Patterico's Pontifications

3/24/2016

Ted Cruz To Donald Trump: You’re A Sniveling Coward, Leave Heidi The Hell Alone

Filed under: General — Dana @ 1:23 pm



[guest post by Dana]

(*Pre-emptive strike, because it’s necessary: It was Liz Mair who created the digital ad that was released by her anti-Trump super-PAC. Ted Cruz had nothing to do with it: “That ad was completely inappropriate, and we had nothing to do with it.”)

Gotta love Cruz’s quick and brilliant response to the journalist’s attempted “gotcha” question…

Here is the full-length video:

–Dana

366 Responses to “Ted Cruz To Donald Trump: You’re A Sniveling Coward, Leave Heidi The Hell Alone”

  1. Hello.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 1:23 pm

  2. Awesome. Cruz 100% right to do this.

    Patterico (22ba8e) — 3/24/2016 @ 1:29 pm

  3. Liz Mair sure didn’t add any value to this process huh

    she’s a pooper if you ask me

    happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/24/2016 @ 1:42 pm

  4. Cruz was absolutely right to do this – he had to – but he really comes across as synthetic, as acting.

    Sure, the candidates ARE acting to a large degree. But he just doesn’t look natural, authentic.

    I’m not sure this will change any Trump supporters but it may win over those who left Rubio and lean (for some reason) towards Trump.

    In any case, the convention is going to be a helluva show. In every sense of the word.

    SteveMG (d69a9d) — 3/24/2016 @ 1:43 pm

  5. Sticking to surface appraisals, he’s a little better put together today. Good for him because he’s got to be.

    SarahW (67599f) — 3/24/2016 @ 1:44 pm

  6. I agree he seems a little forced, expecially the opening outrage; but the “I will beat him” line was good.

    SarahW (67599f) — 3/24/2016 @ 1:45 pm

  7. SteveMG,

    It’s interesting you felt that way about Cruz, because I felt the opposite. There are many times where he seems forced and rehearsed. This was not one of those. He seemed genuinely angry at Trump, and passionate about his family, like most men would be. He seemed to be just that: a regular husband who was defending his wife, and going after the bully who behaved rudely toward her.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 1:46 pm

  8. one time at harvard this miscreant was picking on Biff’s gf Muffy and Biff was NOT having it

    he stood right up and let this fellow know precisely how it was that the cow had eaten the cabbage

    to be sure we were all a bit taken back by his forcefulness (his tone was a far cry different than the measured soft-spoken Biff we were all so fond of)

    but at the end of the day we all agreed it was a fine performance

    happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/24/2016 @ 1:47 pm

  9. This situation forced a more personal side of Cruz to be exposed than if he was discussing policy, or getting in a heated debate exchange with Trump. This was personal. with that, how he delivered his defense was beside the point. He stood up and defended, no matter what it cost him as far as the race goes. Because ultimately, Cruz knew that there was something far finer and long-lasting than the presidency.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 1:48 pm

  10. Ah, I long for the days when Cruz would have passed the other guy a note reading simply, “Pistols at dawn.”

    JVW (34f70e) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:10 pm

  11. Off Topic – Here’s an excerpt from Julian Hattem’s 3/24/16 article in The Hill:

    Lost emails from Clinton server discovered

    Conservative legal watchdogs have discovered new emails from Hillary Clinton’s private email server dating back to the first days of her tenure as secretary of State.

    The previously undisclosed February 2009 emails between Clinton from her then-chief of staff, Cheryl Mills, raise new questions about the scope of emails from Clinton’s early days in office that were not handed over to the State Department for recordkeeping and may have been lost entirely.

    Clinton’s presidential campaign has previously claimed that the former top diplomat did not use her personal “clintonemail.com” account before March 2009, weeks after she was sworn in as secretary of State.
    But on Thursday, the watchdog group Judicial Watch released one message from Feb. 13, 2009, in which Mills communicated with Clinton on the account to discuss the National Security Agency’s (NSA) efforts to produce a secure BlackBerry device for her to use as secretary of State.

    The discovery is likely to renew questions about Clinton’s narrative about her use of the private email server, which has come under scrutiny.

    Last year, news organizations reported that Obama administration officials had discovered an email chain between Clinton and retired Gen. David Petraeus that began before Clinton entered office and continued through to Feb. 1. The chain of emails began on an earlier email system that Clinton used while serving in the Senate, but was reportedly transferred on to the clintonemail.com server.

    In 2014, Clinton gave the State Department roughly 30,000 emails from her time in office that she said related to her work as the nation’s top diplomat. Another roughly 30,000 emails, which Clinton said contained personal information such as her daughter’s wedding plans and yoga routines, were deleted.

    However, critics have questioned her decision to unilaterally delete the allegedly private emails without getting official input to determine which messages were personal and which were work-related.

    Tom Fitton, the head of Judicial Watch, has said that he expects all of the emails to eventually come to light…

    ropelight (885d54) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:15 pm

  12. Perhaps the defining moment of the primary season? I hope so. This puts Trump and his behavior in clear focus, and he doesn’t pass the examination.

    BobStewartatHome (a52abe) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:16 pm

  13. “The women should fight bare-chested and holding a baby, the old Highland way.”

    Blackadder

    pinandpuller (a12946) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:20 pm

  14. Mr. Trump is coming under a lot of criticism, some of it deserved, for doing a retweet on Heidi, and Sunday is easter.

    I looked into getting a basket of cadbury cream eggs for the office.

    They want $1 an egg though at my CVS, and when you put it all together it just doesn’t look like a good way to spend $25 or so bucks.

    So this easter I think it’s important to remember the important things – things that Mr. Cruz seems to have forgotten – important JESUS things like forgiveness and turning the other cheek. He seems kind of surly lately.

    happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:27 pm

  15. Bob, I hope you’re right.

    I’m sick of people saying Trump is some kind of person we should aspire to be like. He’s not some amazing success story. He’s just a sleazy man-child who inherited a lot of money and was crooked in his deals for years. Trump boasted that he cheated on the mother of his children when he left her, and defaulted on his business deals repeatedly to get ahead.

    Ms. Cruz is not a supermodel, but she is a independently successful and nice looking person. Trump may not understand why Cruz has remained with his wife after she ages past 35, but good Americans understand that growing old together is a classic concept of commitment, and is far more rewarding than replacing the mother of your kids because of a teenager’s concept of love. It’s what a man does.

    Dustin (2a8be7) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:28 pm

  16. It would be nice if there were media outlets (ok, just one even) that wished to report the truth and clarify issues,
    instead of stirring the pot to get ratings and pick winners and losers.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (940922) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:32 pm

  17. This sequence however, allows Cruz to back off his pledge to support a Trump nomination, should it come to that.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:32 pm

  18. So this easter I think it’s important to remember the important things – things that Mr. Cruz seems to have forgotten – important JESUS things like forgiveness and turning the other cheek. He seems kind of surly lately.

    happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:27 pm

    Happyfeet, I know you are trying to troll folks, but I thought I’d point out that Trump has not apologized to Ms. Cruz or to Ted Cruz. He hasn’t asked for forgiveness. A man must stand up for his family. I’m sure in time Cruz’s wife will forgive and move on, and Ted with her.

    Happyfeet, your religious attack on the Cruz family for not being Christian enough for you because they don’t instantly turn the other cheek is dishonest and misunderstands the responsibilities a Christian has to protect and stand up for his loved ones. But thanks for your concern.

    Dustin (2a8be7) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:33 pm

  19. happyfeet and ropelight are trying to change the subject, which tells us they both know this story hurts Trump.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:38 pm

  20. Since Cruz is Canadian can he give Trump two minutes in the penalty box for unsportsmanlike conduct?

    pinandpuller (a12946) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:40 pm

  21. Good point, Kevin M.
    so…thank you Donald, for that outburst.

    Imagine if Donald reacts like that to Putin if “X” was said really by a Ukrainian who was mad at the US.

    Biden can say whatever , even Obama could, because few people take them seriously,

    but Trump, maybe they would take him seriously until they figure out whether they should or not.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (940922) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:40 pm

  22. yes, he’s being an ass, part of the reasons I have strong reservations about him, but not #willling for hillary, that it’s an answer to no one’s question,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:43 pm

  23. Perhaps the defining moment of the primary season? I hope so. This puts Trump and his behavior in clear focus, and he doesn’t pass the examination.

    Drudge hasn’t been linking to any of this. Now he has a link to Ted’s response.

    http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/ted-cruz-trump-sniveling-coward-n545026 (from Drudge)

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:44 pm

  24. Good point, Kevin M.
    so…thank you Donald, for that outburst.

    To be fair, the reporter in the video above was trying to get Cruz to break his pledge, and Cruz evaded. But he did not reiterate it.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:48 pm

  25. Drudge is burying this story in the middle of his left column. He is backing Trump, but this is as juicy as it gets on the campaign trail. He simply had to at least link it.

    By the time we get to Sheboygan, this will be long forgotten by the Trumpkin/Know Nothing voters.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:49 pm

  26. Should Trump somehow get the nomination due to the hijacking of the GOP by people who wish it ill — even the people here who support Trump have been wishing the GOP dead for years — I would expect that there would be a walkout from the convention and these delegates would hold their own nominations at a nearby venue. This would be planned in advance and covered by the media, and probably nominate Cruz. Then the object would be to marginalize Trump before the general.

    Lots of elections lately have proceeded like this, with an official candidate dropping out or being ignored. If worse comes to worse, maybe it goes to the House.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:54 pm

  27. By the time we get to Sheboygan, this will be long forgotten by the Trumpkin/Know Nothing voters.

    You misspelled “the weekend”

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:55 pm

  28. but Trump, maybe they would take him seriously until they figure out whether they should or not.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (940922) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:40 pm

    I don’t see intelligent people take Trump that seriously. Only desperate and uninformed marks make deals with him. He’s just too unstable. You think Putin is going to trust Trump’s word or work with Trump at all? The USA’s role in the world would diminish.

    Also, the core of our nation’s greatness, our values and our family, will be corroded terribly if Trump is our leader. We will be fundamentally weaker. Trump is the perverse, twisted concept of America that ISIS thinks we are.

    Trump symbolizes the vices that have made America weak over the past fifty years. And of course that includes the ignorance and arrogance of saying these vices are actually awesome, and selfishness and dishonesty make one strong. How sad to see any honorable people fall for it, but Trump has always had a knack for conning the desperate.

    Dustin (2a8be7) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:56 pm

  29. Drudge is a what Alec Baldwin said without the moxie to do it up close like a real paparazzo.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:57 pm

  30. The next time Cruz and Trump are in the same room Cruz needs to ask someone to hold his jacket.

    Hopefully it won’t come off like wearing a helmet in a tank.

    pinandpuller (928ad9) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:57 pm

  31. I don’t have a problem with PACs or campaigns highlighting things about a candidate’s spouse as long as it is truthful. I expect Bill to be an issue when Hillary are runs.

    But there are more risks to bringing in a spouse, and there is more likely to be blowback, as Trump is finding out. Does Trump have the guts to go full-out against Heidi? He promises his supporters the nothing will stop him.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/24/2016 @ 2:59 pm

  32. From Wikipedia:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_Nothing

    The Native American Party, renamed in 1855 as the American Party, and commonly known as the Know Nothing movement, was an American political party that operated on a national basis during the mid-1850s.

    The movement arose in response to an influx of migrants, and promised to “purify” American politics by limiting or ending the influence of Irish Catholics and other immigrants, thus reflecting nativist and anti-Catholic sentiment. It was empowered by popular fears that the country was being overwhelmed by German and Irish Catholic immigrants, whom they saw as hostile to republican values, and as being controlled by the Pope in Rome. Mainly active from 1854 to 1856, the movement strove to curb immigration and naturalization, but met with little success. Membership was limited to Protestant men. There were few prominent leaders, and the largely middle-class membership was fragmented over the issue of slavery.

    The most prominent leaders were U.S. Representative Nathaniel P. Banks, and former U.S. Representative Lewis C. Levin. The American Party nominated former President Millard Fillmore in 1856.

    Note that this party was active during the TERRIBLE administrations of Fillmore (who became a Know Nothing after his Whigs collapsed but was not re-elected), Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan (both Democrats).

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:02 pm

  33. He’s just too unstable.

    Dustin, I don’t think Putin would take Trump seriosuly,
    but I don’t think he could count on ignoring him, either.
    One can count on ignoring what Biden and Obama say,
    with Trump, you wouldn’t yet know what he is capable of.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (940922) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:02 pm

  34. Dustin,

    I suspect you share my sadness at seeing Gingrich end his career with this fool.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:04 pm

  35. Dustin, I don’t think Putin would take Trump seriosuly,
    but I don’t think he could count on ignoring him, either.

    But he would be fairly easy to manipulate.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:08 pm

  36. Possibly it’s the Obama era that has jaundiced my view but, I’d have more respect for Ted if he came out and said forthright, “It worked. I won Utah.”

    papertiger (c2d6da) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:08 pm

  37. Throwing out his chest. That’s one mighty mealy mouth you got there.

    papertiger (c2d6da) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:10 pm

  38. it’s not a time for sadness

    it’s spring and it’s mudluscious

    Mr. Trump’s feeling rambunctious

    Heidi wipe them tears away

    for Jesus he is risen

    them cream eggs a nice addition

    don’t have to ask permission

    Heidi wipe them tears away

    happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:12 pm

  39. Trump has stated that the internment of about 120,000 innocent Americans in WWII was the right act. Yes, one hundred and twenty thousand innocent Americans, including women and children, denied due process were forced to live in camps. Today, right now, he says it was the appropriate action. Even though – today – we’ve learned that none of those forced into the camps were working for the enemy.

    Ronald Reagan signed legislation compensating, as best as we could, those victims of the injustice. He said this on that day:

    “We must recognize that the internment of Japanese-Americans was just that: a mistake. For throughout the war, Japanese-Americans in the tens of thousands remained utterly loyal to the United States. Indeed, scores of Japanese-Americans volunteered for our Armed Forces, many stepping forward in the internment camps themselves. The 442d Regimental Combat Team, made up entirely of Japanese-Americans, served with immense distinction to defend this nation, their nation. Yet back at home, the soldier’s families were being denied the very freedom for which so many of the soldiers themselves were laying down their lives.”

    But Trump says it was right to put them into the camps. Even those that served us.

    That alone – that gross injustice – makes him unqualified. Although the list of outrageous things he advocates is much longer.

    We simply cannot elect this man. If it’s Hillary, so be it. But never Trump. Not in this country.

    SteveMG (e46ed8) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:15 pm

  40. Cruz didn’t do this.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:16 pm

  41. That was for papertiger.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:17 pm

  42. Kevin,

    I’ve been blown away by some of the people who have endorsed Trump. I have ugly things to say about their motives. I imagine Palin wanted the attention. Sessions was taking a bad leap of faith and was a coward not to correct himself. I guess Newt wanted some influence. Maybe, like Sessions, he was hoping that he could mold the dumb child. But yeah, I’m disappointed.

    MD,

    I think you’re exactly right. Of course no one would ignore Trump if he were president, but they would sidestep around us as much as possible. Our influence would be zero. Trump would finish off what alliances Obama hasn’t squandered, in a somewhat more ridiculous manner. Obama sent Churchill’s bust back with an ipod, but Trump would trash the Queen for being fat and old. Trump might manufacture his clothing in China, but he’s not an international leader.

    Dustin (2a8be7) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:21 pm

  43. it’s effing snowing

    this is stupid

    happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:22 pm

  44. we’ve learned that none of those forced into the camps were working for the enemy.

    Uh huh.

    papertiger (c2d6da) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:24 pm

  45. “It worked. I won Utah.”

    papertiger

    He was already dominating Utah. The ad had no effect. It’s been proven Cruz had nothing to do with the ad. Your ‘proof’ of a bing search was nonsense.

    On the other hand, for all your crying about this ad, Trump actually did bash Cruz’s wife personally and you take no issue with it. It’s a little hard to take your tears seriously when you don’t actually care about when this sort of thing was actually done by ‘your’ guy.

    Dustin (2a8be7) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:24 pm

  46. Garry Shandling… Damn . Feel like I lost a friend.

    Hail Hydra

    papertiger (c2d6da) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:26 pm

  47. I suspect you share my sadness at seeing Gingrich end his career with this fool.

    Gingrich has a penchant for “upgrading” to younger, prettier wives and he likes to spend huge sums of money at high-end jewelry shops to win their affection. He also appears addicted to having his name mentioned in the media, and he allows his own personal snits to get in the way of effective government. Frankly, he has a whole lot more in common with the guy he endorsed than I think any of us would be comfortable admitting.

    JVW (34f70e) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:27 pm

  48. Fix this:

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-03-24/countdown-insolvency-begins-chicago-pensions-state-supreme-court-rejects-reform-bid

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:27 pm

  49. Alinsky owns us all.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:29 pm

  50. Hypocrisy is the big winner in 2016.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:30 pm

  51. Tippecanoe and

    Twitter too

    pinandpuller (a12946) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:34 pm

  52. Here’s my disclaimer on bean spilling.

    papertiger (c2d6da) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:38 pm

  53. Mr. Cruz should just be thankful Mr. The Donald didn’t tweeter up any naked pictures of Heidi with no clothes on. Yes yes instead he took the high road.

    He may not get a lot of credit for it, but it’s not always all about getting credit with Mr. Trump.

    It’s about doing the right thing.

    happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:40 pm

  54. True, JVW, but he acted like he was trying to learn from his past mistakes. Trump and those who support and endorse him act like each new day is a chance to double down on yesterday’s hyperbole.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:49 pm

  55. Hypocrisy is the tribute vice pays to virtue. Kind of like Trump’s pre-nuptial agreements.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:49 pm

  56. JVW makes some good points about Newt. I guess I’d just rather forget him entirely. That’s what Newt is really afraid of.

    I want to say that America understands marriage and Trump’s support will evaporate now. I want to say Idiocracy was a stupid movie with zero perception into our future. I want to say that donuts have no calories.

    But right now I’m thinking that Hillary isn’t as bad as Trump. For all her flaws, she at least maintained a marriage. She’s never bashed anyone on the basis of their spouse’s appearance. She’s a politician Trump bought, but that just means they are on the same plane of corruption. One isn’t better than the other on that basis.

    Hillary doesn’t speak favorably about hurting people who protest her. Her handling of Citizen’s United is much like Trump’s lawfare, but she keeps it in the courtroom instead of calling for brawls and endorsing them after the fact.

    Hillary hasn’t called for interning citizens or keeping citizens out of the country because they have the wrong faith.

    I don’t watch TV, so Trump being a reality show celebrity isn’t important to me. His having traded in the mother of his kids for a playboy model wife is not impressive to me. Trump would have a really hard time earning my vote with his asinine policy statements ‘my plan will be terrific’ or his website platform he contradicts all the time because he hasn’t read it.

    That doesn’t mean Trump won’t win anyway. We get the government we deserve.

    Dustin (2a8be7) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:50 pm

  57. Or maybe not like Trump’s pre-nuptial agreements.

    Can we get one as a condition of his nomination?

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:51 pm

  58. If Cruz was truly a ‘red-blooded American male’ he deck Trump.

    Canadians are too polite.

    DCSCA (a343d5) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:52 pm

  59. happyfeet, are you saying that trump’s wife is a victim of those naked photos? You realize she posed for playboy, right? She isn’t owed an apology for these photos being out there now.

    Funny how you go from calling a woman a cooze to being the white knight.

    Dustin (2a8be7) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:52 pm

  60. “This story” does not hurt Trump. Trump is what he ever was, and what he is, is what was selling.

    Cruz responded late and it was a little stagey, but he did what was necessary. He looked better and fairly sensible, which is good.

    SarahW (67599f) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:53 pm

  61. http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/03/24/washington-examiner-ted-cruz-pushed-dramatically-expand-muslim-migration-2013/

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:58 pm

  62. Sarah’s right. Is anyone here, supporter or critic of Trump, surprised at all? His supporters are waving their hands defensively, like they are afraid of this story, but they certainly aren’t disappointed in Trump.

    Dustin (2a8be7) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:59 pm

  63. http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/03/24/scott-walker-nominee-at-brokered-convention-will-be-someone-not-currently-running/

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 4:02 pm

  64. First hand account from Arizona’s Trump rally by an off duty police officer who saw the instigation from the guy who the military officer beat up.

    papertiger (c2d6da) — 3/24/2016 @ 4:06 pm

  65. http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2016/03/24/john-bolton-brussels-shows-failure-of-obama-and-europes-quasi-war-against-isis/

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 4:11 pm

  66. Gingrich’s campaign debt for his ’12 run is still around $4.6 million. He, like Carson, is just working a stroll. They are both going to learn the value of a Trump promise, as will Trump Trophy III when her time comes.

    Rick Ballard (9cd867) — 3/24/2016 @ 4:16 pm

  67. Diamond and Silk? Diamond and Silk? Diamond and Silk? Seriously? Diamond and Silk???????

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 4:18 pm

  68. DNF, I don’t need to know about every headline at breitbart. If I wanted to, I’d visit that site. I can understand a Trump fan’s wish that we not talk about Trump’s nastiness to his opponent’s wife, but spamming the thread is a tedious way to handle that problem.

    Dustin (2a8be7) — 3/24/2016 @ 4:25 pm

  69. First time I heard Cruz and he “felt” genuine to the core.

    Rodney King's Spirit (a089dc) — 3/24/2016 @ 4:36 pm

  70. A FWIW, you can argue the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII was immoral or that were negative externalities but to say it was not helpful in the least is an argument lacking real data to show otherwise. Hard to sit around arguing hypotheticals on either side but it safe to assume if out of 120K there were 100 bad actors then putting 100 bad actors away helped if only marginally. Also safe to argue that keeping the other 119,900 free would have helped the war effort. But exactly the tradeoff, no one knows.

    Rodney King's Spirit (a089dc) — 3/24/2016 @ 4:44 pm

  71. it was overbroad, they could have nabbed the magic code ring, and the saboteurs, but FDR had a 20 year loathing of Japanese Americans,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 4:47 pm

  72. frank gaffney, came up with a much more workable screen against salafis, and he went with cruz,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 4:48 pm

  73. They wanted to loot the Japanese-Americans’ homes and businesses. Like half of Trump’s supporters hope to do with the Mexicans and Muslims.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 4:51 pm

  74. As was joked about a couple months ago, it’s almost as if The Donald could shoot someone down in the street and his Fan Club would still offer excuses.

    “He should have ducked!” (LOL)

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:06 pm

  75. It was not just joked about. Trump himself actually said it. First. http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2016/01/23/donald-trump-iowa-rally-shooting-sot.cnn

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:10 pm

  76. @ Dustin,

    I want to say that America understands marriage and Trump’s support will evaporate now. I want to say Idiocracy was a stupid movie with zero perception into our future. I want to say that donuts have no calories.

    But right now I’m thinking that Hillary isn’t as bad as Trump. For all her flaws, she at least maintained a marriage. She’s never bashed anyone on the basis of their spouse’s appearance. She’s a politician Trump bought, but that just means they are on the same plane of corruption. One isn’t better than the other on that basis.

    Hillary doesn’t speak favorably about hurting people who protest her. Her handling of Citizen’s United is much like Trump’s lawfare, but she keeps it in the courtroom instead of calling for brawls and endorsing them after the fact.

    Hillary hasn’t called for interning citizens or keeping citizens out of the country because they have the wrong faith.

    Hillary may not have done the specific things because the situations were not the same, but she has attempted to destroy the lives of any number of women that Bill fooled around with. I think we need to guard against thinking, well, Hillary is horrible, but she’s not as bad as Trump. That is the first step in voting to her to vote against him.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:18 pm

  77. None of the Americans – these were Americans – were working for the Japanese. None.

    This is not 1942; this is 2016. We know for certainty now that none were dangers or security threats.

    Second, these were women and young children too. Not just male adults.

    Third, none had their due process rights protected. They got no hearings, they weren’t presented with any evidence, they weren’t allowed to defend themselves.

    They were ordered into camps. Without being able to defend themselves. Two refused to go to the camps, were arrested and appealed their arrests. The Supreme Court to its shame ruled the government had the right to send them to camps.

    Trump says – TODAY – that it was right. Despite all of the evidence showing it was wrong.

    If you think this was the right thing to do then I don’t know what country you think this is. Or should be.

    SteveMG (01a01e) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:19 pm

  78. there were small cells, the problem could have been dealt with, j edgar hoover opposed this level of a dragnet,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:22 pm

  79. “This story” does not hurt Trump. Trump is what he ever was, and what he is, is what was selling.

    SarahW,

    I think this will hurt Trump. The optics of it are more horrible than any of the other crap he’s pulled. A young mother who obviously loves her husband and children being bullied by a white male one-percenter just doesn’t play well. While some will certainly rationalize or ignore the severity of what he’s done, many more will be shocked. I suspect this will cause his already sky-high unfavorability ratings to shoot up again. Hopefully, it will also cause some of his less rabid supporters to say enough is enough.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:22 pm

  80. Maybe FDR was trying to protect people from all the anti-japanese backlash that always follows a surprise attack.

    pinandpuller (928ad9) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:24 pm

  81. As if things were not bad enough, Microsoft went and created an AI Trump supporter. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/03/24/microsofts-teen-girl-ai-turns-into-a-hitler-loving-sex-robot-wit/

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:28 pm

  82. Dana, thanks for the intelligent reply in a mostly emotional thread.

    I agree that Hillary was nasty towards her husband’s victims. Even then, there were lines she didn’t really cross, even if only for the sake of appearances. Trump crosses those lines proudly.

    I think we need to guard against thinking, well, Hillary is horrible, but she’s not as bad as Trump. That is the first step in voting to her to vote against him.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:18 pm

    That captures my thinking though. Hopefully Cruz is right and he will be the nominee. Trump really is Hillary’s only path to the white house. It’s such a shame that we had several great candidates, one great one remains, and yet the party has turned its nose up at sanity.

    —

    BTW, you gotta love how the same Trump fans who bashed Meghan Kelly for a racey but clothed picture, now spinning around and around trying to keep up with what side of this issue is best for Trump this minute.

    Dustin (2a8be7) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:29 pm

  83. @ papertiger,

    Possibly it’s the Obama era that has jaundiced my view but, I’d have more respect for Ted if he came out and said forthright, “It worked. I won Utah.”

    You’d have more respect for Cruz if he admitted SOMETHING THAT HE DID NOT DO AND WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR and likely had no impact on his win because he was already way ahead in the polls when the ad was released?

    Yet your bar for Trump is so low that you will continue to support and respect a man who,as EVIDENCED BY HIS OWN BEHAVIOR, is a misogynistic bully?

    Do you see how nuts this is?

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:34 pm

  84. well it’s like some forgot the lesson of macho grande, making excuses for someone whose incompetence or enemy action, has painted the sands of north africa, blood red, including woods and doherty, actually it was worse then, someone who was worthy was destroyed on this board, as they bought every lie soros and the party establishment could conjure up, we’ve seen how enthusiastic goose graham is with cruz, which indicates they will resort to practice, and stab him in the back at the opportune time,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:35 pm

  85. Likely there will be more to come.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:48 pm

  86. This is not 1942; this is 2016. We know for certainty now that none were dangers or security threats.

    Simply not true. The Niihau incident along with other pre-attack surveillance reports were a significant factor in the Japanese internment decision.

    WTP (094b61) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:00 pm

  87. Well, Ben Sasse is speaking out:

    This is sad, and everyone with a sister or wife or daughter or mom should reconsider supporting this tiny little man

    Still waiting on:

    Jeff Sessions
    Scott Brown
    Chris Christie
    Paul LaPage
    Rick Scott
    Jan Brewer
    Sarah Palin
    Kris Kobach
    and so many more.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:07 pm

  88. With that attack on Mr. Trump, Cruz has blown his chance at VP or a SCOTUS nomination in a Trump administration. He should’ve known better.

    Boris (d466a1) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:14 pm

  89. #87 Boris, there’s something a little bit creepy about characterizing this is an attack on “Mr” Trump, when in fact it was an attack by “Mr” Trump upon Heidi Cruz.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:18 pm

  90. 67. Young man, you can actually face the facts or be like everyone else on the Quixotic saga to another GOP loss.

    Your choice, not mine.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:21 pm

  91. There is danger for him who taketh the tiger cub, and danger also for whoso snatches a delusion from a Trumpsucker. — Nerlock Kolmes

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:22 pm

  92. Lars Larson is a conservative radio host ranked #1 in the Northwest and as high as 19 among nationally syndicated talk radio shows. Larson is an avid supporter of Donalc Trump and on today’s show, I heard him tell a listener that a Ted Cruz PAC was responsible for the Melania Trump ad in Utah. The listener said he wasn’t sure it was a Ted Cruz PAC but Larson assured him it was.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:23 pm

  93. 78. More wishful thinking. Running and hiding behind a women’s skirts only emboldens hypocrites.

    DNF (ffe548) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:23 pm

  94. woman’s

    DNF (ffe548) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:24 pm

  95. Calling someone a sniveling coward is an attack in my book. Look, Mr. Trump will be the nominee. Unless Ted Cruz wants to go back to the Senate for a few more years, he should be angling for a spot in the Trump administration. Intemperate comments like that won’t endear him.

    Boris (d466a1) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:24 pm

  96. #46: I would pay an awful lot to hear either Trump or Obama say “Hail Hydra!” on camera.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:26 pm

  97. 94. He’s pulling for a game-changer and he’s not going to get it from the voters.

    It’s got to come from the GOPe and that means another dive by Republicans. The only have courage to fight each other.

    DNF (ffe548) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:28 pm

  98. I guess Newt wanted some influence. Maybe, like Sessions, he was hoping that he could mold the dumb child.

    I think also he held a grudge against the earmarking wing of the GOP that blocked his reforms as Speaker, then forced him out and replaced him with DeLay and his puppet Hastert.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:29 pm

  99. As a dog returns to his vomit, Republicans muster circular firing squads.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:32 pm

  100. Heidi with no clothes on.

    Unlike Mrs Trump, Heidi doesn’t have a habit of putting her skin on magazine covers. Thirty seconds with Google and “Melania Trump” will get you several racier shots than what that dizzy dame put in her ad.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:32 pm

  101. Possibly it’s the Obama era that has jaundiced my view but, I’d have more respect for Ted if he came out and said forthright, “It worked. I won Utah.”

    You’d have more respect for Cruz if he admitted SOMETHING THAT HE DID NOT DO AND WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR and likely had no impact on his win because he was already way ahead in the polls when the ad was released?

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:34 pm

    He’s repeating the Trump propaganda line that Cruz was behind the ad. He’s not going to deviate from that. papertiger’s m.o. should be totally obvious by now.

    Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:34 pm

  102. Trump is no Republican, so the firing squads are just for spies and saboteurs.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:34 pm

  103. The National Enquirer is running a story about Ted Cruz having affairs with five women.

    I hope Heide doesn’t have cancer. That could get ugly.

    pinandpuller (a12946) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:35 pm

  104. 101. See 86.

    DNF (ffe548) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:37 pm

  105. lector emptor, you forget who was longtime counsel to the enquirer, seriously people focus,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:38 pm

  106. Hopefully, it will also cause some of his less rabid supporters to say enough is enough.

    More to the point, it will continue to prevent new adherents. Trump has a core of true believers, but these are NOT enough to get him the nomination in a two-man race, and probably not enough even if Kasich stays in.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:42 pm

  107. 104. The ex has a boderline disorder. It is disheartening to remember the spiral into seething, foaming-at-the-mouth rage over imagined slights. Righteous indignation never belongs to men, we appropriate it without merit.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:44 pm

  108. Trump could have been very presidential by instead of assuming Cruz was personally behind the first ad, talking directly with Cruz and together denounced all such stuff,
    instead,
    he finds a way to make it worse and then doubles down on it.

    It was commonly asked what would Obama do different if he was against the interests of the US.
    It is time to ask what would Trump do differently if he did not want to make an a** out of himself and a joke out of a bad Democratic stereotype of the Repub Party.

    And just like there were and are millions of people who believed in Obama anyway,
    there appear to be millions of people willing to believe in Trump anyway.

    For the record, I am not the happiest about how Cruz handled it either, I think he also could have handled it strongly and protective of Heidi and tried to defuse the mess.

    people are being blown up around the world and the US presidential campaign resembles a couple of schoolboys trash-talking over their girlfriends.

    Ridiculous, all of it; early odds are on God giving us up to the folly of our ways.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (940922) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:44 pm

  109. 105. Azzpull is stong in this one.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:45 pm

  110. Lars Larson is a conservative radio host ranked #1 in the Northwest and as high as 19 among nationally syndicated talk radio shows. Larson is an avid supporter of Donalc Trump and on today’s show, I heard him tell a listener that a Ted Cruz PAC was responsible for the Melania Trump ad in Utah. The listener said he wasn’t sure it was a Ted Cruz PAC but Larson assured him it was.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:23 pm

    Mark Levin was talking about the PAC on his show this evening. He said it’s not a pro-Cruz PAC but an anti-Trump PAC. Mair is not a Cruz supporter according to Levin. He also made the point that neither Cruz nor any other candidates have Super PAC’s, calling people who don’t get this point stupid. More than once he mentioned unnamed Fox News people as among the stupid. He also quoted by name various posters on his Facebook page who alleged that Cruz is behind the PAC, calling them idiots.

    Gerald A (7c7ffb) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:45 pm

  111. maybe the uk establishment, can’t do anything about their corner of eurabia, however they were skilled in gutting the ukip, now six months later, they whimper sorry about that,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:45 pm

  112. 107. And Cruz has made the most of the dustup for his own ends. Failing to acknowledge even that much is dishonest.

    DNF (ffe548) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:47 pm

  113. DNF: Those people have set themselves apart and their influence inside the GOP may be at an end.

    Scott Brown – repeat loser and centrist
    Chris Christie – gun grabber and back-stabbing Obama-hugger
    Paul LaPage – poor choices and it’s Maine
    Rick Scott – already on the way out
    Jan Brewer – retired
    Sarah Palin – past sell-by date

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:48 pm

  114. Isn’t that pretty much what I said, DNF?

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (940922) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:48 pm

  115. Fwiw, I’d assert Trump has planted the suspicion that Cruz was wiiling to take advantage of, if not behind the machinations of the super-dumb bearskin police. Cruz’s dilatory response can now, by anyone inclined to suspect Cruz, be taken a a respone to a call-out made so personal he had to say something, instead of as sincere disgust at the Melania ads.

    SarahW (67599f) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:49 pm

  116. Let’s see.

    Trump is a flaming asshat. People TRY to point this out to his cult. They can’t see it. Trump does and does something that is SO EXTREMELY ASSHATTISH that even his cult can see it. But after they try to defend it in several unconvincing ways, they now claim that POINTING OUT THE ASSHATTERY is dishonest. Because!

    Cults are like that. Shut up and drink your Kool-aid.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:52 pm

  117. *goes and does

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:53 pm

  118. 113. And well, I must add. I can’t help reinforcing a point that simultaneously occurred to me.

    DNF (ffe548) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:53 pm

  119. I’d love to see Cruz prosecuting Trump’s impeachment in the Senate. But it won’t come to that. He will be replaced under Section 4, of the 25th Amendment:
    Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

    Should he be elected. Which is a hyuuge if. His dementia might be too hard to hide by August.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:54 pm

  120. Was the picture of Melania something that was available for anyone looking for it, or did they get it from some undisclosed source?

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (940922) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:54 pm

  121. Cruz responded late and it was a little stagey, but he did what was necessary. He looked better and fairly sensible, which is good.

    That tweet was put out late last night and at LUNCH today I was watching the press conference. What the hell was “late” about that, Sarah?

    I get that you don’t like Cruz on a personal level, somehow. That comes through loud and clear in your tone. But what you say here makes zero sense.

    Patterico (86c8ed) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:54 pm

  122. Trumpoopers don’t drink Kool Aid, remember? They can’t get the two quarts of water into the little envelope.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:56 pm

  123. 112. Thanks for making my point.

    DNF (ffe548) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:56 pm

  124. some british laddie magazine, the one gutfeld’s employer, ran,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:57 pm

  125. Was the picture of Melania something that was available for anyone looking for it, or did they get it from some undisclosed source?

    It was the cover of GQ, January 2000, so I’d expect it wasn’t dubble-sekrit.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:59 pm

  126. fifteen years ago, so when he plays victorian gent, it’s much like mo dowd, who was rewarded for trawling in Kitty Kelley’s rumor mill,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:59 pm

  127. 118. The other option is to just say the heck with democracy anyway.

    It has much to speak for it, but you understand the path you take?

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:59 pm

  128. DNF–

    Except for Sessions, these folks were has-beens or never-beens before they signed up with Trump. Now they’re damaged has-beens.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:00 pm

  129. kent brockman was a wise man, the episode with the comet,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:00 pm

  130. The gov of IN, I forget his name, -Daniels- declined to go after the presidency because his family life was a little atypical in remarrying his wife after she had left him for someone else, and he didn’t want to subject her to the scrutiny.

    If one has posed for things in the public domain that could be embarrassing, don’t be surprised if one gets embarrassed by it.

    That said, as i said before, public domain or not, I think it was a bad thing to do.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (940922) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:01 pm

  131. 127. No doubt we might agree on a few.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:03 pm

  132. The other option is to just say the heck with democracy anyway.

    It has much to speak for it, but you understand the path you take?

    This by a Trumpist. It’s like Evita Peron talking about maintaining proper accountability.

    NO, you $^%%$ we don’t want to take that path, which has NOTHING to speak for it. But your leader does.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:04 pm

  133. and that is a metaphor, for the oncoming train we face in east europe, in north africa, in the levant, in the south china sea, so by all means continue,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:04 pm

  134. 129. Like A. Sullivan, Mair maintains dual citizenship.

    Why are we keeping her?

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:05 pm

  135. it’s a shame, otoh, he has made a very courageous purdue university president,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:05 pm

  136. A question to the radical Cruzlim lawyers:

    Any chance Cruz can hulk out and end up owning The Enquirer?

    Hey lawyer, lawyer!

    Sue lawyer!- Bryan Reagan

    pinandpuller (0845e7) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:06 pm

  137. With that attack on Mr. Trump, Cruz has blown his chance at VP or a SCOTUS nomination in a Trump administration. He should’ve known better.

    Boris (d466a1) — 3/24/2016 @ 6:14 pm

    You say that like Cruz should have a sad because he defended his wife. Now he won’t get to work with a morally bankrupt grifter. Boo hoo. Somehow Boris, I don’t think Cruz is worried about his place in a Trump administration.

    “He should have known better.” Why, precisely?

    Bill H (dcdd7b) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:06 pm

  138. Just watched the Cruz video again with my daughter, after explaining the background to her. She said that is her favorite video of Cruz she has ever seen. I thought it was pitch-perfect myself. He is in control. Angry, but in control.

    This is perhaps the only candidate of my lifetime I can support, and watch him handle questions and not cringe at how he might answer. He is fantastic.

    Patterico (86c8ed) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:08 pm

  139. dubious, although gawker was a particular (the words fail) refuse pile,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:09 pm

  140. 131. Incorrigible, to the last a warmener.

    132. I do not get why this just flies over everyone’s head, can they not entertain a dozen thoughts, possibilities at one time and work toward an outcome?

    An affliction if true.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:10 pm

  141. pudandpuller for that whiff of Port-a-Potty that you might have been missing.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:10 pm

  142. a little too reductionist, but there is some truth,

    http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2016-03-23/the-trump-cruz-police-state-exists-it-s-called-france

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:12 pm

  143. My new policy, effective immediately, is to say “sniveling coward” where I would normally write “Donald Trump.”

    Patterico (86c8ed) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:12 pm

  144. the last time, the party big wigs, got so full of themselves, lbj slipped in the tonkin gulf,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:14 pm

  145. Aw, I wanted “Demented Donna”.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:14 pm

  146. DNF,
    Things are not flying over everyone’s heads,
    it’s just we know Trump is not the answer,
    Hillary is not the answer,
    sanders is not the answer.
    Cruz, in and of himself, is not the answer,
    but at least he believes in the rule of law.

    And none of us have the resources to make our own self-sufficient republic on some island safe from the rest of the world.

    You keep making noise as if there is some simple action that is obvious for all to take and then the world would be fine.
    There is none.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (940922) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:15 pm

  147. snivelingcoward.com is worth a click right about now.

    I promise.

    Patterico (86c8ed) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:17 pm

  148. 145. On the contrary, a loss by the Right is a very bad outcome for the term ahead.

    You monomaniacs are ensuring that outcome. It will mean the death of the GOP, an unalloyed good, but the cost to leaving neocons in control of foreign policy, the Federal Reserve and Goldman Sachs in control of monetary policy, and fiscal policy in Congress’ hands will be a mortal blow.

    Better to make lemonade.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:23 pm

  149. sticking voodoo pins will do little, this has been a serious waste of time on all sides,

    the rule of law is dead because obama murdered it, and the gope has been most spectators, these rent a mobs, claimed the scalp in sanford even with an acquittal, and moved to torch baltimore and ferguson, the irs put the tea party underfoot, and only some brief samizdat notes it even happened, fast and furious, like the manic weatherman in ground hog day, only to be ignored time and again,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:25 pm

  150. neocons, shirley you gest, I don’t what brand of alchemy is practiced at foggy bottom and langley, but it is not that,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:28 pm

  151. Boris, the reason Cruz won’t be in a Trump Administration is because there isn’t going to be a Trump Administration. And I’m pretty certain that President Hillary won’t keep Cruz’s number in her rolodex.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:28 pm

  152. the evidence of the last year, is william goldman’s line about hollywood is widespread, although the ben affleck vehicle, confirms it was certainly true about hollywood,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:31 pm

  153. nk,

    “Little Donnie Defaulter – the sniveling coward” works better. I just think of him as Pig.

    Rick Ballard (9cd867) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:32 pm

  154. 148. The inertia of decline is woven throughout government. It’s not like we haven’t ample examples rhyming down through history: China’s dynasties, the Roman, Ottoman and British Empires.

    We’re not talking turning the Ship of State on a dime, but refloating a crushed hull.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:33 pm

  155. 149. Well, I’m not articulate in that area.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:34 pm

  156. Boris, do you even live in the United States? (The answer, folks, is “no.”)

    What is it with people like Christoph (Canada) and Boris (Aussie) trying to tell Americans about their own politics?

    Make America Great Again by ignoring Boris.

    Patterico (86c8ed) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:35 pm

  157. And I’m quite sure that, if the sniveling coward had an administration (unlikely), Ted Cruz would want no part of it.

    Patterico (86c8ed) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:36 pm

  158. yes, athens at the time of the council of the 300, rome before the triumvirates, the successor to the dowager empress,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:36 pm

  159. I’ve been hearing ribald tales of Darling nk for years from the Troubador of Lake Minnetonka.

    I don’t think John Edwards is laughing anymore.

    pinandpuller (c16705) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:38 pm

  160. Hahaha an Australian supporting a racist. Shocker.

    Leviticus (a6edbd) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:39 pm

  161. quite a nonsequitor,

    http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/timblair/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/deaths_deleted/

    I think they have forgotten their outlaw origins,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:47 pm

  162. Donald Trump ay isang dung ibon at sinuman na Binoboto para sa kanya ay mas mababa kaysa whale dumi.

    John Hitchcock (0d511f) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:47 pm

  163. It’s too bad because when I went to Australia I liked almost all the people there. Now we get this tool. Sad!

    Patterico (86c8ed) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:47 pm

  164. Are we capitalizing Sniveling Coward? I’d like to use his new name, or descriptor, accurately.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:49 pm

  165. could be a moby, or whatever they are calling wallaby leftists,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:51 pm

  166. Maybe he’s PIATOR’s cousin, living on a different island.

    John Hitchcock (0d511f) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:52 pm

  167. There is some talk Cruz appointed Phil Gramm his chief economic advisor.

    I don’t know what to think about that.

    DNF (ffe548) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:56 pm

  168. Alinsky’s spirit is being channeled.

    DNF (ffe548) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:57 pm

  169. Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:02 pm

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_Nothing

    Mainly active from 1854 to 1856, the movement strove to curb immigration and naturalization, but met with little success.

    just where did they propose to limit immigration. Not at the federal level, anyway. They proposed to limit naturalization as far as I know. That’s all James Rhodes cites.

    Theye didn’t propose a federal immigration law because they knew it was unconstitutional (except insofar as it was a regulation of foreign commerce)

    Sammy Finkelman (cf6d93) — 3/24/2016 @ 7:59 pm

  170. From Trump’s Twitter:

    I didn’t start the fight with Lyin’Ted Cruz over the GQ cover pic of Melania, he did. He knew the PAC was putting it out – hence, Lyin’ Ted!

    He’s accusing Cruz of coordinating with a super -PAC. That’s illegal. He is accusing Cruz of committing an illegal act, no?

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:01 pm

  171. “Yes mahal” is all the Filipino you need to know, John.

    (My favorite godson’s mother is from the Philippines.)

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:04 pm

  172. 168. Know any controlling authorities?

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:09 pm

  173. DT is a skosh ahead of Kasich in PA.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:12 pm

  174. I’m slowly learning more and more Tagalog because mahal ko speaks Tagalog.

    John Hitchcock (0d511f) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:17 pm

  175. magic eightball would say probably,

    http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/2016/03/24/were-brussels-suicide-bombers-detained-and-released-following-earlier-terror-raid/

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:20 pm

  176. Just for the record,
    What I think of Trump is not affected by the polls and elections. He can have 100% support or zero. He is a lawless, arrogant, megalomaniac who will do whatever he can get away with, crony capitalism and all, it’s just that he will have a different group of cronies and a different constellation of people he demonizes than Obama has had,
    And he will be happy to let others be stuck cleaning up his messes,
    Just as he has done in his business ventures.

    Are we destined for a second Clinton presidency, with the only choice being between HRC and the second coming of WJC?

    MD not exactly in Philly (c92d72) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:25 pm

  177. I’m done with them,will not vote for either.

    Patricia (d15788) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:35 pm

  178. Either who, Trump and Cruz?

    I could see that.
    Could be a historically low turnout come November.

    MD not exactly in Philly (c92d72) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:40 pm

  179. The fact some think HRC better than Trump is disturbing.

    Rodney King's Spirit (a089dc) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:43 pm

  180. yes, what barren moon, to quote the chtauri chief, does that make sense,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:45 pm

  181. Yes Trump or Cruz!

    Patricia (3ddda5) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:46 pm

  182. Putin would not get into a kerfuffle like this.

    I don’t think Reagan would either
    Not that I measure pols by Reagan
    He would do a version of”There he goes again” and come out looking like the adult.

    MD not exactly in Philly (c92d72) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:46 pm

  183. Putin drugs shoots or otherwise dispatches his adversaries off the board, who does that sound like,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:51 pm

  184. RKS,
    I don’t think it is an issue of HRC being better than Trump,
    As it is a choice between two candidates that are both so terrible it is a lot easier to stay home than convince oneself to vote for one over the other.

    I guess it could end up being dependent on the VP picks, who will be around after the impeachment.

    MD not exactly in Philly (c92d72) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:51 pm

  185. Then again, they all have political animals telling them what to do and not enough sleep to think straight.

    MD not exactly in Philly (c92d72) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:54 pm

  186. Right MD, I thought obama was the worst on punching down, but this is so juvenile!

    Let hillary win and let the left own the chaos!

    Patricia (3ddda5) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:59 pm

  187. someone who cares not for the first second, and probably third amendments, that’s russian roulette with all loaded barrels,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 9:03 pm

  188. What MD said. I am not ashamed to have voted for McCain or Romney; I would be ashamed to vote for Trump or Hillary. They’re both below my pooper tolerance.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2016 @ 9:09 pm

  189. ah the lizard theory,

    http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/162557-it-comes-from-a-very-ancient-democracy-you-see-you

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 9:16 pm

  190. Cruz wasn’t pitch perfect at all. He ticked the necessary boxes, but it did sound rehearsed. The best line delivery was the I will beat him part, although he spoiled the perfect execution of that with the follow up repetition, which returned to “stagey.”

    He was cleaned up, dressed decently, less puffy and pale, and stood with square shoulders which are all good things. He looked capable and sensible.

    Whether Trump sincerely believes Cruz had something to to with the PAC ad, I think Trump succeeded in the implication.

    SarahW (67599f) — 3/24/2016 @ 9:27 pm

  191. George Will said that vulgarity won’t hurt Trump’s campaign; it’s what his campaign is based on.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/24/2016 @ 9:27 pm

  192. That tweet was put out late last night and at LUNCH today I was watching the press conference. What the hell was “late” about that, Sarah?

    To clarify, Cruz was dilatory in responding to the PAC ad. Not in defending his own wife.

    SarahW (67599f) — 3/24/2016 @ 9:31 pm

  193. Yes Trump or Cruz!

    Wow. I was certain you meant Trump or Hillary.

    Is this the same Patricia who has commented here before???

    I understand not wanting to vote for Trump. What about Donald Trump attacking Ted Cruz’s wife makes you not want to vote for Ted Cruz??

    Patterico (22ba8e) — 3/24/2016 @ 9:41 pm

  194. Everybody loves a clown, so why don’t you?
    Everybody laughs at the things he’ll say and do
    They all laugh when they see Trump comin’
    But Cruz don’t laugh, he just keeps on runnin’
    Everybody loves a clown, so why can’t you?
    A clown has feelings, too

    Colonel Haiku (3bf827) — 3/24/2016 @ 9:54 pm

  195. “My new policy, effective immediately, is to say “sniveling coward” where I would normally write “Donald Trump.” – Patterico

    15 characters and a space?

    That’s more effort than he’s worth.

    Let’s keep it simple: Shorty.

    ThOR (a52560) — 3/24/2016 @ 10:00 pm

  196. George Will -He’s right.

    Also P. is right that I am dissatisfied with Cruz, and not just because of some divergence of outlook on some policy issues. (There isn’t anyone in this race that is more closely aligned with my outlook politically.). I have some frustrations with unnecessary underperformance on his part.

    SarahW (d1ca6f) — 3/24/2016 @ 10:03 pm

  197. cause if ted likes

    the way

    h looks that much

    then teddy you can go and

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/24/2016 @ 10:48 pm

  198. unlikely this would happen here, even though michel is a center right government,

    http://nypost.com/2016/03/24/politicians-offer-to-resign-over-failure-to-track-down-brussels-jihadist/

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/24/2016 @ 10:48 pm

  199. Given the high opinion-poll ratings for godawful Hillary dating back several years, and the squishy Republican elites who imply she’s better than Trump or Cruz, and all of this occurring on the back end of a society awash in a “goddamn America” frame of mind (or political correctness gone berserk—rampant among the “precious snowflakes” of the US’s younger generations) — with the current occupant in the White House getting better favorable (or less negative) ratings in Gallup surveys than his predecessor did (even more so during Bush’s last year in office), I think the US is headed into a long, long twilight.

    Cruz is the best of the bunch, but he’s too conservative for an America following in the footsteps of decadent, rainbow-flag-bedecked Europe. He needs a rightist version of the sort of appeal best exemplified by those Republicans who (at least 8 years ago) admired the crease of the pants of the person he hopes to succeed. He needs liberal counterparts to the Peggy Noonans of November 2008, and unfortunately that phenomenon probably won’t manifest itself in November 2016.

    The only way horrible Hillary figuratively chokes in November is if she literally chokes well before then. In the meantime, it does seem our chickens have been and are coming home to roost.

    Mark (0a1d10) — 3/24/2016 @ 11:12 pm

  200. Can we give Fiorina a try again?

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:40 am

  201. At #40

    Cruz didn’t do this.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/24/2016 @ 3:16 pm

    Cruz absolutely had to break 50% in Utah, collecting all of the delegates, and he has to do that in a bunch more states coming up, otherwise it’s over.

    You are being naive, thinking that a Cruz pac, piloted by a notorious hatchet job, posts nudie pics of Trumps wife on the eve of the Utah caucus without Ted’s machinations.

    What’s more their was ballot box stuffing. Ted wasn’t taking any chances.

    Utah Caucus: First hand report

    someone shows up with a stack of probably 250 ballots. The precinct chair splits them up, and starts handing stacks of them out and tells people “take one and pass it down”.

    No checking credentials, IDs, NOTHING.

    I’m sitting at the end of a row and people start handing me stacks of extras. I literally had over 50 ballots in my hand.

    [link to i.imgur.com (secure)] {picture shows fifty or so ballots from Utah GOP caucus proving the author’s bonafides – pt}

    We were told to mark our vote and place our ballot in a tin can. They then asked for a volunteer to hold the can. At this point, most people filed out the door.

    I cast ONE vote, then stuck around to see what would happen with the votes.

    About 15 minutes later, with only about 10 or so people milling around, someone walks in the room with an envelopes STUFFED full of “absentee” ballots – some envelopes having 2-5+ ballots.

    I raised a question and said, “isn’t there an absentee process already in place? Didn’t people have to register for that last week?” and was told “Oh no, this is completely normal”.

    As I’ve mentioned in other threads, I was in Party leadership for 6 years and no, this is absolutely not normal.

    I then asked if I could observe the vote count, and I was told my observations where not needed and to leave the area while the ballots were being counted.

    I left the room (things were already a complete Charlie Foxtrot at this point) and wandered over to my friends precinct caucus to see if it was just as much a cluster.

    His caucus was just getting to the presidential ballot, and as I walked in the door I was handed ANOTHER BALLOT.

    Again, no credential check, no ID check, NOTHING.

    No, I didn’t vote again…

    I went back to my precinct and they had the results:
    74% Cruz
    14% Trump
    11% Kasich

    Now just imagine this kind of outright incompetence/manipulation happening in 2000 precincts across the state.

    As I left the building, I started overhearing results coming back from other precincts… Overwhelmingly numbers for Cruz… Like 70-90% or more. (In one precinct Cruz got around 100, Trump had 2, Kasich 0)

    Bottom line… They basically are going to post whatever the hell numbers they want.

    There were no apparent controls, no credential checks, no ID checks, and ballots being handed around like napkins.

    papertiger (c2d6da) — 3/25/2016 @ 2:18 am

  202. “I have sin with katrina pierson!” It worked for jimmy swagger maybe it will work for me!

    ted cruz (dab0a9) — 3/25/2016 @ 2:26 am

  203. At # 84

    Likely there will be more to come.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 5:48 pm

    The Daily Mail story where the reporter trashes Trump for putting the shmoos on her 20 years ago.

    The thing that struck the wrong note with me is where Selina Scott describes Donald’s mother.
    First she addresses Mrs. Trump by her maiden name, Mary Macleod.

    Second she characterizes the old lady as “a trophy mother”. Who talks like that?
    People don’t pick their mother. It’s the other way around. Donald is a result of his mother’s immaculate manner. Scott has it backward.

    Third, and please check this yourself (don’t take my word for it – here’s the link again) not one of the alleged targets of Donald Trumps uncouth manner are named, unless they happen to be dead, in which case Scott wouldn’t have to worry about slandering them.

    Uncorroborated stories with alleged victims either dead or unnamed.

    Maybe that sort of stuff impresses Britons.

    papertiger (c2d6da) — 3/25/2016 @ 2:54 am

  204. Our betters’ bosses:

    “I will ask the governments to cooperate, to recognize that sovereignty is an illusion — that sovereignty is an absolute illusion that has to be put behind us,” declared former Goldman Sachs chairman Peter Sutherland, an ex-member of the Bilderberg Steering Committee who currently “serves” as the UN special representative of the secretary-general for international migration. “The days of hiding behind borders and fences are long gone. We have to work together and cooperate together to make a better world.

    At least DT is whom he appears to be.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/25/2016 @ 2:58 am

  205. 194. I concur and remind one and all I was early to Cruz’ camp, maybe not the very first but close enough.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/25/2016 @ 3:02 am

  206. SALT LAKE CITY — Just over a year ago, Mitt Romney warned Utah leaders that the state GOP’s decision to switch from a presidential primary to a party-run caucus election was “a bad decision” that would limit voter turnout.

    His prediction was proven correct in Tuesday’s presidential preference caucus votes, where Republicans’ top pick was Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Democrats chose Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

    Even though Republicans and Democrats reported record numbers of Utahans participating in Tuesday’s caucuses, 53 percent more votes were cast in the 2008 presidential primary, the last time there were contested races for both parties.

    Put another way, nearly one-third of active registered voters went to the polls eight years ago compared with 22.5 percent who made their presidential preference known Tuesday.

    “At that time, everybody said how low turnout was,” said state Elections Director Mark Thomas. “Now, with a number that’s even less than that, everyone is saying how high it is.”

    Suppressed turn out, coupled with the GOPe’s midnight jump into the Cruz camp.

    Perfect storm of election rigging.

    papertiger (c2d6da) — 3/25/2016 @ 3:02 am

  207. WTF. Ted? Your response?

    mg (31009b) — 3/25/2016 @ 3:30 am

  208. 202… Excremental.

    Colonel Haiku (3bf827) — 3/25/2016 @ 3:40 am

  209. 203… Shamefully narcissistic.

    Colonel Haiku (3bf827) — 3/25/2016 @ 3:50 am

  210. Despite Mr. M’s antipathy toward a parsimonious calling-card, Wisconsin’s Sen. Proxmire was a signal example of a polititian who was not for sale and who represented himself as the person he manifestly was.

    Both times I shook his hand he was totally on his own without his people standing by; once in the crowd at Randall stadium, just standing amid the pre-game crush; the other occasion standing outside a re-purposed grocery at the exit, just a handrail between making other than a left-handed shake infeasible.

    An honest man in politics is exceedingly rare.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/25/2016 @ 3:53 am

  211. 205… Masshattery… hip deep in sheep dip, hand him snorkel, mask and frog flippers.

    Colonel Haiku (3bf827) — 3/25/2016 @ 3:54 am

  212. 208… Square-jawed, square of head, vainglorious

    Colonel Haiku (3bf827) — 3/25/2016 @ 3:56 am

  213. I’m not saying Cruz can be bought, just that his persona I am now persuaded is not homogeneously genuine.

    DNF (755a85) — 3/25/2016 @ 4:06 am

  214. 199. Who can question a story from godlikeprosuctions.com?

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 4:42 am

  215. 211… pusillanimous… Highly judgmental… Land o’ Lakes buttery… smeg-headed…

    Colonel Haiku (3bf827) — 3/25/2016 @ 4:48 am

  216. Patterico (22ba8e) — 3/24/2016 @ 9:41 pm

    Cruz could have done a much better job at calling for an end to all of this kind of junk, instead of his own version of macho.
    I don’t know how much of Cruz’ response was natural and how much was calculated,
    and my goodness, these guys are running non-stop and reacting rather than reflecting and acting.

    he could have looked more presidential than jr high/high school macho.

    What he did was not nearly as bad as Trump, but I think he let himself get dragged down into the gutter a bit.

    And, fwiw, I don’t bother reading ropelight or papertiger anymore.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (3fd36a) — 3/25/2016 @ 4:49 am

  217. National Enquirer is reporting that Ted Cruz is hiding 5 affairs with hot babes.

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 5:07 am

  218. I wonder how much Trump paid them to write that story. I bet he made a GREAT deal and got a HYUUGE discount.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 5:09 am

  219. The damage will be done anyway, I’m afraid. Cruz will lose the gay vote.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 5:11 am

  220. The Enquirer has a pretty good track record of exposing high level politicians playing patty cake. Remember all the adamant denials from John Edwards (who?) and the vitriol his supporters spewed before he eventually had to come clean? The Enquirer took a ton of abuse for being accurate. I say they’ve earned a fair hearing before condemning the story as bogus. (TDS sufferers will attack the messenger, they’re often dead wrong, but they’re never in doubt.)

    If the Enguirer is wrong, they’re wrong and the story will be exposed as fraudulent. But if the Enquirer has scooped the combined national media again, they deserve our thanks.

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 5:26 am

  221. Has Drudge linked the Enquirer story? I doan theenk so. Gawker has and some other internet trashcans.

    You do know that Trump has sex with pigs, right? I cannot vouch that it’s true, but Trump can deny it and if the story is wrong it will be exposed as fraudulent. But I am 99% certain that he has not paid any income tax in recent years and 50% certain that he could not pass an Alzheimer’s screening.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 5:35 am

  222. Looks like Cruz could be caught doing the horizontal hula with Obama’s Tango babe on Pennsylvania Avenue and it wouldn’t bother his holy roller supporters in the slightest.

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 5:49 am

  223. In the second place, Cruz has not been caught at anything. It’s just somebody said that somebody said that somebody said. But in the more important first place, Cruz has ethos. Credibility. A solid reputation for probity. And his accusers have the exact opposite. It’s not the pot calling the cattle black. I’s the soot calling the snow black.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 5:54 am

  224. It’s the soot

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 5:55 am

  225. And, if it turns out the Enquirer’s story is accurate, Ted Cruz’s ethos (credibility) evaporates like early morning dew when the sun come out, along with the credibility of his defenders.

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 6:10 am

  226. Voters deserve a response from Cruz.

    mg (31009b) — 3/25/2016 @ 6:11 am

  227. It’s more likely that the IRS audit will determine that Trump under-reported his taxable income by more than 5% and refer it to the criminal division.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 6:16 am

  228. OK, so now the Trumpsters wants America to believe the man they think is the biggest stiff in the world has secretly really got more game than your guy?

    crazy (cde091) — 3/25/2016 @ 6:17 am

  229. If it’s from a source worth listening to, mg. Should Trump respond to me for my comments?

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 6:18 am

  230. I promise, I am more honest and ethical than the National Enquirer and Gawker.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 6:20 am

  231. Handy timing for Trump, now that he is going on a 10-day vacation. It also lets him divert the media from his actions.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 6:35 am

  232. And, fwiw, I don’t bother reading ropelight or papertiger anymore.

    I’m sorry to hear that, MD in Philly. Of course you have a complete right to self censorship however, I hadn’t thought you the type. After all the silly nonsense we’ve seen from the little snowflakes attending todays colleges, the last thing we should do is emulate their inability to see and hear opposing opinions. This election has conservatives behaving like leftists. If they can’t silence the opposition they put their fingers in their ears and go la-la-la-la. Take your fingers out and you can hear the Republic crumbling around you. By November the “fundamental transformation” will be irreversible if it isn’t already.

    In an election after a douche like Obama where his foreign policies are a shambles and the economy a pathetic Krugmanesque combination of high taxes/over-regulation/debt that the Republicans should have easily swooped in to save the day like they did after JJJJimmy Carter, Trump stepped in and now it appears the democrats will win. They will win with either a grotesque, almost indicted grifter who managed to amass $130 million on a $186,000 a year salary OR a friggin’ communist as candidates. I’m not sure if the left has succeeded in turning America into a laughing stock or a nightmare but it turned into something I don’t recognize or any longer belong to.

    But I am sure that right now is no time to stop reading and listening to people I disagree with.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (e4fcd6) — 3/25/2016 @ 6:37 am

  233. Perhaps the new true Scotsman gambit always works out.

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/25/2016 @ 6:48 am

  234. No true Scotsman would ever buy the National Enquirer? He’d just try to get into the longest line at the grocery store checkout and read it until he got to the cash register?

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 6:53 am

  235. The Enquirer has a pretty good track record of exposing high level politicians playing patty cake. Remember all the adamant denials from John Edwards

    In Edward’s case the Enquirer actually had an actual name of his alleged girl friend. I think they had other details that made the story credible – I’m not going to bother to look it up. Does the Cruz story have any actual details or are unnamed “five hot babes” pretty much the entire story?

    Looks like Cruz could be caught doing the horizontal hula with Obama’s Tango babe on Pennsylvania Avenue and it wouldn’t bother his holy roller supporters in the slightest.

    Since he hasn’t been caught this is yet another dishonest or just plain stupid comment, take your pick.

    And, if it turns out the Enquirer’s story is accurate, Ted Cruz’s ethos (credibility) evaporates like early morning dew when the sun come out, along with the credibility of his defenders.

    Besides being illogical (shocker!) since at this time there is no reason to believe this, coming from a Trumper who I’m quite sure wouldn’t care how many extramarital affairs his guy may have had or anything else about his personal behavior such as making offensive remarks about Cruz’s wife, this talk of the credibility of Cruz’s supporters is quite bizarre.

    Gerald A (945582) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:09 am

  236. oh my goodness Ted you are do the pecadillo with all them ones?

    you’re not who i thought you were i have to

    oh my goodness

    i need some time to process this

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:17 am

  237. Why would Ted not come out with a defamation claim, nk?

    mg (31009b) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:19 am

  238. Ted’s probably super-embarrassed he got caught Mr. mg

    i know i sure would be

    oh my goodness!

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:20 am

  239. because you have to be an exceedingly slimy nazgul like denton, who be exposed under current rules, they hide behind the public figure exemption, anything goes,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:23 am

  240. Unfortunately, the Trump Fan Boys won’t support Cruz until it is proven he’s had fifty extramarital affairs and two divorces.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:26 am

  241. The Gateway Pundit is a big Trump supporter, mg, and he doubts this story. If it’s true, it probably kills Cruz’s campaign. But this is thinly sourced and doesn’t name names, and the timing is curious. Even Breitbart passed on it. Let it play out.

    By the way, the Fiorina connection and donation is the meat of the story, but Keep The Promise I’s donor Robert Mercer likes Fiorina. For Mercer to have his PAC give to Fiorina while supporting Cruz isn’t surprising.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:28 am

  242. happy’s got the vapors, happy’s got the vapors, nana-na-nana.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (e4fcd6) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:28 am

  243. New York Times vs. Sullivan, which Trump wants to repeal. Public official/figure; he must prove that the defamer actually knew the story was a lie or disregarded evidence that the story was a lie, negligence is not enough; has to prove actual monetary damages i.e. money he would have made but for the story; no punitive damages; and the only one who profits is the gossip rag which will keep the story going as long as the case does with the money spent on its lawyers being a small overhead. The business of National Enquirer is defamation of public figures and it has learned to make money by it from people who move their lips when they read. Cruz can only lose by dignifying it in any way other than “I scrape the National Enquirer off the soles of my boots every time I come back from the cow pasture”.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:29 am

  244. it seems highly out of character, but the times didn’t hesitate to run with that weaver sourced rumor, like I say no more ‘fighting in the war room’

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:33 am

  245. The Hulk Hogan verdict will not survive appeal, by the way. The allegations were true. Infliction of severe emotional distress by publishing true facts about the distressed is not actionable. Bad judge, bad jury, bad lawyers for Denton, or all three, is the reason for that verdict.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:33 am

  246. probably, no good deed goes unpunished, but the cost of the lawsuit against denton, might provoke caution in the future, i09 is perhaps the only site I don’t have to don a hazmat suit,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:35 am

  247. I’m getting pretty bored, and more than a little annoyed, with all the ways people are blaming Ted Cruz for Donald Trump’s attacks on his wife. I guess I’m done with this thread.

    Patterico (86c8ed) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:36 am

  248. @235 mg

    People on Twitter have already “named” two of the women based on the pics in The Enquirer story. It seems like they would have a better shot at suing being private citizens.

    pinandpuller (a12946) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:36 am

  249. he’s ruining easter

    he is risen oh my goodness

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:37 am

  250. Roger Stone is known for dirty tricks. Could he still be working with Trump?

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:38 am

  251. people are blaming Ted Cruz for Donald Trump’s attacks on his wife

    this is almost 100% Liz Mair’s fault she’s a TERRIBLE person

    she doesn’t care who she hurts she’s just like patti labelle

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:39 am

  252. I think the actual definition of ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ is that Donald Trump is deranged.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:41 am

  253. it’s possible, but in a politico piece, which was full of anonymous sources aimed at lewandowski earlier, he seemed to take exception at said tactics,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:42 am

  254. That Trump supporters consider Enquirer such a great news source tells me a lot.

    SPQR (a3a747) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:42 am

  255. Roger Stone is behind this, DRJ? (I haven’t done more than looked at Google links.) He’s a complete and utter LaRouchie nutcase and conspiracy theorist. If I had known that, I would have just snickered instead of sacrificing so many innocent bytes.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:43 am

  256. Take your fingers out and you can hear the Republic crumbling around you. By November the “fundamental transformation” will be irreversible if it isn’t already.

    I have a hunch the current occupant of the White House is more greatly emboldened to be as ultra-liberal as he is (linked at drudgereport.com right now to a report about his saying to students in Argentina that there’s no difference between Communism and capitalism, as well as giving praise to Castro’s Cuba) due in part to his opinion poll ratings being at least better (considerably so) than that of his predecessor’s. The same dynamic probably applies to horrific Hillary, who has enjoyed good poll ratings for several years.

    Another report says some Republican insiders are trying to finagle Paul Ryan into being the presidential nominee of the party.

    As has been true of humans for centuries, many people ultimately have no choice but to vote with their feet. I just despise those people who make a mess of things by voting with their ballots, and then, when the socio-political situation becomes too much of a disaster even for them, picking up and leaving the scene of the crime they’ve helped create.

    That’s why liberals in particular (if not perennial squishes too) should be sent one-way tickets to Venezuela, Cuba or, closer to home, all the very-blue, crime-plagued, broken-economy urban areas throughout America. Such folks deserve no less.

    Mark (23b32d) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:44 am

  257. Paul Ryan are snivel poop coward

    he can’t stand up and fight he is weak he is scared

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:45 am

  258. I doubt it. liz mair just took andrea mcwilliam’s nudge to the next step, and now we are this mexican standoff, as western europe acquires the facade of 90s Algiers, and the Moscow of the last decade,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:47 am

  259. Hibachis Barbeque

    Tempura batters thicken

    NiKkeis love Ted Cruz

    Keep on f’in’ that chicken

    pinandpuller (0845e7) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:48 am

  260. Are you referring to the Cruz liberals, the Trump liberals, or both, Mark?

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:48 am

  261. So, nk, if someone was to look at the archives and find your comments on the Enquirer’s expose of John Edwards and his secret squeeze they’d show you defending Edwards and claiming his supporters move their lips when they read? Is that a fair assumption?

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:49 am

  262. I can’t quite follow the argument that reading the comments of Sniveling Coward supporters might be other than a waste of time coupled to potential brain cell death. I understand the argument that failure to embrace Gonorrhea might result in a victory for Syphilis but I find myself more attracted to Abstinence as the better course. Abstinence on the top line backed by strong support of suppressants for Gonorrhea or Syphilis down ticket seems reasonable at the moment, should Antibiotic fail to stem the spread of Gonorrhea.

    Sniveling Coward supporters are very fond of citing the election of 1980 as a foundation for the Sniveling Coward Unicorn hypothesis. The 1980 electorate no longer exists and the predicate for faith in polling being “wrong” is based upon the fact Gallup was a lone source of early polling in 1980.

    Rick Ballard (9cd867) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:01 am

  263. No, nk, I wasn’t saying that. I was thinking about Roger Stone because of something linked by someone else. The link said Stone was behind a website where people can report election/voting problems that hurt Trump. I was confused by that because I thought Stone and Trump had parted ways last Fall, but it made me wonder if Stone might still be helping Trump.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:04 am

  264. they hadn’t weaponized polling and the media in general back then, yet, of course the elephant sitting on the tea party in 2012, and maverick taking a powder, are the details left out of the story,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:05 am

  265. Rev. Hoagie ™ (e4fcd6) — 3/25/2016 @ 6:37 am

    It’s not that I decline reading people I disagree with, I will happily do that if they have something to say,
    but when their arguments are specious, and they persist in them in spite of evidence to the contrary which they ignore,
    for example, it is a waste of time to repeat posting a link which is ignored.

    If someone makes a point actually worthwhile, I will pick it up in the discussion.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (3fd36a) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:17 am

  266. And Cruz is like Edwards how?

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:17 am

  267. Patterico (86c8ed) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:36 am

    I am afraid I do not see the logic in your point.

    There are very few people here who blame Cruz for being involved in the original ad with Melania that began the kerfuffle,
    and they are being largely ignored after their arguments are unraveled.

    What some of us are disappointed in, to various degrees from mildly to seriously,
    is the way Cruz has responded.
    But then again, we really don’t know how Cruz responded in toto,
    all we know is what one media source or another reports.

    I guess if we had a Cruz 24/7 YouTube channel where we could see what he has actually said it would be real nice.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (3fd36a) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:23 am

  268. SainTed

    pinandpuller (928ad9) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:24 am

  269. it’s a bs story, that went three days, while bodies are being pulled out of zaventam, of course the brothers were on the watchlist, as was the choachis, the t-dawgs, the san bernardino couple, etc, etc

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:25 am

  270. #266, nk, The National Enquirer has raised the issue of philandering against both of them. And, both of them presented themselves to voters as family men who love their wives and don’t mess around with floozies on the side.

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:26 am

  271. Narciso,

    I understand the full breadth of the polling conspiracy as well as I understand the dollar value of the free publicity which media has granted to Sniveling Coward in order to assure victory for Syphilis. That does not obviate the point that the 1980 electorate does not exist nor does it take into account the fact Syphilis supporters are voting for their living and thus much more likely to actually show up and vote in November. Voting to protect their subsidy may be the most rational act they perform in the whole year.

    Rick Ballard (9cd867) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:26 am

  272. you assume a static model of polling, that includes no other variables, except the requisite quotient of soft tissue injuries by top men,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:28 am

  273. Is it that out of line for a Cruz backer to ask for a statement?
    Are the twitterers tweeting about this?

    mg (31009b) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:32 am

  274. With Edwards, the National Enquirer had video and pictures of Edwards with his baby, and there was a criminal case and people going to jail for campaign finance fraud and payoffs, and multitudes of other corroborations that Christ would have needed more than seven loaves and seven fishes to feed. You’ve got?

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:32 am

  275. Rick Ballard (9cd867) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:01 am

    Good analogy,
    and note, both gonorrhea and syphilis are usually treatable with the proper antibiotics,
    but both can also lead to fatal complications.

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (3fd36a) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:32 am

  276. oh my goodness washington times confirms it

    Ted are doing the pecadilloes on the women (not Heidi)

    these are nasty ones who did not go to the proper schools

    oh my goodness

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:41 am

  277. ted cruz makes sexy on non-heidi womens

    this is obvious to anyone who is willing to do the analysis

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:43 am

  278. BusTed

    TainTed

    pinandpuller (c16705) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:43 am

  279. Peccadillo Chili is great with crackers.

    pinandpuller (a12946) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:45 am

  280. Sen Cruz had his own Gang of Six.

    pinandpuller (928ad9) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:47 am

  281. #274, nk, which came first, the Enquirer’s expose or all that other down-stream stuff you’re using as a smoke screen? Before you go expecting proof of Ted’s floozies how about giving investigators a little time to gather the evidence of Ted’s secret affairs, if it exists.

    It’s way too early to spin cover stories, unless the TDS is irresistible.

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:48 am

  282. Neil Bush is looking more like a roadie for Motley Crue every minute.

    pinandpuller (c16705) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:55 am

  283. Who is spinning a cover story? None is needed. I’ve made no alibis for Cruz — he does not need any. I’ve said that the National Enquirer is something you scrape off the bottom of your shoe and I don’t believe any of the stuff it prints without unimpeachably solid proof.

    Sorry, ropelight, I don’t subscribe to the Harry Reid theory of guilty until proven innocent. When will Trump prove that there is not a video of him in a French maid outfit being whipped by a dominatrix in a Slovenian brothel? Is that why he married Melania — because a wife cannot testify against her husband? And when will he prove that he does not pay zero income tax by releasing his tax returns? You see how stupid (literally) this “we gotta take the allegation seriously” mindset is?

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:59 am

  284. Keep on f’in’ that chicken

    pinandpuller (0845e7) — 3/25/2016 @ 7:48 am

    You go, cowboy, and don’t let anybody stop you.

    Colonel Haiku (3d4257) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:02 am

  285. NATO is past its expiration date:

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-03-25/trump-right-dump-nato-now

    DNF (ffe548) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:07 am

  286. nk, et al, tune in to Rush, he’s going over the Enquirer’s story now.

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:14 am

  287. “you assume a static model of polling”

    No, I assume those who depend upon subsidy to eat will vote to protect their subsidy. I assume progressive fascists will support the candidate who best represents progressive fascism just as I assume conservatives will support the most conservative electable candidate. I assume the balance of the electorate will vote for the unicorn of their choice, largely based upon their emotional reaction to stimulus applied through the media. Polling is just a gauge of the success of the application of emotional stimulation with growing antipathy towards Sniveling Coward being as entirely predictable among those not enamored of the Great Wall of Trump (with automatic revolving doors) as his True Believers sucking up and repeating every lie told.

    Rick Ballard (9cd867) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:19 am

  288. yes yes NATO’s not a good value even if you have the groupon

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:20 am

  289. Just when he was pulling even with the polls this comes out? All that time and money and none of the original 17 will be heading the ticket this fall…. wonder if there is buyer’s remorse in Utah?

    spokanebob (e86321) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:23 am

  290. I trust Limbaugh less than the Enquirer. Trump is a better person than Limbaugh in my opinion, even if it is not saying much. Trump may peddle more sizzle than steak, but Limbaugh is 100% smoke.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:25 am

  291. Sarah Isgur Flores worked for Carly Fiorina as deputy campaign manager. In July 2015 an unusual $500,000 donation was made by Ted Cruz-affiliated Super PAC, Keep the Promise to Carly Fiorina’s official campaign fund.

    omg Ted is such hippopotamus

    he do butt snuffles for Jesus

    then he make sexy on not-heidis!

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:26 am

  292. can’t help the dark sarcasm but if true I guess Ted really does have bigger hands….

    spokanebob (e86321) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:28 am

  293. The 1980 electorate no longer exists and the predicate for faith in polling being “wrong” is based upon the fact Gallup was a lone source of early polling in 1980.

    That pretty much guarantees that a combination of Euro-sclerotic- and central-American-type leftism will prevail in the US forever more.

    We’re sunk.

    Elections at the polling booth, therefore, have less importance than in the past since the value of voting with one’s feet and the moving van takes on greater meaning, and is the only recourse remaining for more and more people. This time, however, it will be a bit different from the great waves of humanity who felt they had no choice but to sail to Ellis Island, etc, in the early 1900s.

    But life as usual for other segments of the nation, for all the limousine liberals (eg, living the good life in bubbles in Silicon Valley or Manhattan, etc) and country-club Republicans—who are sort of the successors to the comfy crowd that wanted business-as-usual back in 1800s, pre-Civil-War America.

    Mark (6c93d5) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:33 am

  294. this is so smutty

    Ted Cruz and his sticky sex romps

    good lord someone needs to patrol HIS effing neighborhood

    my goodness

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:36 am

  295. Has anyone checked on Glen Beck? This may be more than he can take.

    spokanebob (1aaf2a) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:40 am

  296. here’s a pic of one of the cruz babes ted made sexy with

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:41 am

  297. Dumbest caller on Rush: I’m miffed because Cruz denied he had anything to do with the ad, but got to reap the benefits from it. (by winning Utah).

    Can we be clear on this: there is no way to know whether the ad gave Cruz more votes or not. Mair claimed it worked but as far as I can tell, she still has not provided any evidence of this. Further, it would have been highly illegal for Cruz to collude with a super-PAC. Would Cruz, a lawyer of some renown, be so stupid that he would commit an illegal act in order to get this ad out – especially WHEN HE WAS ALREADY SURGING AHEAD IN UTAH??

    People have lost their minds.

    And Rush, to his shame, did not point out the obvious to this dolt.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:43 am

  298. #274, nk, which came first, the Enquirer’s expose or all that other down-stream stuff you’re using as a smoke screen? Before you go expecting proof of Ted’s floozies how about giving investigators a little time to gather the evidence of Ted’s secret affairs, if it exists.

    It’s way too early to spin cover stories, unless the TDS is irresistible.

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 8:48 am

    Questioning the Enquirer’s claim is TDS? Do you try to be as stupid as possible?

    Gerald A (945582) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:45 am

  299. Capt Freedom report to RNC Casting stat! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LazUZz3K6IY

    spokanebob (e86321) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:50 am

  300. If something like this allegation was made about Trump in the Enquirer all the Trumpers would claim Cruz was behind it (with no evidence of course) and be calling Cruz all kinds of names over it.

    So I guess we should follow the Trumpers’ now standard m.o., assume Trump is behind this, vow not to vote for that filthy lying Trump in a million years and blanket social media and talk radio with the claim as well.

    Gerald A (945582) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:53 am

  301. Naughty Nina Tattles on Ted: “My Vagina Survived! But My Thighs Got Scorched”

    Colonel Haiku (3d4257) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:55 am

  302. Either Trump or Hillary are behind this which is the same thing. Trump is Hillary’s stalking horse.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:58 am

  303. oh my goodness scorched thighs for real?

    i bet they were sticky

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:58 am

  304. this is why you should always grab extra wetnaps at chick fil a

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:00 am

  305. All this fighting between Trump supporters and Cruz supporters, or Republicans in general, is a case of midgets wrestling with one another.

    The very fact corrupt crud like Hillary or the Communist-loving person she hopes to succeed receive as much support as they do, based on opinion polls, or certainly are not rejected the way even slightly besmirched conservatives/Republicans are rejected (eg, George W Bush, Sarah Palin), is a major warning sign. It’s a hint that the body of America has come down with a serious case of socio-political cancer.

    Mark (6c93d5) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:02 am

  306. Apparently, someone with administrative authority has been going through my comments and removing references to the supermarket tabloid which published the allegations about Ted Cruz’s alleged affairs.

    Who is doing that?

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:05 am

  307. 300. Gerald A (945582) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:53 am

    If something like this allegation was made about Trump in the Enquirer all the Trumpers would claim Cruz was behind it (with no evidence of course) and be calling Cruz all kinds of names over it.

    No, Clinton, but that may amount to the same thing as Trump.

    The National Enquirer is closer to Clinton – it has, or had the same lawyer, David Kendall, as the Clintons. If the Clintons were not a criminal conspiracy that wouldn’t amount to much, but you can’t say that.

    Sammy Finkelman (592ec6) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:07 am

  308. Maybe it isn’t just me. There are anomalies in the comments of others too.

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:10 am

  309. If it is true about Cruz I would like to know it,
    but I would think that after Edwards and Herman Cain any candidate with a history of affairs should expect it to be made public.

    But, since Cruz is a public figure,
    even if it could be proven that somebody pushed this story and got paid for doing it
    would there be any criminal consequences?

    MD in Philly (at the moment not in Philly) (3fd36a) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:12 am

  310. I assure you I’m not, ropelight, and I can say with absolute assurance that none of the others are either. But hey, nice try.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:14 am

  311. my comments have all their considerable integrity intact

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:17 am

  312. 309 – I don’t think there would be criminal consequences unless recordings (heaven forbid) were released. Trump has connections all over the place in the media – only opinion but I think the PAC’s actions might have prompted him to release the kraken.

    I do hope it is not true but putting 5 pics on the cover for a false story is inviting bankruptcy through a lawsuit.

    Obama was lucky that he kept Edwards at arm’s length in 2008. Or perhaps he knew something the rest of us didn’t.

    spokanebob (6797b5) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:19 am

  313. Please have another look Dana. I find lacuna in my comments at the following numbers: 217, 220, 225, 270, and 281. If they are only invisible to me then it’s my computer. But if you find holes in my comments then it’s the site.

    PS: They seem to fall between italics. Also, the italic button is black on my screen.

    Thanks again.

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:28 am

  314. Nobody in the senate likes Cruz. He has to do open-face waitress sandwiches.

    pinandpuller (0845e7) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:28 am

  315. Mair was just being bratty, she just means “in your face, we won; PHEAR ME,” although Trump was always going to be taken down to Chinatown in Utah, and be crushed by Cruz, and the pics and attached snark could only have marginal motivating power and not all of it in Cruz’s direction. (She really only served up a slow lob to Trump. It was not a savvy move.)

    SarahW (d1ca6f) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:32 am

  316. Mr. Cruz is saying all the stories about how he makes sex with all the different non-heidis are lies cause he wants everyone to not believe the stories

    he’s so transparent

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 11:09 am

  317. ropelight,

    Everything looks perfectly fine. The problem is definitely on your end. Given that you used your “concerned” comment to spotlight previous comments made that push the tabloid story, I am lead to believe that you are also pushing a conspiracy theory with regard to Patterico writers censoring you. At one time, I would have thought this beneath you. Now I’ll just say, shame on you, and stop it.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/25/2016 @ 11:13 am

  318. Cruz denies the allegations:

    Ted Cruz called out the National Enquirer story that alleges he had affairs with five different women as ‘garbage’ Friday. Speaking to reporters after a campaign event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Cruz said the story is full of ‘complete and utter lies’ and is a ‘tabloid smear’ that has come from rival frontrunner Donald Trump and his political adviser Roger Stone

    Amanda Carpenter also denied an affair, calling it “categorically false,” but a Trump spokeswoman continued to push the allegations. Is this Trump’s (and Roger Stone’s) version of Rathergate?

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 11:35 am

  319. Ropelight, put. The. Bong. Down.

    SPQR (8ba105) — 3/25/2016 @ 11:36 am

  320. Did Amanda Carpenter get dusTed for fingerprints?

    It seems to me Hillary has just as much incentive to push this story if Trump is her weakest opponent.

    pinandpuller (928ad9) — 3/25/2016 @ 11:42 am

  321. DRJ that’s exactly what Ted would say if he didn’t want people to know he been doing snuggles on non-heidis

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 11:44 am

  322. Trump’s spokeswoman, Katrina Pierson, also says the story is false.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 11:46 am

  323. So now, because of people like happyfeet who love to be titilated, we get to see every brown-haired conservative woman in Washington and Texas get asked if they ever had an affair with Ted Cruz. And when they all say No, then Trump and his hapyfeet minions will say that shows Cruz is a little man.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 11:49 am

  324. not all the non-heidis have denied it though DRJ

    it’s very troubling

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 11:53 am

  325. It’s titilating. Imagine the look on Donald Trump’s face when he thinks about this story. Now imagine how excited it makes him if he is responsible.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 11:56 am

  326. when did you get so cynical

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 11:57 am

  327. Trump talks about woman as sex objects, he is preoccupied with his wife’s and other candidate’s wives’ beauty, and he may be involved in a sex smear. Does Trump think about sex 24/7?

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:00 pm

  328. Mr happyfeet, why are you pretending to care about affairs? If you were offended by them, you wouldn’t be supporting sex-obsessed The Mr Donald.

    You’re just angry at Mr Ted because he goes to church. (LOL)

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:05 pm

  329. Mr. Trump is not a hippopotamus though he is who he is Mr. Supporter

    Mr. Cruz though is a big fat preachy hippopotamus who pretends to be the moral arbiter of our age but in truth he likes to take his clothes off and do snuggles on all these different women (not Heidi)

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:08 pm

  330. Upthread happyfeet linked to a tabloid accusation that Amanda Carpenter is one of the women named in the National Enquirer story. happyfeet said: “here’s a pic of one of the cruz babes ted made sexy with.” Note that although there is no proof of this, and Carpenter has denied it loudly, happyfeet did not say “allegedly” but simply made the accusation — with reckless disregard for the truth and what I would judge to be actual malice.

    I denounce happyfeet for that comment, and every other commenter who has pushed this sleazy story. I believe I am shielded from liability for my commenters’ idiotic comments, but I will state for the record that I am disgusted by the behavior of anyone pushing this Enquirer story, and I have lost all respect for all of you who have done so.

    Furthermore, I understand that Carpenter has hired a lawyer to investigate whether to file a lawsuit with respect to the allegations. Since I understand that the National Enquirer has named no names, the lawyer may be looking to make an example of Internet commenters who have repeated the allegation.

    I find it somewhat unlikely that Carpenter and her lawyer will search blogs like this one for libelous comments, but it’s not impossible. So let me be clear.

    If I hear from Carpenter’s lawyer and he/she asks me for information on commenters who have made libelous comments about Carpenter, I will comply with the law and will not fight such requests.

    If that position causes me to lose readers who have issued libelous comments about Carpenter, be assured that I will view losing you as a net gain. Not a loss. If you think I am going to waste legal resources, time, or money resisting a valid request for information about commenters of mine who I think have acted in a reprehensible and tortious manner, let me correct your mistaken impression.

    But I won’t delete the comments, and I have not touched any of ropelight’s comments. I will assume that he is not actively lying when he suggests that someone with administrative access has supposedly altered his comments (which has NOT happened). I will simply assume he is engaged in one of his conspiratorial flights of fancy that characterizes many supporters of the sniveling coward Donald Trump. Nobody has done what ropelight suggests. Fix your computer, buddy.

    We have free speech here. We also have potential real life consequences for abuse of it. If you’re willing to face the latter, with zero help from me, you can engage in the former here.

    Laugh it up.

    Patterico (dde7a8) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:18 pm

  331. Mr happyfeet, none of these allegations has been verified.

    Regardless of that, every person has flaws and foibles. But that doesn’t mean we still shouldn’t aspire to higher goals.
    If only The Three Time Husband Mr Donald had said, “I’m going to make my marriage great again.” (LOL)

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:20 pm

  332. The same goes for requests from any lawyer for Cruz, or any woman besides Carpenter libeled here.

    Which number, astoundingly, includes Trump’s own spokesperson! Who denies the story even as another Trump surrogate actively pushes it today on national television.

    Leon Wolf declares today that if you still support Trump knowing everything informed people now know, you are a “garbage human being.”

    He is right.

    Patterico (dde7a8) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:22 pm

  333. Mr happyfeet, you’re pushing the Amanda Carpenter allegation? No wonder you don’t use capital letters or proper punctuation. Accuracy doesn’t interest you.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:25 pm

  334. oops yes i mean Amanda Carpenter is one of the women Mr. Ted allegedly made sexy with according to the news

    then she turns around with no proof or “allegedly” she says this is all Mr. Trump’s supporters fault!

    “What’s out there is tabloid trash. If someone wants to comment on it, they can talk to my lawyer. It is categorically false. You should be ashamed for spreading this kind of smut. Donald Trump supporters should be held to account for it,” she said.*

    oh my goodness!

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:28 pm

  335. it’s bs, pikachu, and this isn’t the first time, the enquirer has left powder burns, on the victim, when they misfire,

    narciso (732bc0) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:30 pm

  336. happyfeet is a garbage person.

    Patterico (dde7a8) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:30 pm

  337. happyfeet is *allegedly* a garbage person you mean

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:31 pm

  338. No, happyfeet IS a garbage person.

    Patterico (dde7a8) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:32 pm

  339. You seem to feel strongly about Amanda Carpenter, happyfeet. Would it please you for me to bring your comment personally to her attention, so you’ll know she saw it? Happy to do it.

    Patterico (dde7a8) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:35 pm

  340. Wow. Simply wow.

    I do not understand this planet.

    Simon Jester (2708f4) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:36 pm

  341. Patterico, I have never understood these kind of people. I met some of them in graduate school, who were horribly offensive to people. My guess is that no one stuck their head in the toilet during high school and flushed.

    Awful people.

    Simon Jester (2708f4) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:38 pm

  342. I am not i a garbage person i promise (i would not lie about this)

    if Amanda says she didn’t do snuggles with Ted that’s good enough for me

    but what about all the others who aren’t denying it?

    if denying it is a sort of absolution

    than the non-denials are even more troubling, no?

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:38 pm

  343. *then* the non-denials i mean

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:39 pm

  344. Cruz blames Trump and the Instapundit linked a story about the close ties between Trump and the National Enquirer CEO. Add in that a reporter for Trump supporter Breitbart.com may have known about this story and this suggests Trump’s fingerprints.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:39 pm

  345. I also think Patterico knows something all the oh-so-clever people don’t. It’s not charitable of me, but I hope so.

    Simon Jester (2708f4) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:42 pm

  346. that’s not very good evidence for Mr. Trump being involved DRJ

    but more to the point Mr. Trump’s *alleged* involvement doesn’t have any bearing on whether or not the *allegations* are true or not

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:44 pm

  347. Connections between Trump and the purveyor of this story is some evidence, happyfeet, and that seems to be more evidence than they had for this story.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:48 pm

  348. Cruz blames Trump and the Instapundit linked a story about the close ties between Trump and the National Enquirer CEO. Add in that a reporter for Trump supporter Breitbart.com may have known about this story and this suggests Trump’s fingerprints.

    I remember reading somewhere that one of the modus operandi of the Enquirer is to cultivate celebrities to pass along dirt to them, with the promise that if they supply good stuff then the Enquirer in turn won’t dig too deeply into their own goings-on. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Ol’ Whazzizname has just that sort of relationship with the Enquirer.

    JVW (05e1e2) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:48 pm

  349. His surrogate brought up the story to Amanda Carpenter this morning on national TV, happygarbage, as you know since you linked to it. So his campaign is trying to spread the story and not even scum like you can deny it.

    Patterico (dde7a8) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:49 pm

  350. DRJ here’s an overview of how the National Enquirer has covered the election

    it appears they do have a slight bias in favor of Mr. Trump

    perhaps we should all be cautious and wait for more reporting before jumping to conclusions

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 12:53 pm

  351. I don’t think you understand libel law.

    DRJ (15874d) — 3/25/2016 @ 1:00 pm

  352. His surrogate brought up the story to Amanda Carpenter this morning on national TV, happygarbage, as you know since you linked to it.

    i don’t think this is what I linked to Mr. Patterico – what i linked to didn’t have a surrogate in it – what I linked to actually plays the story down not up:

    Amanda Carpenter is a former Ted Cruz communications director and CNN contributor. Carpenter is getting attention today because of the so-called “Ted Cruz sex scandal.” Chatter about the “scandal” stems entirely from a National Enquirer story that hit newsstands March 25 and has allegations of affairs with five women. The Enquirer ran pixelated headshots of five women that the tabloid claims had affairs with Cruz. One of the headshots appears to be of Carpenter, but there’s no evidence to back up the Enquirer’s report.

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 1:00 pm

  353. New post up about the National Enquirer story.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 3/25/2016 @ 1:05 pm

  354. Mr happyfeet, you didn’t just link to it—you actually asserted that Cruz made “sexy” with her. Please don’t try to weasel out of it like some of the other Trump Fan Boys.

    You wrote, “here’s a pic of one of the cruz babes ted made sexy with”

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 9:41 am

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/25/2016 @ 1:15 pm

  355. You wrote, “here’s a pic of one of the cruz babes ted made sexy with”

    yes yes Mr. Supporter as others pointed out I shouldn’t have said it that way I should’ve said supposedly or alleged

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 1:19 pm

  356. Mr happyfeet, you’re so emotionally invested in The Mr Donald, that you’ve willing to overstate an allegation against someone without proof. How sad.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/25/2016 @ 1:23 pm

  357. Thank you Patterico. Let people slandering and libeling others with malice be hoist upon their own petard.

    njrob (e6a98e) — 3/25/2016 @ 1:37 pm

  358. Transcript of a conversation held in a luxuriously appointed (past gaudy) sitting-room deep within the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, FL, at 4:15 a.m. some weeks ago:

    LEWANDOWSKI: … So that brings us to the week beginning on Wednesday, March 23, after Arizona and Utah. We’re looking at a mixed bag in those two states, boss, so we need to spend some capital seizing the media cycle for the following week.

    TRUMP: So do you think it’s time for Melania’s T&A routine? We’ve always planned to pick that fight sometime before the convention. I’m thinking that will be the time.

    LEWANDOWSKI (rubbing chin thoughtfully): I don’t know, boss. Do we want to spend that one yet? It’s as media-powerful as the whole violence-at-our-rallies schtick. And we’re still getting good mileage out of that one. One, two more broken heads, and we’ve captured the Sunday shows again this week.

    TRUMP: We’ll come back to that. It’s evergreen. Let’s pick the Melaina T&A fight right after Utah and Arizona. What are the metrics on her photos from the GQ spread?

    LEWANDOWSKI: Still good, boss. We can false-flag this at will, or hell, just point at some anti-Trump group and pretend that it’s working for Cruz. You still wanna go with the handcuffed-to-the-briefcase shot?

    TRUMP: Yeah, what am I? Stupid? Of course we go with that one, it’s the covered nude. Why do you have to ask something that stupid, Corey? After all this time!

    LEWANDOWSKI: Sorry, boss! Sorry! Handcuff photo it will be. That photo has already been onscreen very reliably, on every network, during the protests in Chicago and in Arizona. It’s all over social media, too. So there will be no shortage of excuses for us to pretend we’re counter-punching, instead of just outright punching.

    TRUMP: I’m telling you, we’re gonna have the entire world looking at what I get to take to bed every night, Corey. In a world where pornography is a mouseclick away at all times, everyone’s going to be looking at Trump’s georgous piece of ass — and we’ll make it seem like Ted Cruz was the one who made everyone look! Ha! I love this game, politics. The suckers are so easy!

    And hey! I’ve got it! We’ll pretend that Lyin’ Ted Cruz circulated Melania’s T&A photos specifically in Utah to make the Mormons mad at me! Ha-hah! Won’t that be rich? Hell, I’m gonna lose all the delegates there anyway, so what else can I do to make this blow up even bigger for the media capture?

    LEWANDOWSKI (eyes gleaming): Boss, I guess you could demand that Mitt Romney prove he’s a Mormon!

    This is a verbatim transcript of impeccable provenance. I got it from the National Enquirer.

    Beldar (fa637a) — 3/25/2016 @ 1:37 pm

  359. Allegations of allegations – I’ve seen that somewhere before. IYKWIMAITYD

    SO it’s probably mostly if not all lie. Anyway I think there could be a silver lining with this rumor, some acquired swagger – like in Band of Brothers where you didn’t mess with that one Speirs guy who cultivated rumors he was loco and alleged on one occasion to have killed six German prisoners of war with a Thompson submachinegun,

    There’s no (a) public indiscretion and (b) no proof or corroboration and unlikely to ever be because (c) false /or return to (a).

    Then d: the idea planted that, hey now, there’s plausible accusation that Ladies Love Cool Cruz and don’t tell because he is subtle, discreet, smooth and a good judge of lady.

    It was a only a joke, but one of my leftish but not very political friends said: “Oddly enough in the Bizarro ’16 election, a sex scandal would probably be just what Cruz needs.”

    Considering his opponent and that opponent’s connubial cajingerings I don’t think Cruz is necessarily worse off for the rumor.

    SarahW (67599f) — 3/25/2016 @ 1:50 pm

  360. “Apparently, someone with administrative authority has been going through my comments and removing references to the supermarket tabloid which published the allegations about Ted Cruz’s alleged affairs.

    Who is doing that?

    ropelight (73d366) — 3/25/2016 @ 10:05 am”

    There is ZERO evidence of this, outside of yet another fevered conspiracy theory of yours. Run along back to your buddies at the Enquirer.

    JD (fe890c) — 3/25/2016 @ 2:51 pm

  361. ropelight,

    If anything, common sense is what has been removed from your comments. But YOU are the one responsible for that. (LOL)

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/25/2016 @ 2:59 pm

  362. Mr. JD you haven’t taken the bubble quiz

    happyfeet (831175) — 3/25/2016 @ 3:05 pm

  363. Bubble score – 74

    JD (fe890c) — 3/25/2016 @ 3:17 pm

  364. nk – Impeach the website if you want, but the guy has the Utah ballots in hand as he said.

    Thing is though the reputable news article points out the vote was suppressed by 53% compared to 2008.
    That is the last time there was a presidential election without incumbent.

    Get this. All across the country up until Utah the Republican primaries have been setting records for voter turnout. Averaging roughly 50% more than usual.

    You do the math.

    papertiger (c2d6da) — 3/25/2016 @ 4:48 pm

  365. That’s built into the caucus system. Only the party faithful vote. It’s true in every caucus state. Maybe it helps the political machines … BUT … next to Boss Tweed’s Tammany Hall there is no more famous machine than Boss Daley’s Chicago Machine and we have always had open primaries.

    nk (dbc370) — 3/25/2016 @ 4:54 pm

  366. Dana (0ee61a) — 3/24/2016 @ 8:01 pm

    He’s accusing Cruz of coordinating with a super -PAC. That’s illegal. He is accusing Cruz of committing an illegal act, no?

    I don’t know. I read something somewhere that seems to be saying it might actually be an LLC, which it is legal to co-ordinate with, but I am not sure it was talking about this.

    Sammy Finkelman (48f9c6) — 3/27/2016 @ 5:46 pm


Powered by WordPress.

Page loaded in: 0.2075 secs.