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."
Cruz: “’I will continue to sing his praises personally,’ Cruz added. “But I do think policy difference are fair game’.”
This is what each of the candidates should do. Tell us how you differ from the other candidates.
That makes me cringe.
I just wish the nastiness between Trump and Cruz would stop. Cruz would be heroic if he would state he was withdrawing from the race, as continuing to run would divide the vote...maybe even cause a brokered convention. And he should throw his backing to Donald Trump, because he is the only nominee who could win it at this point, and the Repubs need to win! Trump should then magnanimously give Cruz a top position in his administration, demand the issue be settled once and for all in the courts, and then Cruz is young enough to run again down the road depending upon the decision of the courts. Cruz may also find a more sympathetic Supreme Court a few years down the road with some new appointments.
Sorry, Cruz is speaking on the issues. Certainly you have a problem with that, right?
So you don’t care that Trump is a NY liberal who supports abortion, homosexual marriage, gun control, universal healthcare, amnesty for 11 million illegals, the Clintons and their foundation, DeBlasio, the DNC, is tied to Soros by accepting his money, back-stabs conservatives, and will say anything to please a gullible crowd?
Jesus drew big crowds, too
at least Mr Trump isn’t bought and paid-for back Goldman Sachs, like cruz is
Tsk Tsk.... Cruz just dropped a little IMHO again. Keep it up.
It really doesn’t matter what Cruz says because using an originalist interpretation of the constitution he is no eligible to be president. So what’s the point?
If you are going to be all about original intent you can’t pick and choose when you will be.
Yours is a low info comment.
About 0.013% of Cruz PAC money is from GS.
So then you're for the guy who doesn't even know what "originalist intent" means.
what about the $1 million loan Mrs Cruz took from GS to support cruz’s 2012 senate campaign?
Good luck “Surging Ted” because NOTHING else is working you are falling behind in all polls.
The last couple of weeks have been “weak”
(Donald says this, Ted says that).
A policy debate is what is in order, and appropriate.
Both men can show there current positions.
Both men can then point out the inconsistencies over their opponents past positions on said current positions.
This is normal, and helpful.
(Birthter, Canandian, Nasty, Dictator, New York values, Blah, Blah, Blah)
Time to articulate how and why (and, even when) they are different from one another, on policy alone.
“Donald Trump has lined up three New York hedge funds, including money from billionaire GEORGE SOROS, to invest $160 million in his Chicago skyscraper, a key piece in perhaps the largest construction financing in the city’s history, according to real estate sources and public documents.” Chicago Tribune 1/18/16
Let’s see, a loan from Goldman Sachs vs an investment accepted from Soros.
I see your concern.
So you then must be very concerned about George Soros' 160 million dollar financing of Trump's Chicago Tower.
Not to mention all of Trump's other loans.
Tired of explaining facts to people who don’t care about facts.
Vote Trump, it will be great giving amnesty to 11m illegals.
Yep, Cruz flip flops again.
Cruz—Saint
Trump—Satan
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