Like Donkey Kong. Ted Cruz scored a surprising third-place finish in New Hampshire in yesterday’s first-in-the-nation primary, and now it looks like he’s going for a knockout before South Carolina. Cruz tweeted out the campaign’s latest web ad after his victory, one that takes aim at the winner, Donald Trump. The ad depicts children playing with their new “Donald Trump action figure,” and says what he does most is “pretend to be a Republican”:
It’s a tour de force of counter-Trump arguments. The ad manages to mention Trump’s friendship with Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid (and adds in a shot at Anthony Weiner, too). Bailouts and Too Big To Fail get mentioned, but it’s Trump’s support for eminent domain that gets most of the attention:
GIRL DOLL: Check out my house, Mr. Trump!
TRUMP DOLL: That’s a lousy house! I’m gonna take your house with eminent domain — and park my limos there.
VOICEOVER: We wouldn’t tolerate these values in our children. Why would we want them in a president?
Ridicule can be a powerful tool in politics, and it might be the only kind of attack that will work on Trump. His supporters don’t appear to care much about Trump’s lack of policy substance and consistency; they like his attitude and his ability to shift the Overton window on acceptable debate. Trump has a thin skin, though, and Cruz does not. If he can force Trump to demonstrate that thin skin, it might undermine the perception of Trump’s toughness, while still appealing on policy grounds to other voters.
This still holds some risk. Some voters might not appreciate the use of children to make these points (perhaps especially the reference to Anthony Weiner, considering the context). Cruz got some media heat for using his own kids in a Saturday Night Live skit, which was ludicrous, but this might reopen that debate. Trump and his supporters will complain that it’s a low blow, but since Trump himself often ridicules his opponents with personal attacks, that’s a non-starter. In fact, Cruz might be counting on that reaction to counter Trump’s recent attack on him as a “pussy,” to demonstrate that Trump might be suffering from a case of projection.
It’s a good time for Cruz to go on the attack. It got lost in the John Kasich shuffle last night, but Cruz far outperformed expectations in New Hampshire, beating out Jeb Bush for third place. Combined with his win in Iowa, Cruz has significant momentum, and is aiming to take over the race by beating the other leading candidate rather than punching downward or sideways, as Team Jeb is doing. This ad could steal some of the post-primary buzz from Kasich, and set up a real fight in South Carolina.
Poster Comment:
Cute ad, maybe a little too cute.
Cruz may need stronger ads than that to dent Trump. I would guess we'll see Bush unload on Trump too. Bush has nothing left to lose by doing so and will certainly lose if he can't find a way to take on Trump.
Cruz has significant momentum, and is aiming to take over the race by beating the other leading candidate rather than punching downward or sideways, as Team Jeb is doing. This ad could steal some of the post-primary buzz from Kasich, and set up a real fight in South Carolina.
Cruz loves free trade, won't build the wall, won't deport the illegals, won't stop the Muslim jihadis from coming in, wants to impose a no-fly zone on the RUSSIANS!, and would never dream of touching tax benefits for Goldman Sachs.
He offers Republicanism. Trump offers change in the direction that the country wants.
If Cruz manages to be the Republican nominee, Trump should run as an Independent. The issue is not who gets to head the Republican ticket. The issue is: what does the Republican candidate (and party) stand for.
Trump and Cruz are very different. Trump's popularity is based on being right, and being specific, regarding immigration and trade, and Islam, and Russia and the war.
Cruz loves free trade, won't build the wall, won't deport the illegals, won't stop the Muslim jihadis from coming in, wants to impose a no-fly zone on the RUSSIANS!, and would never dream of touching tax benefits for Goldman Sachs.
I think you're wrong. And I think Cruz would do a lot more on all those issues than Trump ever would.
I think you're wrong. And I think Cruz would do a lot more on all those issues than Trump ever would.
We will find out some of this, because Trump is going to be the next President, but Cruz will never be President.
So, what we will discover is that Trump will use the media to stay popular, while hitting immigration and trade issues hard.
After all, Congress GAVE the President "fast-track" authority. He HAS tremendous authority over trade. That authority was given with the idea he was going to FACILITATE it for the economic masters. But HE can use that power to DERAIL it where it's bad for his constituency. And he will.
The Chief Executive has control over the INS, the Border Patrol, the Attorney General, and Federal Law enforcement. He can reverse the policies that have tried to keep locals from enforcing the law. He doesn't have to go to Congress or court to do that. He has the authority ex officio.
Trade and immigration are two areas where President Trump will have nearly plenary power to act to enforce existing law without having to consult with anybody. Every President has had that. None of them have WANTED to, so the Border stayed open. Trump WANTS to. And he will. Nobody can stop him.
And that right there: a closed border, a wall, deportation of illegals, and the kebosh on bad trade agreements - that Trump will move on at once, and won't need Congress to do it.
