# Ted Cruz Presidential campaign discussion thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 23, 2015, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774 "2015-03-23T14:47:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/81 "2015-03-24T20:53:59Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > There’s nothing crazy about Cruz. He’s a very smart guy who has found his niche in politics. Bet he had better grades at Harvard than Obama. :rolleyes: Not Even Grover Norquist agrees with that. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/02/grover-norquist-ted-cruz-pushed-house-republicans-into-traffic-and-wandered-away/](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/02/grover-norquist-ted-cruz-pushed-house-republicans-into-traffic-and-wandered-away/) > [@](#): > > The only confusion that comes out is that Cruz stood on the side and confused people about the fact that every Republican agrees. He said if you don’t agree with my tactic and with the specific structure of my idea, you’re bad. He said if the House would simply pass the bill with defunding he would force the Senate to act. He would lead this grass-roots movement that would get Democrats to change their mind. So the House passed it, it went to the Senate, and Ted Cruz said, oh, we don’t have the votes over here. And I can’t find the e-mails or ads targeting Democrats to support it. Cruz said he would deliver the votes and he didn’t deliver any Democratic votes. He pushed House Republicans into traffic and wandered away. > > So then the House said, breaking completely with Cruz because Cruz thinks if you’re not defunding the whole thing it’s treason, that there’s delay. There’s getting rid of medical device taxes. They’ve done a series of things to hold together Republicans and break with Cruz. But because we started with the Cruz approach this got to the shutdown. Harvard actually looks bad for not preparing Cruz properly. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/82 "2015-03-24T20:55:23Z")
What makes Cruz wrong is his tactics. There’s nothing wrong with his mental state. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/83 "2015-03-24T20:56:26Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > And an apology makes the record less relevant? Has she shown any sign of actually learning anything? By recognizing the mistake of Iraq, then yes, she has. > [@](#): > > Was Libya smart? I think it was. Possibly. No Americans were killed – at the very least it was nigh-infinitely less dumb than Iraq. > [@](#): > > She was the main voice pushing for the bombing. And guess who in the Senate agreed with the Libya action, putting aside partisanship? Yep, John McCain and Lindsey Graham. Guess who are some of the biggest “Benghazi” cheerleader-liars? McCain and Graham. “Putting aside partisanship” my ass. > [@](#): > > If Hillary Clinton is elected, Graham and McCain will be much more influential than they are now. If you wanted to marginalize them, electing Ted Cruz is a sure way to do it. Clinton, not so much. Not a chance. Hillary would remember all the fake bullshit Benghazi crap, and there’s no way she listens to Graham and McCain after that. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/84 "2015-03-24T20:57:30Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > What makes Cruz wrong is his tactics. There’s nothing wrong with his mental state. He’s a Christianist fanatic. The world is not on fire. There’s something wrong with his brain. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/85 "2015-03-24T21:10:48Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I guess I will worry when he wins a primary or two. If his campaign actually lasts long enough, that is. > > Regards, > Shodan I will cheer if he wins a primary or two. The longer he’s in the race, the more fun it will be. The man is a laugh riot. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/86 "2015-03-24T21:13:06Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > There’s nothing crazy about Cruz. He’s a very smart guy who has found his niche in politics. Bet he had better grades at Harvard than Obama. Smart and crazy are not mutually exclusive. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/87 "2015-03-24T21:25:36Z")
And now, even though he says he wants to eliminate it, [Cruz is going on Obamacare.](http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/24/politics/ted-cruz-obamacare/)😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/88 "2015-03-24T21:28:54Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Smart and crazy are not mutually exclusive. [He seems to believe in several conspiracy theories](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/03/23/3637462/five-conspiracy-theories-ted-cruz-actually-believes/), or at least pretends to believe in them for sake of politics. I’m not sure which would be worse. This theories include that Communists infiltrated Harvard Law School and that George Soros leads a global conspiracy to abolish the game of golf. I don’t know if he’s sincerely crazy, or if he is just trying to appeal to the craziest on the right, but either way, he’s not advocating sane positions. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/89 "2015-03-24T21:45:43Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > What makes Cruz wrong is his tactics. There’s nothing wrong with his mental state. What makes Cruz wrong is his (purported) world-view. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/90 "2015-03-24T21:51:45Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Lindsey Graham has a long history of working well with the other side. Christie too. Oh yeah. If Christie doesn’t get the endorsement of a Democratic mayor he deliberately risks the lives of its citizens by causing massive traffic jams. It that’s working with the other side, I’d hate to see obstruction. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/91 "2015-03-24T21:59:18Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I put this guy in the Trump category. I don’t think he’s serious about being president, but is more interested in the attention and fame that comes along with a run. Maybe he’s one rung higher than The Donald, but he’s still much closer to Trump than he is to, say, Scott Walker or John Kasich. No, the difference is that Trump has no intention of actually running – he comes around every four years like some kind of weird comet and does this self-aggrandizing publicity stunt, then disappears back into the shadows along with the dead woodchuck that he inexplicably always wears on his head. I think the name of the act is “just how stupid and gullible can people be?” Whereas Ted Cruz is actually running, and might be deranged enough to believe that he has an actual non-zero chance, or at least hopes to poison the political dialog. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > There’s something wrong with his brain. > [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Smart and crazy are not mutually exclusive. Yes, both those things are true about Cruz. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/92 "2015-03-24T22:07:19Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > And now Ted Cruz will be shopping for some Obamacare since his wife is on leave from her executive position at Goldman Sachs for his campaign and she has been providing their healthcare (through her employer). > > [Ted Cruz Plans To Sign Up For Obamacare After Losing Blue-Chip Health Plan - TPM – Talking Points Memo](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ted-cruz-to-sign-up-obamacare-insurance) The Ted has health coverage through the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/93 "2015-03-24T22:18:03Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The Ted has health coverage through the Senate. And he will shop for one of 300 or so plans on the Federal Exchange like they all do now since the ACA took effect for them. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/94 "2015-03-24T22:35:36Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And now, even though he says he wants to eliminate it, [Cruz is going on Obamacare.](http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/24/politics/ted-cruz-obamacare/)😉 Hours or minutes before he walks that back? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/95 "2015-03-25T02:30:24Z")
Man, the Cruz 2016 domain names just keep getting better and better. Check it out: [www.tedcruzforamerica.com](http://www.tedcruzforamerica.com) ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/96 "2015-03-25T04:29:26Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > What makes Cruz wrong is his tactics. There’s nothing wrong with his mental state. Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results. And that is what Cruz is doing by first denying his responsibility with the shut down and wanting more to this day. > **[Ted Cruz's shutdown amnesia: Who's to blame for the 2013 shutdown? Everyone...](https://www.salon.com/2015/03/24/ted_cruzs_shutdown_amnesia_whos_to_blame_for_the_2013_shutdown_everyone_but_ted_cruz/)** > > Wingnut's constantly evolving history of government shutdown he caused casts an intriguing villain: everyone else > [@](#): > > This answer is interesting because Cruz’s verdict on the shutdown has gone through several different revisions as the months have worn on, though each one invariably casts Ted Cruz as the hero. > > Way back in the summer of 2013, as the government funding deadline approached, Cruz tried to rally Republicans behind his shutdown plan. “If we can actually get Republicans to stand up and fight,” Cruz said in July, “I believe we can win this fight.” The way he described it, victory – meaning the defunding of Obamacare – was essential, given that they wouldn’t get another shot at it. “No major entitlement, once it has been implemented, has ever been unwound,” he said at the time. “If we don’t do it now, in all likelihood we never will.” > > By that standard, Cruz failed. So he did the only logical thing: he shifted the goalposts and blamed someone else. In December 2013 he was interviewed on ABC News and was asked, in hindsight, if the shutdown was a mistake. Cruz gamely argued that it was actually President Obama and the Democrats who bore responsibility. “I think it was absolutely a mistake for President Obama and Harry Reid to force a government shutdown,” he said. “Repeatedly Republicans were compromising, trying to find a middle ground and repeatedly Democrats said, no compromise, shut it down.” Remember, Cruz’s position before this was the maximalist goal of eliminating Obamacare, not “trying to find a middle ground.” (Also, Ted Cruz got elected by promising to never, ever compromise on anything, so… hah.) > > A few months later, Cruz thought better of that argument and argued that the shutdown – which, again, failed to achieve what Cruz had intended – was a political success for Republicans. As the midterm elections approached he was taking credit for having “elevated the national debate” with the shutdown, “and now, the misguided healthcare law is more unpopular than ever.” > > That brings us to last night’s Hannity, and Cruz’s argument that the shutdown would have worked if only the rest of the GOP and the Washington elites had been willing to stand on righteous principle with Ted Cruz and the people. (So much for Republicans “trying to find a middle ground.”) As Dave Weigel points out, Cruz just recently allowed that his biggest mistake in the shutdown fight was his inability to win those selfsame elites over to his cause. > > At this point it’s near-impossible to keep track of who Cruz blames (or credits) for the failure (or success) of the government shutdown. The only person who is blameless, according to Ted Cruz, is Ted Cruz. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/97 "2015-03-25T14:54:23Z")
I have to admit, Cruz had some good lines at the Gridiron. My favorite: “Canadians are so polite, mild-mannered, modest, unassuming, open-minded. Thank God my family fled that oppressive influence before it could change me.” From here: [http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2014/03/09/kerry-cruz-and-crist-poke-fun-at-gridiron-dinner/](http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2014/03/09/kerry-cruz-and-crist-poke-fun-at-gridiron-dinner/) ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/98 "2015-03-25T14:58:49Z")
Don’t underestimate Cruz. He’s smart and politically skilled. His problem is that he’s in it for Ted Cruz, not the Republican Party. The party can burn for all he cares as long as Ted Cruz gets to be in the White House. The GOP has made electoral gains in SPITE of Cruz’s shenanigans, not because of them. But I have no doubt that he’ll outperform prognosticators expectations. Cruz is a formidable political talent. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/99 "2015-03-25T22:56:52Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Cruz isn’t the Texas senator I wanted to see run for the presidency. [Like John Cornyn is any better?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cornyn#Political_positions) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774/100 "2015-03-25T22:59:43Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > No, the difference is that Trump has no intention of actually running – he comes around every four years like some kind of weird comet and does this self-aggrandizing publicity stunt, then disappears back into the shadows along with the dead woodchuck that he inexplicably always wears on his head. I think the name of the act is “just how stupid and gullible can people be?” Non-pol pols like Ross Perot and The Donald exist only to make people appreciate, for a change, professional pols. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-discussion-thread/715774.md?page=6)