The Cruz Missile Gift to Democrats

[Dot Com]

Back to Ted Cruz. Last week, newspapers around the country ran a picture of him in a closing elevator. You could not escape the self-satisfied expression on his face. He was returning from a hearing in which he had demanded proof that Secretary of Defense-nominee Chuck Hagel had never taken money from North Korea. He had no documentation to back up his demand. Even "Benghazi all the time" Senators McCain and Graham were nonplussed. They will also vote against confirming Hagel, but both understood the public relations disaster of a completely unjustified personal attack on a war hero and former Republican Senator.

Many of us (including some Republican friends who could not say so publicly) hoped the Senate might regain at least some of its collegiality when Jim DeMint retired. DeMint's very conservative replacement, Congressman Tim Scott, has so far adhered to the tradition that a new Senator mainly listens for a while, until he or she figures out how the place operates -- a good strategy when you start at any new organization. But Ted Cruz is DeMint on steroids. He reminds me of that loudmouthed freshman in college who alienated everyone with continuous monologues on his high school victories.

If he wants to retire the trophy for senators who got off to a terrible start, Ted Cruz is already 90 percent there. I'll take the gift for my party, but it's a sad spectacle for the Senate and the country.

From the OP link.

"cruz control". Sen Nelson (D-FL) slammed Cruz for his innuendo & 1/2 truths

Ted Cruz-The Reincarnation Of Joe McCarthy? - Forbes

 

[Old Rocks]

Well, now we have the net, and total assholes like Cruz can be daylighted for all to see.

 

[earlycuyler]

By Ted Kaufman

The people of Texas have sent their very own Cruz missile to the Senate, set to destroy any remaining vestiges of moderate Republicanism and just about certain to alienate Republican-leaning independents everywhere.

What a gift to my side! Except, although I am a lifelong Democrat, I am more importantly an American who believes it is vitally important that we have two strong, viable political parties. So my advice to my Republican friends (and I have many) is heartfelt. I realize what I suggest is a long-shot, but if I were in your shoes I would at least make the effort.

Sit the seven-week old senator down with the congressional leaders in your party. Explain that throwing red meat to his tea party base in Texas also feeds and strengthens the nationwide forces that reelected President Obama. If he spends the next few months doing what he has done since January 3, he will be the proverbial gift that keeps on giving for Democrats into the 2014 mid-term congressional elections. Jim Messina is happily taking notes.

You have been arguing since November about whether your party has a policy or a message problem. The polls seem to put you on the wrong side of a lot of issues, so you can't escape taking a hard look at some policy positions. But let me suggest that Senator Cruz is just the latest, albeit loudest, example of something else. Like too many other Republican members of Congress, he is tone-deaf.

We read that you have been conducting "messaging" seminars for prospective Republican candidates around the country, which seem mainly to consist of listing subjects to avoid when campaigning. Don't pin your hopes on them. Instead, face the reality that, day after day, Senator Cruz and too many others in your party are out there on television and other media becoming the poster children for partisan bickering.

Sure, Democrats are partisan and we bicker too. But the latest polls are significant. First, they indicate that the number one problem the electorate points to in Washington is not lack of action on the deficit or jobs, but -- yes -- partisan bickering in Congress, which Americans believe is standing in the way of job creation and deficit reduction. And they overwhelmingly think that Republicans are guiltier than Democrats. The approve/disapprove numbers are dismal for both parties, but still:

Congressional Democrats 33 percent/59 percent
Congressional Republicans 19 percent/72 percent

Take Congress out of it, and the numbers are not much better for the GOP. Favorable/Unfavorable:

Democratic Party: 47 percent/45 percent
Republican Party 31 percent/60 percent

I have been in politics for over 40 years, and I have never seen numbers like these. Sure, the outrageous statements by Republican Senate candidates like Mourdock and Akin were a problem, but an even bigger problem has been the over-the-top partisanship in recent years from Republican members of Congress like Eric Cantor, Jim DeMint, Rand Paul, and Darrell Issa. Americans have finally figured out that if President Obama came out in support of apple pie, your guys would find a way to denounce him for it.

Continued...

More: Ted Kaufman: The Cruz Missile Gift to Democrats

Love Ted Cruse. So glad he beat Douchehurst.

 

[Dot Com]

I heard his remarks and not only did they come right out of the mccarthy/am radio playbook, he SOUNDED like one of those oxycontin-takin' faux conservatives as well

 

[Lakhota]

Ted Cruz: 'Obama Is The Most Radical President We've Ever Seen'

 

[Lakhota]

This should be fun. I suggest it be refereed by the Special Olympics...

The coming Rand Paul-Ted Cruz brawl - Salon.com

 

[Stephanie]

Ted Cruz: 'Obama Is The Most Radical President We've Ever Seen'

and is this something friggen new, millions of people have been saying this same thing
Don't you have a Palin or Nugent thread to start?

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Aren't pretty much all GOP candidates gifts to Democrats these days?

One day, it will come out that most of the Republicans are working deep undercover for the Dem party.

And, there's no doubt that Brietbart, limbaugh, beck, palin and all of fox are working for the Dems.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Ted Cruz: 'Obama Is The Most Radical President We've Ever Seen'

and is this something friggen new, millions of people have been saying this same thing
Don't you have a Palin or Nugent thread to start?

Oh looky - Here's one of the Dem undercover operatives now.

 

[Dot Com]

Aren't pretty much all GOP candidates gifts to Democrats these days?

One day, it will come out that most of the Republicans are working deep undercover for the Dem party.

And, there's no doubt that Brietbart, limbaugh, beck, palin and all of fox are working for the Dems.

all the zaney things that they do to ensure Democratic electoral wins, it would not surprise me

 

[bripat9643]

For a politician seeking power at any cost, there are few tricks in the handbook more effective than the employment of innuendo, false implication and guilt by association—tricks that were once perfected to devastating effect by Joseph McCarthy, the Wisconsin senator who rose to extraordinary power through his mastery of these dark arts as he led the United States down the path to one of its darkest hours.

Since your claims about McCarthy are a total lie, we can consider the rest of your post in the same light.

 

[Stephanie]

another of the troll threads end like all the others...a liberal circle jerk

 

[Lakhota]

Ted Cruz (L) and Joe McCarthy (R)

Cruz’s Communist comments came in a speech to the Koch-supported group Americans for Prosperity unearthed by The New Yorker‘s Jane Mayer. Mayer attended the speech, and wrote down the text of Cruz’ McCarthyite allegations, which also linked President Obama to the so-called revolutionary Marxists at Harvard:

More: Ted Cruz Claims He Has A List Of Communists Who Have Infiltrated Harvard Law

Senator Ted Cruz, Communists, Harvard Law School, and Joe McCarthy. : The New Yorker

 

[candycorn]

.

Cruz strikes me as the right wing version of Alan Grayson: Smart and effective at times, but a complete narcissistic, absolutist loon who's capable of shooting himself and/or his party in the foot at any given moment. The type that party leaders are understandably wary of.

Precisely the kind of "leader" (cough) we could use less of.

.

Said it once, said it a dozen times, usually a political party has to fight tooth and nail for the moderates. To see the GOP willing to give them up without a battle is heartening to the Democrats, I'm sure. Still, I think 2014 will be good for the GOP and the 2016 General will be good as well.

 

[Lakhota]

Cruz doubles down on commie slur:

Ted Cruz Responds: Harvard Law Really Was Full of Communists : The New Yorker

 

[RosieS]

Like the rightwingers in this thread Ted Cruz is already butthurt:

Ted Cruz: I?m being silenced! - Salon.com

'“A lot of media attention has been focused on the attacks leveled on me and I would encourage all of you if you want to write stories on that great, knock yourself out, but I would ask for every 10 stories you write, attacking me, perhaps write one story on the substance of Chuck Hagel’s record,” suggested Cruz.

That’s good advice. Because if they do, they’ll find no substance to Cruz’s charges in Hagel’s “record,” but a lot of substance to charges that he’s a 21stcentury Joe McCarthy in Cruz’s.'

Regards from Rosie

 

[Stephanie]

Cruz doubles down on commie slur:

Ted Cruz Responds: Harvard Law Really Was Full of Communists : The New Yorker

the commie slur, so you can PROVE there aren't any commies Harvard Law

but it's great to see you left follow your masters(the media, left wing blogs and the Democrat party, they say we must destroy Cruz, and like good little useful tools, you spread as much garbage around about him as you can..