Patterico's Pontifications

2/20/2013

Cruz: They Oppose Rubio Because He’s Latino. Patterico: You Bet They Do — And Here’s the Evidence

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 7:25 pm



Democrats?? Doing race-based attacks on Republicans?!?!

Ab-solutely (via Hot Air):

Sen. Ted Cruz says some of the attacks on fellow Republican Sen. Marco Rubio by Democrats are motivated by race. Cruz said today the fact that Rubio is a Republican Latino poses a threat to political adversaries. “I think Democrats and the media are afraid of Marco Rubio because he is a smart, intelligent, conservative Hispanic. And they are looking for any excuse they can to attack him, because that threatens them,” Cruz told reporters during a tour of a Texas gun manufacturing plant north of Austin. “Look, he took a drink of water in a speech. And it dominated the news for days with one network saying it was a career ender.”

Cruz said the criticism of Rubio’s GOP response following last week’s State of the Union was about more than his being a promising young Republican. “It’s not just a promising Republican. I think the Democrats view Marco Rubio as a particular threat because of his background, his life story. I think it they believe it is in their interest to inflict as much damage as possible and blow things wildly out of proportion.”

Cruz is right. And here’s how I know that.

The first year I blogged, 2003, I noted a Wall Street Journal expose of Democrat strategy memos from the time when Democrats were in charge of the Senate Judiciary Committee (as they are again). The link to the WSJ piece is now broken, but you’re in luck, because I quoted the most relevant memo — and the link to my post still works. Here is a quote from a staffer to Dick “Dick” Durbin regarding a scheduled meeting with liberal interest groups. Note well, please, how they refer to Miguel Estrada:

The groups singled out three–Jeffrey Sutton (6th Circuit); Priscilla Owen (5th Circuit); and Caroline [sic] Kuhl (9th Circuit)–as a potential nominee for a contentious hearing early next year, with a [sic] eye to voting him or her down in Committee. They also identified Miguel Estrada (D.C. Circuit) as especially dangerous, because he has a minimal paper trail, he is Latino, and the White House seems to be grooming him for a Supreme Court appointment. They want to hold Estrada off as long as possible.

He’s dangerous, “Dick” Durbin was told, because he is Latino.

You got that?

And, as I am sure you will remember, Miguel Estrada was filibustered when George W. Bush attempted to place him on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, long seen as a launching pad for the Supreme Court. I fought the filibuster of Estrada tooth and nail (keep scrolling), but I am just one blogger, not quite able on my lonesome to stem a national tide of cynical race-based Democrat political maneuvering.

And Estrada withdrew because he could not put his life on hold for years. And Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latino/a on the High Court. And there was much rejoicing.

So, when Democrats denounce Cruz — that awful McCarthyite! — for daring to suggest that Democrats might be targeting Rubio because he’s Latino? When they do that, you look them in the eye, and you say: “Oh yeah? What about Miguel Estrada?!?!”

And when they give you a blank look, like they don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about . . . you read them this post.

UPDATE: Thanks very much to Instapundit for the link.

63 Responses to “Cruz: They Oppose Rubio Because He’s Latino. Patterico: You Bet They Do — And Here’s the Evidence”

  1. You heard me.

    Patterico (9c670f)

  2. Racist

    JD (a603bd)

  3. Sexist, too. Female Republicans are a threat too, and especially Tea Party female Republicans. They even call them witches, which is about as sexist as it gets.

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  4. Lefties hate anyone who dares to wander off the proverbial Democrat Plantation.
    So, if you happen to be Latino, black, Asian, female, gay, or a member of one of the traditional Democrat unions, the Democrats will draw their long knives for you, particularly once you enter into the public arena, and declare your independence from the Democrat Nanny State.

    Senator Marco Rubio drank water from a bottle while giving a speech.
    Senator Ted Kennedy drank whiskey from a flask before driving his car into a body of water, where he left his female companion to drown.

    Guess which of the two aforementioned scenarios elicited mainstream journalists to declare that the Senator’s career may now be over.

    Elephant Stone (6c04e5)

  5. but he’s also telegraphed really loudly that he’s running for president, so of course the propaganda whores on the “his career is over” cnn are gonna try and take him down

    but not with any more fervor than heffalump candy crowley tackled poor mitt romney on that debate stage I don’t think

    even if, it’s nice to have a lightweight like roobs out there as a lightning rod, cause of he provides a bit of cover for your Susana Martinezes and Brian Sandovals

    it’s important to remember that hispanics love love love hillary, and roobs is in no danger of posing a threat to hillary

    all babycakes has to fear is clots really

    happyfeet (acd614)

  6. I am ready for my award Mr. daley

    happyfeet (acd614)

  7. The long knives are out for Rubio and Cruz. I guess liberals hate Cuban-Americans. There is no other explanation. Racist Dems.

    Ag80 (b2c81f)

  8. happyfeet

    have you ever considered switching to bottled water
    how about punctuation or caps

    Elephant Stone (6c04e5)

  9. I was in college when Clarence Thomas was nominated to the Supreme Court. I remember well that liberals reacted in horror that Thomas would take “Thurgood Marshall’s seat” on the court. They couldn’t countenance the idea that a black conservative would replace a black liberal. So yeah, this has been going on for at least a couple of decades.

    JVW (4826a9)

  10. If liberalism were a race or ethnicity (or sexual orientation), that would be the only race or ethnicity that the typical liberal activist would give a damn about. Everything else is merely window dressing to them.

    And if liberalism were a religion, plenty of “progressives” would bow and prostrate themselves before its holy altar in a way that would make a Islamicist green with envy.

    Mark (25e2eb)

  11. i drink bottled water a lot all day and then I mix my DMAA killpowder up in it and glug glug it around 4 or 5 everyday

    it helps me finish my workday strong and with focus Mr. Elephant and that’s a good feeling

    it’s better than a lipotropic even and a lot cheaper

    happyfeet (acd614)

  12. FWIW, I don’t think Rubio will ever be President. Not tough enough, plus other yet undisclosed personal problems. I worry Cruz won’t. Seems too hard edged. Between the two I far prefer Cruz. Smarter and tougher, but probably not wishy washy enough for our crap electorate.

    Patterico (9c670f)

  13. Persona; problems, I don’t see, the really petty will do as Univision did, dragging a 25 year old case, involving his cousin. Nixon was congressman at 33, Senator at 37, VP at 39.

    narciso (3fec35)

  14. Cruz has more honors from Harvard than the current President, so stupid is bad argument for the left. Trying the wing-gunner Joe trope is likely to backfire, too.

    Regardless, happyfeet is. Trying to change the id of happyfeet is ego, in the Freudian sense.

    Ag80 (b2c81f)

  15. Dumb Aggie forget “a.” Sorry.

    Ag80 (b2c81f)

  16. UNCLE TOM JUSTICE

    The party of Lincoln freed the slaves, the other party still enslaves them to this day. Ironically they freely select slavery over freedom.

    In other news Hitler was recently reelected by a vast majority of Jews.

    MSL (5f601f)

  17. “I am ready for my award Mr. daley”

    Mr. Feets – Bless your heart, there is a special place in Heaven for you.

    I’m sure you agree it’s a super duper great idea for conservatives/Republicans to go all moderate on illegal immigration after the last election to pitter pander pander our behinds off because we lost so big time on the Latino vote. Next issue up, pandering for the huge and critically important butt sechs vote. Then on to gun control – Gun Free Zones for everyone. Pass a law, any law. Just do something – NOW. Do not pay attention to jobs, the deficit, entitlements or anything else. Let the media dictate what you react to and everything will be all right.

    Ryan/Palin 2016!

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  18. I’m ignoring immigration cause of there’s lots of other issues and that one I would like to stay neutral on.

    I love guns though. Love em more than mom’s vegetable beef soup where you slip in a pat of butter and drizzle honey on top. Well maybe not that much but close.

    Gay marriage is just so awesome I just think it’s so neat to see society bend like the reed in the storm for to accommodate all of its heretofore not particularly valued members. Bully for you America!

    The media is whores Mr. daley I’ve not a shred of respect for them to where usually if I comment on them I have to heavily revise my commentings before I can hit the button.

    happyfeet (acd614)

  19. Mr. Feets – Don’t forget about the fetus flensings. I know that’s near the top of your listicle.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  20. mom and dad always said people need to have their choices they said what’s a lil pikachu what doesn’t have his choices?

    and I would say by golly you’re right mom and dad we should honor all americans for their right to pursue their happiness in their own way!

    and then mom would put on an Eddie Rabbit cd and make something out of the Southern Living cookbook

    and it was never too very unlikely that cream of mushroom soup was involved

    happyfeet (acd614)

  21. FWIW, I don’t think Rubio will ever be President. […] I worry Cruz won’t.

    Cruz won’t because he was born in Canada.

    Milhouse (15b6fd)

  22. And Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latino/a on the High Court.

    Except she didn’t. Cardozo was there first.

    Milhouse (15b6fd)

  23. They won’t believe you, it is just the rantings of a right-wing nut.
    You must never question the Borg!

    askeptic (2bb434)

  24. Milhouse, you’re kidding re: Cruz, right?

    Pious Agnostic (6ff605)

  25. He’s dangerous, “Dick” Durbin was told, because he is Latino.

    Told by whom? Because
    “He’s dangerous because he is Latino”
    Democrat so and so

    would be a great bumper sticker if I knew who said it.

    Thomass (26536f)

  26. You should use “hispanic” rather than “latino”. The latter is a term invented and used by progressives to forge a race identity around something that is not primarily ethnic: the Spanish language.

    Sterling (5d56f0)

  27. Thomass – the memo was written by an unidentified Dem staffer to the Sen Judiciary Comm.

    JD (b63a52)

  28. Think about how they went after Antonio Gonzales. Destroyed because the administration fired people they had every right to fire. Yet that was a real controversy, supposedly. One he had to go to Congress and testify about.
    Benghazi, drones, fast and furious. No Hispanic Attorney General, no big deal.

    MayBee (28f872)

  29. Alberto Gonzales

    Icy (d08929)

  30. national soros radio went after gonzales relentlessly steve inskeep practically drove him back across the river single-handedly

    happyfeet (acd614)

  31. Thanks icy.

    MayBee (28f872)

  32. Comment by Sterling (5d56f0) — 2/21/2013 @ 7:09 am
    “You should use “hispanic” rather than “latino”. The latter is a term invented and used by progressives to forge a race identity around something that is not primarily ethnic: the Spanish language.”

    I thought hispanic had an equally bogus history. Something about gaming the US census by splitting ‘hispanics’ out of the ‘white’ category to meet some minority quota. Its all from memory; I could be wrong.

    Thomass (26536f)

  33. Regardless, Sonia, is a blithering idiot compared to Estrada, or Cruz, but she believes in the progressive vision,

    narciso (3fec35)

  34. @Thomass – In 2010 the Census changed how they handle this. Here’s the Wikipedia paragraph:

    The 2010 US Census included changes designed to more clearly distinguish Hispanic ethnicity as not being a race. That included adding the sentence: “For this census, Hispanic origins are not races.” Additionally, the Hispanic terms were modified from “Hispanic or Latino” to “Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin”.

    “Latino” is widely used as a racial identity, “hispanic” not so much. The progressives want to cement everyone from Spanish-speaking countries into one faux racial bloc that can be relied on to vote Democrat. So far they’ve been pretty successful at that, but as various *actual* ethnic groups assimilate, their voting preference generally moves toward the mean.

    These progressive tactics are meant to prevent recent immigrants from becoming white or proxy white in their voting, economic and social behavior.

    Sterling (5d56f0)

  35. Gonzales’ problem was that he couldn’t stand the heat. Given our current AG’s relentless politicization of the DoJ, Gonzales’ hiring policies and US attorney reshuffling seems almost quaint. The next Republican AG will have to be of sterner stuff as he fires most of the radicals Holder has put in place.

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  36. Cruz won’t because he was born in Canada.

    He was born abroad of US parents. That makes him a natural-born US citizen, at least according to the laws that were in place in 1970.

    Chuck Bartowski (11fb31)

  37. holder doesn’t backstabbing weasels like Comey, and Fitz, so arming the Sinaloa cartel, isn’t regarded as a problem.

    narciso (3fec35)

  38. BTW, on the “stupid” meme, Cruz is one of “the Elect”, having clerked for Rehnquist (and also Luttig), and argued 9 cases before the Court.

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  39. Cruz was born in Canada to an American mother and a Cuban-refugee father who were working there at the time.

    Now, the Constitution never defines “natural-born citizen”, but according to Wikipedia, the current Congressional definition (2011) is

    The weight of legal and historical authority indicates that the term “natural born” citizen would mean a person who is entitled to U.S. citizenship “by birth” or “at birth”, either by being born “in” the United States and under its jurisdiction, even those born to alien parents; by being born abroad to U.S. citizen-parents; or by being born in other situations meeting legal requirements for U.S. citizenship “at birth”. Such term, however, would not include a person who was not a U.S. citizen by birth or at birth, and who was thus born an “alien” required to go through the legal process of “naturalization” to become a U.S. citizen.

    Given that, he is clearly qualified to be President. In the past, both George Romney and Lowell Weicker have been in similar situations and been thought eligible. Claims were made about both John McCain and Barack Obama (saying they were born in Panama and Kenya) but no one disputes that they had at least one American parent.

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  40. Ted Cruz–whether eligible or not–will never be President because he’s unelectable.

    Amused (ae892e)

  41. Let me guess who “Amused” is … don’t tell me … I can do this …

    SPQR (768505)

  42. not everyone has to be president it’s not like feeding the guinea pig in kindergarten

    happyfeet (4bf7c2)

  43. Next issue up, pandering for the huge and critically important butt sechs vote.

    Something about both the spelling and glibness of “butt sechs” does make me laugh.

    Incidentally, I originally assumed years ago that the HIV/AIDS disease was spread through behavior that was less extreme than the “sechs” phrase points to. IOW, I thought even among the GLBT crowd, that such bizarre male-to-male behavior wasn’t common. The medical research indicates I was wrong.

    BTW, the story of the infamous city of Sodom apparently was based on homosexuality (or bisexuality) becoming rampant among people (mainly the males) of that community. I wasn’t aware of the exact meaning or details of that part of the Bible until rather recently.

    I wonder if my ignorance is similar to that of — unlike me — devotees of (or people raised thoroughly on) Christianity, due to the story of Sodom being surprisingly explicit and even pornographic.

    Mark (cacb40)

  44. I think idolatry, and love of self, really weighed more into god’s judgement as I recall the tale,

    narciso (3fec35)

  45. or god was just running low on salt

    happyfeet (4bf7c2)

  46. It was a little more complicated then the legend suggests;

    Rictor Norton views classical Jewish texts as stressing the cruelty and lack of hospitality of the inhabitants of Sodom to the “stranger”.[28] The Jewish Encyclopedia has information on the importance of hospitality to the Jewish people.[29] The people of Sodom were seen as guilty of many other significant sins. Rabbinic writings affirm that the Sodomites also committed economic crimes, blasphemy and bloodshed.[30] One of the worst was to give money or even gold ingots to beggars, after inscribing their names on them, and then subsequently refusing to sell them food. The unfortunate stranger would end up starving and after his death, the people who gave him the money would reclaim it.

    narciso (3fec35)

  47. I think idolatry, and love of self, really weighed more into god’s judgement as I recall the tale,

    I don’t think so, at least when the heart of the story involves the men of Sodom coming to the front door of Lot’s house and demanding that Lot throw out his two guests (angels disguised as human males) so that they can be sexually molested by the crowd. Again, I wasn’t fully aware of the exact nature of that story until rather recently. Even more so when the story also involves Lot offering to the male mob his 2 daughters as sort of sexual sacrificial lambs, but the crowd demanding the dudes, not the girls.

    The story is so over-the-top it sounds like it can out of the imagination of a gay porno writer, or something that might happen at a street fair in San Francisco. And I’m not being too sarcastic when I say that.

    Mark (cacb40)

  48. The people of Sodom were seen as guilty of many other significant sins.

    But to deduce the overall story pertains largely to (among other things) a disapproval of a lack of hospitality suggests that in light of the story of Lot and the 2 angels (and Lot’s daughters), the logical response has to be: “And other than THAT, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?” (Or: “Mrs Lincoln, I don’t care for the management of Ford’s Theater. They’re not very hospitable!”)

    Mark (cacb40)

  49. 1) Give gold to beggars but not let them buy food with it.
    2) ???
    3) Profit!

    Pious Agnostic (6ff605)

  50. Destroyed because the administration fired people they had every right to fire. Yet that was a real controversy, supposedly. One he had to go to Congress and testify about.
    Benghazi, drones, fast and furious. No Hispanic Attorney General, no big deal.

    Comment by MayBee (28f872)

    That is amazing when you lay it out like that. Amazing.

    Dustin (73fead)

  51. I have books on my shelf about ancient Hebrew culture in the hope that osmosis might impart further light on the OT.

    Other books to differentiate between quotes from the OT found in the NT indicating whether they arose in the Septuagint or from the Torah or otherwise.

    Far better are the midrashes of Messianic Jews like Zola on the NT directly.

    Way down the list, however, I’ve read the Talmud(in translation or with commentary) and its highly uneven Rabbinic speculations on the origins of OT stories. The Talmud, in fact, seems a better source book for the Quran than the OT.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  52. I wish there were an easier way, like we could just trust identity politics and a rapidly moderating Rubio to win an election, but alas, shortcuts never work.

    http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/02/tea-party-and-republican-groups-launch-hispanic-outreach/#more

    Ask the survivors of the Donner party.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  53. 38, 39. Seriously, Cruz is the most gifted person in public life who comes to mind.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  54. 5. Cankles breed clots, but really, what difference could it possibly make?

    Keep the t-PA handy and her script for the day in her ear and projected in those attractive Fresnel lenses and who’s to know?

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  55. Absolution can be extended even to the most profligate sinner among us.

    http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/02/21/Sen-Graham-Release-Drone-Video-Of-Benghazi-Attack-Or-No-Confirmation-For-Brennan

    Of course, that does’t cover future sins. Mark Sanford, fuggedaboutit. No freebies in politics.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  56. Some of what dan Fcriedmaan wrote doesn’t quite add up. If he invented the whole ideaa, why did he send a second e-maail aabout “friends of Hamas”

    If this is satirical, he’s being argumentative.

    Sammy Finkelman (d22d64)

  57. Pravda would be embarassed by the Daily News;

    Only by the photos.

    askeptic (b8ab92)

  58. Give gold to beggars but not let them buy food with it.

    But if you sell them crack, it’s pretty much what happens most places.

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  59. And when they give you a blank look, like they don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about . . . you read them this post.

    WHAT? You mean that, being an irresponsible gun totin’ redneck yahoo I can’t whip out my AR-15 assault rifle, thumb the switch to “full” and start hosing them down with lead for being hypocritical lyin’ varmints, as I should do?

    Dayum!

    Smock Puppet, 10th Dan Snark Master and CRIS Diagnostic Expert (98ae1f)

  60. Someone needs to start pointing out the racism of Democrats. The New York Times is “puzzled” by black Republicans. Only a racist would think this way – all blacks should and do think alike.

    Same with Latinos – after all, the Democrats own those votes, don’t they? Good for Cruz. And I hope he doesn’t back down.

    LHF (1a9ac4)

  61. This wasn’t about a tiny sip of water. This was about a completely awkward moment in which Rubic flipped out, hopped off camera, swigged some water (without breaking eye contact with the camera… off putting), hopped back off camera to set the bottle down, then finished lying to the public. An experienced speaker would have casually picked up the bottle and taken a drink.

    Right_Reddy (05f7c7)

  62. They did this to Bush sr’s EEOC appointment. They wouldn’t let it out of committee even though he had the votes in the full democrat controlled senate.

    Bush threatened to do a recess appointment and the dems & their shills in media went ballistic. Didn’t go ballistic that dems wouldn’t let it out of committee,though.

    Then bill clinton’s EEOC nominee (who went to bat probono as did ginsburg for a black panther who murdered another bp with boiling water) went to the Republican controlled senate floor for a full vote and was defeated. The media and democrats were outraged then billy recessed appointed him throughout his two terms in office and silence from the media and pretend consternation from KKK member robert byrd who was the loudest when Bush sr. proposed using recess appointment for his nominee who happened to be black, btw.

    dems didn’t let the fannie mae legislation out of committee to rein in the subprime mortgages.

    If the Republicans had done this with any legislation or nominee the msm would go into nuclear mode. They could have held up obamacare in committee and should have. Until Republicans play the democrats game they’ll continue to be treated like a 50 cent whore by the dems and their media shills.

    zefal (f88bac)


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