The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Ross Douthat Seems To Think @TedCruz Is As Cynical As The Donald Himself

Posted on | March 27, 2016 | 123 Comments

by Smitty

In reply to Who Is Ted Cruz?, I’ve got to say: judge the tree by the fruit. A sample:

With Cruz, though, even the most fervent peroration always feels like a debater’s patter, an advocate’s brief — compelling enough on the merits, but more of a command performance than a window into deep conviction.

Sure. Cruz always seems to be playing verbal chess, as Ross allows two paragraphs later: “. . .Cruz never seemed to take a step on any contentious issue without gaming it out 17 moves ahead.”

But if Cruz is merely cynically phoning in his entire career, then why did he lay on a 21 hour filibuster? Restated, can the detractors get beyond accusing Cruz of being excessively measured, and perhaps show where Cruz is actually inconsistent in his conservative approach? Or is our current state of Sophist decadence such that merely exhibiting principles of any sort is evidence of “his own extremism”.

I can understand a negative reaction to Donald Trump as a used car salesman with hair suitable for a Primus video. There is known audio at the NYT of DJT sounding somehow wobbly on his signature issue, immigration. Can anyone come up with similar examples for Cruz? Are we supposed to believe that Cruz’s immigration bill amendment proves anything beyond the fact that Cruz is. . .a politician?

Limbaugh’s point that “they hate Trump, but they fear Cruz” has the ring of truth. The Donald is the one apparently capable of pretty much anything for 30 pieces of silver. While falling short of accusing Cruz of perfection, he seems the straightest shooter in politics today. And that is the motive for all the innuendo in the NYT: the apprehension that Cruz actually does mean everything he says and does, as stated.

Category: Republicans, Ted Cruz

Comments

123 Responses to “Ross Douthat Seems To Think @TedCruz Is As Cynical As The Donald Himself”

  1. daialanye
    March 29th, 2016 @ 1:34 pm

    And Trump CHOSE to back Hillary Clinton. He CHOSE to run twice before—once as an Independent, once as a Dem.

    And let’s not forget—he CHOOSES to lie every day about the size of his fortune.

  2. daialanye
    March 29th, 2016 @ 1:36 pm

    In your mind, apparently, many a conflicting thing “needs to be said.” What hasn’t Trump said, having been on both sides of every issue?

  3. daialanye
    March 29th, 2016 @ 1:46 pm

    Good for you to finally admit (however indirectly) that Trump is effectively a satellite of Hillary Clinton, with whom he’s previously stood both financially and socially.

  4. HughdePayens
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:27 pm

    hehe…Nice try putting words into my mouth. No joy though.

  5. HughdePayens
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:28 pm

    He said enough to get Cruz to change his positions on a variety of issues.

  6. HughdePayens
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:30 pm

    And he chose to campaign for Bush Sr and McCain and Romney…kind of a shame when you cannot even be as accurate as Wikipedia.

    Trump first campaigned for the U.S. presidency in 2000, winning two Reform Party primaries. On June 16, 2015, Trump again announced his candidacy for president, this time as a Republican. Trump became known for his opposition to illegal immigration and free trade agreements, as well as his frequently non-interventionist views on foreign policy,[4][5] and quickly emerged as the Republican nomination front-runner.[6] As of March 23, 2016, Trump has won 21 contests in the 2016 Republican presidential primaries.

  7. Finrod Felagund
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:31 pm

    This is me being patient with you, idiot Trumpbot. Losing is what Trump is going to find out about when he loses on the second or third ballot at the convention, and then you’ll whine like a stuck pig because “TRUMP GOT THE MOST DELEGATES!!!!!11!!eleventy!!!111!!!!!!” but didn’t get 1237 which is what counts.

  8. Finrod Felagund
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:32 pm

    So are you going to vote for Hillary when Trump doesn’t get the nomination?

  9. HughdePayens
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:32 pm

    Art Deco is delusional…and like all delusionals he can be correct from time to time. Not this time though…and what is the Truth knows you not, are you trying to impress someone?

    Art Deco tried to imply that Cruz was a good old Texas boy and he is nothing of the sort.

  10. HughdePayens
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:33 pm

    Oh really? So then he disavows that Beck nonsense? I hadn’t heard Cruz denouncing Beck as a raving lunatic.

  11. Finrod Felagund
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:33 pm

    I’ve been commenting here a lot longer than you, fucko. You’re the one being a Trumpbot asshat insulting everyone’s intelligence with your room-temperature IQ tripe. I’d punch you in the face if I met you in person.

  12. Finrod Felagund
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:34 pm

    Typical idiotic bluster from another lame Trumpbot clone.

  13. Finrod Felagund
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:35 pm

    So you don’t know, then. Typical.

  14. HughdePayens
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:36 pm

    Do you spit on your keyboard when you get all upset and stuff? Well of course Trump may lose…then your guy will lose in the General because he will run as all Republicans do…as a neutered guilty apologetic establishment crony. Droves of voters will stay home as they did with McCain and Romney and Hillary will be elected.

  15. HughdePayens
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:38 pm

    Well ok I guess you aren’t English…so then why are you using terms like bloody idiot? Are you trying to impress the locals?

  16. HughdePayens
    March 29th, 2016 @ 2:39 pm

    hehe…Remember that temper. Does it hurt always being the last picked?

    Oh but guess what boyo, hey wow I can get all English and shit too, I don’t think they give points for longevity…just wit.

  17. Finrod Felagund
    March 29th, 2016 @ 3:32 pm

    The very fact that you, like a lot of idiot Trumpbots, have the complete lack of sense to call Cruz “establishment” just shows how utterly and abjectly wrong you are. Trump is far more “establishment” than Cruz could ever be, yet you subsume whatever still-firing neurons you have to push the Trump narrative.

  18. Finrod Felagund
    March 29th, 2016 @ 3:33 pm

    I’m well-read, fool, unlike you and the rest of the Trumpbots.

  19. Finrod Felagund
    March 29th, 2016 @ 3:37 pm

    I grew up online posting to alt.flame back before you even had heard of computers let alone the Internet. I can flame you to a husk of carbon without raising my blood pressure even one point. You’re not even a minor workout let alone a challenge. Like your Orange Messiah, you’re all ego and no substance. You’re beneath me, gutter slime.

  20. daialanye
    March 29th, 2016 @ 7:04 pm

    Trump has played the flapjack on practically every issue, especially that of immigration.

  21. daialanye
    March 29th, 2016 @ 7:07 pm

    “hehe…”

    There’s a manly comment, but a dishonest one as well.

  22. daialanye
    March 29th, 2016 @ 7:10 pm

    Trump has been on both sides of all the issues—including immigration and free trade. Try buying Trump-marked clothing, for instance, made in China, Mexico and SE Asia.

  23. daialanye
    March 29th, 2016 @ 7:18 pm

    Too literate for your tastes, eh? But you got my meaning as to your honesty.

    Trump, of course, is merely a Horatio Alger-type lad from the sidewalks of New York who pulled himself up by his own bootstraps with the help a few hundred million in inherited dollars.