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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCNN: Ted Cruz sells his soul to Trump, and that's sad!
(CNN)Never underestimate the politician's agony at not being talked about for five minutes. That's one explanation for Ted Cruz's decision to endorse Donald Trump -- he may be yearning for a return to the national scene.
It's certainly a surprising move given the two men's personal history. Donald Trump called Cruz a liar, a Canadian, implied that his wife was unattractive and hinted that his father might have been linked to the assassination of Jack Kennedy. Saint Cruz took revenge in his convention speech by withholding an endorsement. It was the highest point in his career. He should've stayed up there.
Instead, he has prostrated himself before Trump on Facebook. Why? Objectively, it makes some sense. If Trump was 10 points behind Clinton, Cruz would be wise to sit out the election and say "I told you so." The party would owe him some respect. But if Trump narrowly loses to Clinton, then Cruz could be blamed for the defeat -- with repercussions for his own re-election effort in Texas. Worse, if Trump actually wins -- Cruz will be frozen out of GOP politics for four, maybe even eight years. That's a big gamble to take.
But this is Cruz's problem: he's all tactics, no strategy. It seems smart to play the odds and come out for Trump just before the first debate -- it gets him attention and gets him into the big guy's good books. But when the historians come to tell the story of this election the endorsement is going to look like an odd mix of craven and vain. One does not assert statesmanship by selling one's soul in public.
It's certainly a surprising move given the two men's personal history. Donald Trump called Cruz a liar, a Canadian, implied that his wife was unattractive and hinted that his father might have been linked to the assassination of Jack Kennedy. Saint Cruz took revenge in his convention speech by withholding an endorsement. It was the highest point in his career. He should've stayed up there.
Instead, he has prostrated himself before Trump on Facebook. Why? Objectively, it makes some sense. If Trump was 10 points behind Clinton, Cruz would be wise to sit out the election and say "I told you so." The party would owe him some respect. But if Trump narrowly loses to Clinton, then Cruz could be blamed for the defeat -- with repercussions for his own re-election effort in Texas. Worse, if Trump actually wins -- Cruz will be frozen out of GOP politics for four, maybe even eight years. That's a big gamble to take.
But this is Cruz's problem: he's all tactics, no strategy. It seems smart to play the odds and come out for Trump just before the first debate -- it gets him attention and gets him into the big guy's good books. But when the historians come to tell the story of this election the endorsement is going to look like an odd mix of craven and vain. One does not assert statesmanship by selling one's soul in public.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/23/opinions/ted-cruz-sells-soul-opinion-stanley/index.html
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CNN: Ted Cruz sells his soul to Trump, and that's sad! (Original Post)
spanone
Sep 2016
OP
malaise
(269,054 posts)1. He'd have to have one
A fundamentalist narcissist - even worse than King Con (if that were possible).
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)7. More scary anyway. Another author explains that
Cruz and his conscience just parted ways amicably.
Cute line, but good grief! Souls and consciences? Do these people have no idea what a psychopath is?
malaise
(269,054 posts)8. That's the word
How do people vote for these sick men?
Soxfan58
(3,479 posts)2. Sorry Ted
That fleeting moment of respect I had for you is gone.
Cicada
(4,533 posts)3. We WANT Cruz to be a leader of Repubs so let's pray for Brother Ted
I think Cruz did the right thing to hopefully preserve his career
Albertoo
(2,016 posts)4. What is a soul? And if it existed, does Cruz have one?
Egnever
(21,506 posts)6. The wikipedia entry on this is hillarious
The following day at the Texas Republican delegation breakfast, Cruz defended his choice to not endorse Trump: "I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father. That pledge was not a blanket commitment that if you go and slander and attack Heidi, that I'm going to nonetheless come like a servile puppy dog and say, Thank you very much for maligning my wife and maligning my father.'"[212][213] Later, on September 23, 2016, Cruz publicly endorsed Trump for president.[214]
PlanetBev
(4,104 posts)9. Like Bill Maher said...
"Mirrors do not reflect his image".
He has no soul to sell this guy.
GeorgeGist
(25,321 posts)10. Never underestimate the ego of a Republican.
yortsed snacilbuper
(7,939 posts)11. ted cruz wants the KKK vote,
and will do what ever it takes to get it.