So, what do think Ted Cruz's "Big Announcement" is going to be?

[TroutMan]

Here’s my wild conspiracy theory: the choice of Fiorina and announcing it now came from the Republican establishment, not Cruz. With his unpopularity, Cruz has an uphill fight to beat Trump even in the open convention scenario. So the RNC convinced him to select Fiorina now, and then if Trump isn’t chosen in the first round at the convention, Cruz gracefully bows out and promotes her as the candidate instead. Having her as the VP now gets her name out there for a few months before the convention, and (slightly) weakens arguments that any candidate has to have already been in the running. She was the choice because the RNC sees her as the most viable candidate to oppose Hillary. Cruz is going along with this because he has been promised some quid pro quo for taking one for the team.

Of course, this would suggest more strategy and cohesiveness than I think the Republicans currently possess. And it’s ridiculous. But still…

[Sam_Lowry]

@running_coach

So Fiorina is playing the “Woman Card”?

I don’t know if I’d say that, but it’s a part of it. Here’s an article from when she was running for president:

From the get go, Fiorina cast herself as Clinton’s foil rather than her own person. Her launch video showed Fiorina watching, and mocking, Clinton’s presidential launch. Fiorina capitalized on the fact that she was better positioned to criticize Clinton on a host of issues without coming off as sexist. Her biggest applause line on the campaign trail was: “In your heart of hearts you cannot wait to see me debate Hillary Clinton.”

<snip>

In her last debate, Fiorina opened with a plea to female voters about how she, as a woman, would better represent them—a full 180 from her initial reluctance to play the “gender card.”

<snip>

And her appeal to get on the debate stage in New Hampshire over other also-ran rivals such as former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore is purely because she is a woman. But playing directly to women has done less for her than refusing to play to them: her support remains negligible.

When Clinton was accused of playing the “woman card”, she had the great response of “Well, if fighting for women’s health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in.” I don’t know of anything like that that Fiorina could say. I’m guessing something about how she fights Planned Parenthood and protects women and babies from them.

[That_Don_Guy]

@TroutMan

Here’s my wild conspiracy theory: the choice of Fiorina and announcing it now came from the Republican establishment, not Cruz. With his unpopularity, Cruz has an uphill fight to beat Trump even in the open convention scenario. So the RNC convinced him to select Fiorina now, and then if Trump isn’t chosen in the first round at the convention, Cruz gracefully bows out and promotes her as the candidate instead.

Or maybe, they think that Fiorina, the former CEO of HP, could give Cruz a boost in California, especially in the northern districts that are strongly Democratic anyway; every district Cruz wins is three fewer delegates Trump gets on the first ballot.

[67java89]

@TroutMan

Here’s my wild conspiracy theory: the choice of Fiorina and announcing it now came from the Republican establishment, not Cruz. With his unpopularity, Cruz has an uphill fight to beat Trump even in the open convention scenario. So the RNC convinced him to select Fiorina now, and then if Trump isn’t chosen in the first round at the convention, Cruz gracefully bows out and promotes her as the candidate instead. Having her as the VP now gets her name out there for a few months before the convention, and (slightly) weakens arguments that any candidate has to have already been in the running. She was the choice because the RNC sees her as the most viable candidate to oppose Hillary. Cruz is going along with this because he has been promised some quid pro quo for taking one for the team.

Of course, this would suggest more strategy and cohesiveness than I think the Republicans currently possess. And it’s ridiculous. But still…

Not a bad theory except Cruz will never bow out gracefully from anything. In some ways he’s as big a narcissist as Trump.

[Omar_Little]

Cruz / Ferraro 2016

Got a nice ring to it.

[elucidator]

Not a “ring” so much as a “knell”.

[Count_Blucher]

@Johnny_Ace

Is it me, or does Fiorina look like one of those characters out of Team America: World Police?

You got me. I could have SWORN that she was a Wesen. Maybe with a Grimm on her tail that the Secret Service will save her from.

@elucidator

Not a “ring” so much as a “knell”.

“I’ll Save You, Knell…!” - Teddly Do-right

[Saint_Cad]

@Johnny_Ace

Is it me, or does Fiorina look like one of those characters out of Team America: World Police?

Now you have me picturing them using the campaign theme song America - Fuck Yeah! Wouldn’t surprise me if they actually used it.

[Voyager]

@MandaJo

Picking a VP at this point in the process is so desperate that it has to be motivated primarily because you think it will attract primary votes–so demographics are a plausible guess.

In dating terms, Cruz is like a guy arriving at his first date with flowers and a marriage proposal. I think people are noticing.