Newt Gingrich: I’m on Team Paul-Cruz

[eduardo89]

Would they let him be an excellent president?

Probably not. They scared Reagan straight 69 days into his presidency.

 

[NewRightLibertarian]

If youre not ideologically pure 100 percent of the time you get knocked around here. Which is a weird standard when it comes to politics

Anyone who isn't 100 percent pure SHOULD get knocked around.

 

[Carlybee]

Ted Cruz, wacko like a fox
Does Texas' tea partying senator have his eye on the White House?

Ted Cruz is on a roll.

The tea party firebrand from Texas has been in the Senate all of seven months, but he's already looking like a strong contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.

Last week, Cruz won a straw poll at a major gathering of the party's conservative wing in Denver with an impressive 45% of the votes, far ahead of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.

Before that, he wowed social conservatives in a campaign-style visit to Iowa, whose caucuses are the first stop on the long trail that leads to the nomination.

"I saw a lot in Ted Cruz, and I liked what I saw," said Bob Vander Plaats, an Iowa evangelical leader whose endorsement has carried weight in earlier caucuses. "If he proves to be the real deal, he will be a phenomenon."

Naturally, Cruz responds to talk of a presidential candidacy with the obligatory aw-shucks: "My focus is entirely on the Senate." But he doesn't say no. So watch what he does, not what he says. He's on his way back to Iowa next week and New Hampshire after that, unusual destinations for a freshman senator whose day job is looking out for Texas.

more

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion...anus-column-ted-cruz-20130731,0,828965.column

 

[goRPaul]

Republicans have a real obligation to ask themselves the question: Aren’t there some pretty painful lessons to learn from the last 10 or 12 years? Don’t we have to confront the reality that this didn’t work as a strategy?

Newt! What were you doing when Dr. Paul asked you this the last two election cycles? Better late than never, I suppose. I hope the party takes note of this; this could be a sign of growing up.

 

[TheGrinch]

#standwithnewt

 

[AlexAmore]

When you're polling 12% nationally and you're visiting Iowa, you're probably gonna run for president and steal precious votes from Rand. On the other hand, this could all be explained away if Ted Cruz were to simply be giving Rand Paul conservative cover and accruing Republican stock only to endorse Rand Paul with it and run as vice president.

Now what is in Ted Cruz's best, most selfish and greediest interest? That's gonna be a matter of aligning with a person or group who can make you the most money. Endorsing and being Rand Paul's Vice President during the general will certainly bring in a lot of money in the relative short term, win or lose. It also has a HIGH probability of occurring with his endorsement of Rand thereby giving him the nomination. Not endorsing Rand Paul, thus sabotaging both of them, will probably not bring in much money unless he's getting paid off, but that would need to be a HUGE payoff for a guy who is just a primary loser. A vice president in a general leads to major advances in people's career and a major leg up in the next presidential run. Ted Cruz won't have the 8 year foundation in the early states built up like Rand does.

So if Ted Cruz is after the money and a lengthy career, promoting Rand all the way to Republican nominee may be his best bet. Ted, along with everyone else, can see where the winds are blowing. Being buddy-buddy with Rand, and then betraying him will not look good.

Of course I can't factor in media influence. It is going down as the elderly go out, and the internet comes in. We can see that despite Ron Paul's "extremist" views, he still had an incredible trajectory over the years.

 

[Carlybee]

Go to about 12:50. Rush mentions Ted Cruz and Sarah Palin as possible future of the Republican Party. He does not mention Rand. (personally I can't stand him, but no one can deny he has influence with a segment of voters.)

 

[Eric21ND]

Make a pros/cons list of Ted Cruz's policies.

PROS
Against the TSA & NDAA
Wants no restrictions on the 2nd amendment
Wants to Abolish IRS and move to a flat tax
Signed No Climate Tax Pledge
Firmly against Amnesty
Voted against the Internet Sales Tax
Opposed support of rebels in both Libya and Syria

CONS
Wanted to send spec forces into Syria To destroy chem weapon stockpiles
Blustery talk towards Iran

And this guy is a monster?!?!??! Save your vitriol for a real monster like Rubio or Ryan, who will slit your throat while they're smiling.

Graham and McCain are the worst of the worst. I don't understand wasting our time attacking a guy that agrees vehemently with us on 80-90% of the issues. Talk about shooting ourselves in the foot.

 

[Bman]

This is not the time to be beating people who give you praise. This is the time to communicate and build alliances towards gaining support for Rand in 2016.

 

[Eric21ND]

Ron Paul got donations from Goldman Sachs fyi.

 

[Bman]

Ron Paul got donations from Goldman Sachs fyi.

I new it, he's a shape shifting lizard!

 

[devil21]

It's frank? Must be Gingrich. He knows "frank" when he sees it. Or him? Frank hangs around Gingrich a lot. Frank also feeds him bullshit most of the time.

eta: at least Newt sees the writing on the wall. I don't like him but he is a great bellweather of conservative direction. He rides the friggin wind. If Im a betting man putting cash on 2016 right now? He's gonna back Cruz.

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

Yeah, I guess foreign policy really doesn't matter

No it does, but it is one issue of many. And in regards to FP Cruz is hawkish on some issues, but not all. Maybe in your world everything is black and white - you are either a full blown non-interventionist or not, but in the real world there are various FP positions: Wilsonian, Jeffersonian, Hamiltonian, or Jacksonian, and even within those camps there are hybrids. And individuals develop a FP position based upon the specific situation at hand. I'd put Cruz in the Jacksonian camp on many issues. Not my personal position, but certainly better than most others.

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

That's because often this place becomes nothing more than a circle jerk.

Well historically that is what the "libertarian movement" was, so it is no surprise that some folks have trouble breaking out of that mindset.

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

Anyone who isn't 100 percent pure SHOULD get knocked around.

100% based on whose standards? Is there holy scripture of libertarian thought that we need to quote chapter and verse when any politician makes a statement, so we can test that statement under the light of our holy book? Guess what the only politician that you will agree with 100% of the time is yourself, should you run for office. Other than that it doesn't matter who the person is, Rand, Ron, Amash, Massie - they are always going to have a vote or position that you might disagree with. It doesn't make them evil.

Politics is about making incremental gains, in the process of moving towards a stated goal. How the hell do you think we are in this mess we are in? The socialists have been planting seeds for 100 years now, and they still don't have their utopia. But, unlike the libertarian circle-jerkers, they don't rip someone who disagrees with them on a position or two a new asshole and cast them aside. Look at Harry Reid for example, he takes many pro life positions and has throughout his career. But in spite of that, he is on the socialists team and he's the fucking Majority Leader for pete's sake.

 

[helenpaul]

rush is a gasbag. he has a love affair with rubio. pay him no mind.

 

[RPforPrez.]

I think the idea that you're "knocking" candidates for not being 100% pure is bizarre. As most likely 100% (possibly 99%) is not "100% pure". Each person has their flaws with the libertarian philosophy. Ron did, Rand did.

Ted Cruz clearly does. But rather than knocking someone who has clearly sided with Rand, Lee, and Amash on multiple issues, knock the useless senators who serve as detriments.

And personally, if John McCain called someone a wackobird, they'd have my full support.

 

[torchbearer]

your internet pastime isn't much of a wager

you should see what i do during the day.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

I think he plays his cards close to his vest. He has to maintain his Tea Party cred...he was supported and endorsed by Tea Party people. I think he is a threat to Rand. All the radio pundits who claim to be anti establishment have been bringing his name up lately more than Rand's. I could be wrong, but it's just a feeling.

Domestic Policy Advisor to U.S. President George W. Bush on the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign

That was the campaign that even Ron Paul said he agreed with ('humble foreign policy"). Why did Cruz not get a job with the neo-conservative Bush Administration when they won?

 

[jtstellar]

I just found an interview featuring the demon spawn. I expected far worse:

http://vimeo.com/12926194

bump