Is This Man an Extremist?
No. His responses are masterful. He comes across likable — and not as the scary boogeyman he is portrayed to be by Big Media.
Watch it. It’s great.
UPDATE: DRJ doesn’t blog here any more but I hope she doesn’t mind if I take a comment she wrote and highlight it:
I like Cruz so I lean toward him, but I also think it’s important to look at a candidate’s experience and background in picking a President. Serving as a governor suggests to me that a person has management and leadership qualities, and those are important qualities in this era of big bureaucracy. I can understand why some people want to give former and current governors an edge in picking a President. All things being equal, I would, too. But all qualities aren’t equal when we’re talking about specific candidates. We not only look at background and experience, we also look for communication skills and adherence to American principles and values. I’ve called that charisma in the past but I think it’s more than charisma. It’s what Washington and Lincoln had, and it enabled them to lead America and Americans during difficult times. I think it’s vision.
All Presidents struggle at times but I believe the Presidents who struggle the most are the ones who haven’t had a vision or goal of where they want to take America. Washington and Lincoln knew what they wanted for America, even if they didn’t always know how to achieve it. Obama has a vision, too. He has accomplished many of his goals and that brings me to a related point: Successful Presidents have a vision that is grounded in America’s core principles as set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, because those principles are path to justice and prosperity.
I think all the GOP candidates are dedicated Americans. I think several have shown they are skilled managers, have strong characters, are intelligent, and are good men. Most of them would serve America well as President. But I think Ted Cruz has the vision based on America’s core principles that would enable him to lead us in the very best sense of the word.
Very well said.
UPDATE: DRJ doesn’t blog here any more but I hope she doesn’t mind if I take a comment she wrote and highlight it:
Very well said.
Patterico (9c670f) — 3/24/2015 @ 5:50 pmI liked her comment the first time I read it. Somehow, putting it up “in lights” makes it even better.
felipe (56556d) — 3/24/2015 @ 5:57 pmThere are some new, more natural hair products developed for men since Vitalis and Brylcreem. This may sound like a petty and catty observation but it is offered honestly and solely to be helpful. This is the kind of thing that people notice and it is very easily remedied.
elissa (5c8e92) — 3/24/2015 @ 6:11 pmIn some respects I hope that Cruz is an extremist. There are some things we need to do extreme things, starting with the Civil Service and the size of government in general. Halving the federal civilian workforce might be called extreme.
Goldwater was not wrong.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2015 @ 6:34 pmAccording to “The Wire” (an excellent exposition of a corrupt city’s corrupt politics) it is said that there are only two campaign themes: “Back to Basics!” or “It’s a Bright New Day!”
It is hard to imagine anyone in the GOP running on anything but “Back to Basics” [OK, Rand maybe], and it is also hard to see Hillary running on “More change!” Of course, I can’t see what she could possibly run on anyway…
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2015 @ 6:46 pmThe man makes those media trolls nervous.
mg (31009b) — 3/24/2015 @ 6:52 pmThe mfm will have to think twice before asking Sen. Cruz the standard – team r gotcha questions.
very impressive
he knocked tweety bird off her flow
happyfeet (831175) — 3/24/2015 @ 6:55 pmI have a question. Why do you all think that Cruz is signing up for Obamacare? Yes, he has been getting his healthcare insurance through his wife’s company before she took a leave. But with that gone, he’s not desperate. Why, when he says he will abolish O-Care, is he using Obamacare for himself instead of the Congressional health plan? I’m sure there must be a campaign hook of some kind there, but I’m not quite seeing it.
elissa (5c8e92) — 3/24/2015 @ 6:58 pmwhen he gets rid of it he’ll be getting rid of his own coverage
happyfeet (831175) — 3/24/2015 @ 7:00 pmelissa,
I just wrote a post about that.
If even Republicans can’t see through this media spin, I despair.
Patterico (9c670f) — 3/24/2015 @ 7:02 pmI agree, this clip shows me that Cruz has been “cramming” and drilling for months, preparing factually and demeanor-wise to deal with a hostile media. (I’m not suggesting THIS was a hostile interview. It was down the middle.) He’s doing what I call The Work: the necessary but dull preparation for running for President.
Mitch (bfd5cd) — 3/24/2015 @ 7:03 pm“Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley pushed through an amendment on the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, that requires members of Congress to obtain their coverage via health insurance exchanges.“
Patterico (9c670f) — 3/24/2015 @ 7:03 pm#3: elissa, I hope Cruz doesn’t go beyond changing a style or a lotion. It would be sad to see him sprouting a little forest of implants or, worse yet, a glued-on wig. I’d rather see him shave his head rather than to attempt to cover a creeping bald spot unsuccessfully. Obola does have that going for him. I wonder how big Cruz’s ears are?
bobathome (ef0d3a) — 3/24/2015 @ 7:05 pmhttp://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/can-you-imagine-ted-cruz-as-president
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2015 @ 7:08 pmDon’t despair Patterico. He just needed to briefly explain it, didn’t he?. Does every voter know about Grassely’s amendment? Uh, no they don’t. Those of us who don’t need to rely on the exchanges pay as little attention as possible to it while we wait for it to be repealed.
elissa (5c8e92) — 3/24/2015 @ 7:10 pmThe New Yorker is not on the side of constitutionalists or supporters of the free market.
Patterico (9c670f) — 3/24/2015 @ 7:11 pmI’m not worried about his ability to explain it, but the spin media puts on it, and that spin being repeated by people who haven’t looked into it.
Patterico (9c670f) — 3/24/2015 @ 7:13 pmyou mean David ”jay vee team’ Remnick, and co, ‘shirley you can’t be serious’
narciso (ee1f88) — 3/24/2015 @ 7:13 pmYes he is an extremist.
steveg (794291) — 3/24/2015 @ 8:18 pmDoesn’t he know that no one tells the truth anymore?
Thank you, Patterico.
DRJ (e80d46) — 3/24/2015 @ 8:22 pmWell, those reporters baited him pretty hard, and he stuck to his message and got it across. Good for him.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/24/2015 @ 9:00 pmThe media – with a few exceptions – is a national disgrace. People who care about/understand the importance of unbiased arbiters and seekers of “the facts” need to push back hard on these hyenas. Do NOT accept this nonsense. Point out the bias for what it is. Light ’em up. Candidates need to do this too. Punch back twice as hard. The candidate who makes it a point to run against biased media can and will win the next election.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 3/24/2015 @ 9:12 pmI wonder if the time will come when the reporters start thinking: “He just might become President of the United States. I’d rather not be on the wrong list.”
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/25/2015 @ 12:11 amCBS couldn’t resist the urge to throw up the splash about the Uninsured Rate in the US. I guess the producer felt that the interviewers needed a little help. I am surprised they resisted the urge to superimpose a Hitler mustache on his face.
Frank P (d80f45) — 3/25/2015 @ 5:58 amThe view from Dallas, with a bonus rebuttal for Jennifer Rubin.
DRJ (e80d46) — 3/25/2015 @ 7:07 pm