn’t shown me he can convince anyone outside of the already devoted to follow him anywhere. That’s what a leader does and I’m not seeing it.
From my side it is the Trump supporters that are acting cultish. I like both Trump and Cruz, but the bitterness of Trump supporters is turning me off on Trump. I was a Cruz #1 Trump #2 choice guy. You guys keep this crap up and I will never ever in my life vote for any ticket with Trump on it.
Wow. That’s deep and convincing. Did mommy help you with that or did you type that all by yourself?
Thats OK by me. The 27% of new voters will make up for you and then some.
IF he ever gets the nomination, which he won't, but IF he did, I would not waste my vote on him....he's not an American, HE was NOT born of American soil and I am an American, Born on American Soil and have many family members that died and shared blood for the Freedoms of this Country...NO THANK YOU TEDDY BEAR BECK CRUZ!!!
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