Ted Cruz

[zico20]

Originally Posted by Clocker

Maybe so, but their votes count the same come next November.

Whatever his strengths, Cruz is not a likable person. More and more, as the attention span of the average voter grows shorter and shorter, likability is a major factor in the presidential race. Cruz did relatively well in those polls about the debate, but those polled are self-identified as likely GOP primary voters. Those aren't the people who decide the general election.

Agree 100%. I like Cruz's ideas but he will not win the general election against Hillary. You and I have both stated on a number of occasions that likability is a huge factor in how someone votes.

I enjoy reading Reckless posts and wish he would post more often on here. However, he gives the American people way too much credit. 45% of Americans don't know what GOP means. 30% can't find the Pacific Ocean on a map. I could go on and on with these numbers. The American people are very ignorant when it comes to politics, history, geography, and economics.

He claims Rubio lost the debate because he didn't address the immigration issue. Well guess what, Hillary supports it so this would be a non issue come the general election. Nobody will ever know about Rubio's ties to Zuckerberg because the Hillary camp won't bring it up.

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by zico20

The American people are very ignorant when it comes to politics, history, geography, and economics.

Those are the people that elect the president, not the people that watch debates or vote in polls as likely GOP primary voters.

[ReplayRandall]

Zico, I appreciate your energy and zeal for your candidate Rubio, but IMO Rubio might only be a possible VP pick, due to his age. In the GOP, let's look at ages of the nominees since Barry Goldwater as a template:

Mitt Romney was 65
John McCain, age 72
George W. Bush, age 54
Bob Dole, age 73
George H. W. Bush, age 64
Ronald Reagan, age 69
Gerald Ford, age 63
Richard Nixon, age 55
Barry Goldwater, age 55

The reason I bring up the factor of age, is for the fact, that only the Democrats had nominees who became POTUS in their 40's and younger. It's simply not the way the GOP works. Until there's a change in the hierarchy of GOP, expect a baby boomer aged nominee to be chosen.

[zico20]

Originally Posted by Clocker

That's not what the polls say.


http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/1...te-poll-finds/


A Drudge poll says Trump 34.9%, Cruz second at 23.7%.

http://drudgereport.com/now2.htm

In that poll the Democratic voters picked Rubio as who won the debate. There are always crossovers who vote against their own party for one reason or another. A 2% swing can flip a very close election. I just don't see Cruz getting very many Democratic members to flip. I do see Rubio influencing enough to switch where it could mean a Republican in the WH.

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by ReplayRandall

The reason I bring up the factor of age, is for the fact, that only the Democrats had nominees who became POTUS in their 40's and younger. It's simply not the way the GOP works. Until there's a change in the hierarchy of GOP, expect a baby boomer aged nominee to be chosen.

Bill Clinton once said something to the effect that Democrats want to fall in love with their candidates while Republicans want their candidates to fall in line.

That certainly explains how Obama was able to jump the line ahead of Hillary in 2008. Hillary just isn't lovable. Another sign that the Dems are in deep trouble this cycle, when they have to decide who is more lovable, the Grumpy Old Man or the Wicked Witch.

The GOP tradition is that you work your way up the ladder, pay your dues, and wait your turn. The problem is that they got to this cycle and and there was no one in line. Republicans are biased toward former Veeps, but there is no one in that line of any use. Dick Cheney? Dan Quayle? (Dan Who?) Governors are usually next in line, but there is no one on the national scale of Reagan or Romney. There just isn't any one that is naturally next in line, and the GOP leaders are at a loss. So this could be the time for a paradigm shift in the GOP.

[Tom]

I just cannot believe when it comes time, enough people will actually vote for her. There can't be many brain dead people out there. She has done nothing good and has zero plans to do anything constructive.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by Tom

I just cannot believe when it comes time, enough people will actually vote for her. There can't be many brain dead people out there. She has done nothing good and has zero plans to do anything constructive.

She has 4 things going for her.

1. She's Bill Clinton's wife and some people may feel like they are getting Bill thrown in for free. The 90s were generally good economic times even though it was all smoke and mirrors from the dot.com and telecom bubble.

2. She's a woman and we live in a period where a growing number of people seem more interested in breaking down barriers than people being rewarded on merit and qualifications.

3. Liberals have a few wires crossed and there's a lot of them.

4. Virtually the entire media except for Fox, the WSJ, and talk radio is leftist.

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by reckless

Trump had a great debate too.

He did? Which debate were you watching?

Trump, for the most part, spoke in generalizations and Trumpisms (read: cliches)...devoid for the most part of substance. When he did this in the first couple of debates, at least it was still fresh...

I can't see how anyone thinks Trump did well in the FBC debate...but apparently some do.

He got smoked up there by Cruz, Rubio, Fiorina and even Kasich and Paul beat him in my opinion...and I'm a fan!

[reckless]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

He did? Which debate were you watching?

Trump, for the most part, spoke in generalizations and Trumpisms (read: cliches)...devoid for the most part of substance. When he did this in the first couple of debates, at least it was still fresh...

I can't see how anyone thinks Trump did well in the FBC debate...but apparently some do.

He got smoked up there by Cruz, Rubio, Fiorina and even Kasich and Paul beat him in my opinion...and I'm a fan!

The debate I watched is the debate that I said was won by Ted Cruz.

Our friend clocker would later reply to that post with a link that said that Donald Trump and Ben Carson won the debate. So, first with clocker's and now your post, I guess it is suggested I didn't know what I saw.

Again, I didn't say Trump won, but I still stand by my opinion that he had a good debate. And I also said the same about a few others, such as Rand Paul.

Since Trump is the reason for your post, it should be noted that this debate didn't devolve into a near-all attack on Trump, as did the first three. And more specifically, when the annoying, silly John Kasich took a veiled shot at Trump on deportation, who do you think won that exchange? You may think Kasich did but I certainly don't.

You also bashed Trump's debate by saying all he did was spout generalizations, Trumpisms and assorted cliches. Seems to be working though because since the debate Trump hasn't really dropped in the polls, which may have happened with a bad debate as you saw -- especially with the media and GOP now subtly positioning themselves for Rubio.

Mike, what debate did you watch if you say Rubio smoked him? Have you ever listened to more than one Rubio debate? Every one of them are exactly the same -- shallow stump speeches at its best. 'Son of a bartender, mom a seamtress, striving to achieve the American Dream. American, a land of opportunity.' All compelling in its own way but it is truly the same old, same old, all the time with Rubio.

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by reckless

Our friend clocker would later reply to that post with a link that said that Donald Trump and Ben Carson won the debate. So, first with clocker's and now your post, I guess it is suggested I didn't know what I saw.

No, it is suggested that you are in the minority, and most people don't see it the way you do.

That's why there are different flavors of ice cream.

[Saratoga_Mike]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

He did? Which debate were you watching?

Trump, for the most part, spoke in generalizations and Trumpisms (read: cliches)...devoid for the most part of substance. When he did this in the first couple of debates, at least it was still fresh...

I can't see how anyone thinks Trump did well in the FBC debate...but apparently some do.

He got smoked up there by Cruz, Rubio, Fiorina and even Kasich and Paul beat him in my opinion...and I'm a fan!

Brilliant post.

[ArlJim78]

Cruz was awesome in that debate. I said last year, in my lifetime I've never seen a person with the level of skill and intellect that Cruz has run for the top office.
Kasich was a complete embarrassment, he managed to raise his negatives in a spectacular fashion.
Trump makes me laugh, I still support him even though he doesn't give specifics in those debates. He is not a debater, he's a doer, a manager. If Cruz doesn't catch fire then I'm going to be stumping for Trump!

[Saratoga_Mike]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

Trump makes me laugh, I still support him even though he doesn't give specifics in those debates. He is not a debater, he's a doer, a manager. If Cruz doesn't catch fire then I'm going to be stumping for Trump!

Amazes me that someone as conservative as yourself would support a RINO like Trump. Simply amazing. The guy's positions literally change on a weekly basis. If the opening this yr were on the Dem side, he would have run as a Dem.

[reckless]

Originally Posted by Saratoga_Mike

Amazes me that someone as conservative as yourself would support a RINO like Trump. Simply amazing. The guy's positions literally change on a weekly basis. If the opening this yr were on the Dem side, he would have run as a Dem.

What is truly amazing is that there are still establishment GOP fan boys out there that support liberals such as Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and now, Marco Rubio.

Some 'conservatives' here still prefer to embrace the losing GOP establishment position of open borders and amnesty, wrong positions that Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Barry Obama, Harry Reid, Hillary!, the Gang of Eight, and the current RINO belle du jour, Marco Rubio, all are in favor of.

Call Trump names all you wish Mike, but hitching your wagon to losers such as Bush or Christie or your new hopeful, Marco, the Svengali Known As Rubio shows a lack of understanding on the real issues that will decide the 2016 election.

Oh by the way, the great Ted Cruz will destroy Rubio's candidacy as quick as you can say ATM machine. Read on ... Marco's days as a serious and viable contender will end sooner rather than later despite what you and Fox News keep telling us.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-governm...n-immigration/

[Saratoga_Mike]

Originally Posted by reckless

What is truly amazing is that there are still establishment GOP fan boys out there that support liberals such as Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and now, Marco Rubio.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-governm...n-immigration/

Macro Rubio's record is radically more conservative than Trump's positions* over time. Only the sheep deny this.

*whatever his positions are on any given day.