I saw this interview. Newt is right. It would have been smarter for Trump just to say that he thought it was a beautiful photo of his wife. It would have made Cruz ( or his PAC) look stupid for trying to start something in Utah where Cruz was way ahead anyway.
The logic of it all seems so simple that it makes you wonder who is advising Trump? Only that fat bastard I keep seeing on CNN?
I think this would have been true if it was just a comment.
When the picture is circulated as an attack ad and in fliers handed out at the campaign office there needs to be a more significant blowback to Cruz to reign in his PAC by disavowing the ad and setting the tone for his campaign.
Wrong. The photo was likely purchased months ago and being saved for the ‘ripe moment.’
The Cruz Mistress Crises -#theThing was heavily rumored to be released. So Cruz’s team sent out the Trump photo as a preemptive strike to soften the blowback for Cruz. The bonus was mocking the outrage and being able to blame Trump for retaliatory treatment.
And, there’s proof on the celebrity gossip blogs. The first challenge to find a cheating POTUS candidate was in August 2015. Another challenge was issued (but reworded more specific) in December 2015. Hundreds of comments or tips were sent in to their sleuths. And POTUS was solved to be Cruz 12/15, BTW. Only difference is the mistress was supposed to be a lobbyist. So maybe there’s another guy, yet to be outed. Or maybe a mistress yet to be uncovered.
Team Cruz likely received a 48 hour notice from the Enquirer. That is how they dealt with Sarah Palin’s daughter and Levi Johnson. They informed both families and Sarah was forced to disclose Bristol’s condition. But they did give her the courtesy of the “heads-up.”
Yes, a great photo would have been preferable.
But I think Trump also knew where this attack was coming from and wanted to send a message it wouldn’t be tolerated. Right strategy? Who knows? The Morning Consult and McLaughlin polls are both up (both at 45-46%), the Reuters, with an odd sample of only 120 (about 20% of what they usually do) is down.
So far, Trump has seemed to know exactly what works best.
This may be why Newt isn’t more closely involved in the campaign-—he and Donald don’t see eye to eye on strategy.