Ted Cruz Admits Budget Standoff Was All About Building Fundraising Lists

[Wernothelpless]

Source: Think Progress

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) conceded on Wednesday that he would not hold up a vote on an emerging Senate deal to re-open the federal government and avert federal default, but admitted that the three-week long budget standoff — which began with his 21-hour speech on the Senate floor — was nothing more than an effort to build up his fundraising list.

“My focus is, I think, where the American people’s focus is, which is what are we doing to provide real relief to the people who are hurting because of Obamacare and today,” Cruz told reporters after meeting with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), before reiterating his commitment to repealing the health care law.

Asked what he has gained from holding-up a deal for weeks, Cruz pointed to a political petition he has been promoting for days:

CRUZ: We have seen a remarkable thing happen. Months ago when the effort to defund Obamacare began, official Washington scoffed. They scoffed that the American people would rise up. They scoffed that the House of Representatives would do anything and they scoffed that the Senate would do anything. We saw first of all, millions of millions of American people rising up across this country, over two million people signing a national petition to defund Obamacare. We saw the House of Representatives take a courageous stand listening to the American people that everyone in official Washington said wouldn’t happen.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/10/16/2791091/ted-cruz-admits-budget-standoff-fundraising/

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"Hey, I got mine .. whatever" ...

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. the party of ignorant, greedy narcissists. good grief.

[bitchkitty]

31. I swoon for your tomatoes. n/t

[Gothmog]

2. Cruz is in this for himself

The Tea Party does not care who they hurt. Cruz hurt the GOP but made money and so he is happy

[thelordofhell]

3. Hasn't this dickhead been censured yet??

He made a stump speech and supported a rally that flew the confederate flag in front of the White House and openly talked about overthrowing the President Of United States

[SCVDem]

4. Cruz wants austerity

Let's give his voters what they voted for and cut aid to Texas.

Ask the South Dakota cattle ranchers how they like it when they get what they voted for.

I have had enough of these plagues from Texas!

[Th1onein]

34. Hey, there are poor people in Texas. And a LOT of Democrats. I'm one of them.

We don't need to do that. Not to Texans. Not to anyone. We are better than the Rethugs.

[avaistheone1]

5. Disgusting.

Cruz is a bottom feeder.

[Randomthought]

6. He should be in prison

If this isn't traitorous behavior, i can't imagine what is.

[Downtown Hound]

7. Wow, two million people out of 315 million?

Yeah, you really stood up for the "American people" there, asshat.

[nyquil_man]

19. Yeah. Hell, you can't even win an election in Texas with 2 million votes. nt

[PoliticAverse]

8. What Ted Cruz did was about Ted Cruz, basically. n/t

[lunasun]

9. What a scam I truly am

I messed with everyone and how
I do not even deserve green eggs I am such a ham
Goodbye fellow citizens forever as of right now!

This jerk should get back on the floor and resign after apologizing to the whole country but will not happen and he may be elected again

[PeoViejo]

10. The Country loses Billions

..while Cruz rakes in a Million.

Hey Nero, where's your Fiddle.

[olddad56]

11. Electing someone like Ted Cruz makes me wonder how things got started in Nazi Germany in the 30s.

could that happen here?

[Jamastiene]

24. It could happen anywhere.

People get caught up in a movement and nothing seems to give them pause when they are on a roll. It's disgusting, but it is possible that it could happen anywhere.

[mahannah]

12. Slimy asshole. Major league.

[warrior1]

13. Send him the bill

[sinkingfeeling]

14. Wow, 2 million out of 300 million. That's a whole 2/3 of a percent of the

population!

[bluesbassman]

20. Unfortunately teabaggers believe they ARE the American people.

[Javaman]

15. a stumbling drunk in a china shop. nt

[Berlum]

16. A walking A-Hole (R)

He has trashed his Party for years to come.

[StrictlyRockers]

17. That dude is gonna get whacked in the head

when the pendulum swings back the other way. People will be pissed.

[silvershadow]

23. He is so strange and frankly unstable that I fully expect he won't even serve out his complete term.

I know there are many who tout that he is bright, even brilliant. But frankly, there a whole bunch of people who are selectively bright, if you know what I mean. I know doctors, specialists who have years of training in their disciplines, who can hardly function in other areas. I believe Cruz is just a smelly slob who slid into the job though quite a bit of luck and circumstance, which just fed his ego. I really can't believe his brand of politics will last him 6 long years, but I could be wrong.

[The Second Stone]

29. He is quite smart. You don't get into Harvard Law without being

the smartest of the smart. The take away here is that he is willing to do things that other people would never think of due to scruples, ethics, morals, what-have-you. This guy is more dangerous than Joe McCarthy because he is a lot smarter and not drunk. This is the most dangerous man in the USA.

[brooklynite]

18. UNREC

The headline is misleading. While that may have been the goal, he never said it was.

[DinahMoeHum]

27. That's because he's a lying snake. It IS about HIM. . .

. . .and his pal, the former Senator Jim DeMint:

http://www.salon.com/2013/08/30/gops_destructive_grifter_jim_demint_peddles_political_poison/

(snip)
DeMint and his “Defund Obamacare” touring partner Cruz are peddling political poison to the GOP. As Republican pollster Whit Ayers told Michelle Cottle: “Shutting down the government in an effort to defund is the one way Republicans can turn Obamacare from a major plus to a major minus in the 2014 elections.” But they don’t care. Cruz is building his donor list for a potential 2016 run from the far right, while DeMint, gone from the Senate, pretends he’s going to be Senate kingmaker from his swank office at the Heritage Foundation.
(snip)

[brooklynite]

33. Perhaps it is...but it's not what he SAID

Unlike the Republicans, I like to stick to facts.

[Wernothelpless]

35. Are mathematics a suitable FACT to stick to for you? ... fundraiser for Ted Cruz, cha ching!

"But let’s not miss the forest for the trees. Cruz led his party into a ditch and drew the ire of Republicans who blame him for his misguided crusade, but the far-right Texan appears to still be in the midst of a long con.

If you were curious, talking on television for 21 straight hours is very lucrative. Over the last quarter, Ted Cruz’s still-young political action committee pulled in $797,000 during the period that included his extended C-SPAN advertorial. It’s nearly twice what Cruz pulled in the quarter prior. […]"


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/cruz-discovers-the-fringe-benefits-failure

Which is why Ted Cruz refers to the incredible victory ... his victory ... monetarily speaking ...

[brooklynite]

38. But it's not what he SAID.....

"Ted Cruz Admits" means a personal acknowledgement. The story didn't say Cruz plotted to collect a mailing list; it said he ADMITTED to doing do.

[Wernothelpless]

39. Let me interpret this for you again ...

Ted Cruz is defining this entire incident as a victory for himself ... why? ... Perhaps you are unaware of his role as the "anointed king" within his father's cult-like following ... he's accepting this VICTORY for what he (and his followers) see as their entitled and inevitable right as one of those sent to take control ... he's sees himself as a chosen one ... therefore, the money and power are due him as a "spoil of war to the priests" ... he's another Palin with her witch doctor chanting "Make a way for Sarah" ... a religious whacko ... but I'm sure he's grateful to you for protecting him ... Cruz, the self-anointed priest ...

His success was making contact with like-minded Americans who want him to continue his fight ...

"In a sermon last year at an Irving, Texas, megachurch that helped elect Ted Cruz to the United States Senate, Cruz' father Rafael Cruz indicated that his son was among the evangelical Christians who are anointed as "kings" to take control of all sectors of society, an agenda commonly referred to as the "Seven Mountains" mandate, and "bring the spoils of war to the priests", thus helping to bring about a prophesied "great transfer of wealth", from the "wicked" to righteous gentile believers."

Take the time to watch the video or not ... we wouldn't want to confuse one of his followers ... cheers

[brooklynite]

42. Let me explain this to you again...

I'm certain he was building a database, I don't CARE. I care that the headline claims he acknowledged that this is what he was doing, which would be a much more significant story. He didn't.

[Wernothelpless]

43. You're either part of the problem ...

OR you're part of the solution ...

When an entitled cultist and religious whacko's defense is your primary concern ... even after his own FATHER defines him as the anointed one ... your problem is NOT an editor's headline you choose to misunderstand ..

You are choosing to draw attention to yourself in his defense ... hey, good for you ... atta boy!

[brooklynite]

44. Not defending him at all...just holding our side to a higher standard

[RussBLib]

21. obviously he only listens to "some" of the people

He had quite a number of Texans, including myself, telling him to knock it off, that we wanted the ACA to succeed and to work with the Democrats, but he pretended not to hear us. He could only hear those "millions" of people who agreed with him and those who allegedly have been hurt by the ACA.

Cruz is a pathetic excuse for a politician. Right-wingers insist on how "brilliant" he is, and how much "smarter" he is than Obama. Good lord, they remind me so much of children.

[mrmpa]

22. 2 million people signed a petition...........

that's less than 1% of Americans.

[Stuart G]

25. I don't think that other Republican senators are going to like reading this.

If it was all about Ted's List, then Ted will be on the other Republicans list..for extinction....

[IronLionZion]

26. Asshole nt

[dawnie51]

28. This should be on every channel...

every newscast, every radio broadcast every day from now until forever. DON'T let this admission from this rat bastard slip from public view.

[jessie04]

30. What a shock... So it was all about him.

self absorbed psychotic.

[olddad56]

32. how long before this nutjob checks into rehab?

[Wernothelpless]

36. Wow, talk about an entitlement mentality ...

#t=28

"In a sermon last year at an Irving, Texas, megachurch that helped elect Ted Cruz to the United States Senate, Cruz' father Rafael Cruz indicated that his son was among the evangelical Christians who are anointed as "kings" to take control of all sectors of society, an agenda commonly referred to as the "Seven Mountains" mandate, and "bring the spoils of war to the priests", thus helping to bring about a prophesied "great transfer of wealth", from the "wicked" to righteous gentile believers."

[FiveGoodMen]

40. If there were a god

this guy would have burst into flames.

[KansDem]

37. 2 million Americans signed a petition to de-fund Obamacare?

Out of a nation of 330 million Americans?

By my reckoning that's 0.6% of the American people.


Yeah, Rafael, that is remarkable...

[sakabatou]

41. AUGH!

[hugo_from_TN]

45. Not seeing it. Where did he admit to this?