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.
Rubio was for the wall and for deportation too. Until he got to D.C.
Cruz was pretty average on legalization/amnesty back when he was a legal wizard for the Bush administration. He got a lot more anti-illegals when running for office.
Much as I favor Cruz over Trump on a broad range of issues, I see no guarantees Cruz won't go soft again on illegals too if he became prez. Same as I think Trump would be. With Trump, I'm certain he'll betray us. With Cruz, I think he would seriously consider it and do a calculus on whether he could get re-elected if he did it.
It's a lot easier to pander to voters than to actually get things done as president. But I think Cruz is far more devious than Trump and far better at grasping what he could (and could not) get away with before the courts reeled him in.
Cruz is more of a True Believer, an ideologue. And Trump only believes in himself and his desire to be prez. Trump would cut deals Left and Right. I think mostly Left because he has been a Dem for a long time in a big Blue Dem city/state.
Aspects of his ideology are repulsive, and the people are not going to vote for that ideology, or for him.
So, this election cycle is going to be pretty bitter from your standpoint. You're destined to lose no matter what.
You don't like Trump, so when he wins the nomination and then the White House, you're going to be unhappy.
You don't like Hillary or any other Democrat, so if Cruz somehow gets nominated, when he loses, you will be unhappy.
I'm actually happy about American politics for the first time in my adult life. Trump gets it on just exactly the life and death issues, and he's winning. So there's hope, from my perspective, for the first time.
I guess the sunshine breaking out for me means that darkness is falling on people who disagree. Oh well.
I'm actually happy about American politics for the first time in my adult life. Trump gets it on just exactly the life and death issues, and he's winning. So there's hope, from my perspective, for the first time.
Yeah, finally a Republican you can give your heart to without reservation.
You realize I've seriously downgraded my estimates of your intelligence. I mean that. I'm not just saying it to be mean. I actually think less of you for falling for this shameless con man.
You realize I've seriously downgraded my estimates of your intelligence. I mean that. I'm not just saying it to be mean. I actually think less of you for falling for this shameless con man.
Oh well, I'll just have to live with that I guess.
