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John McCain vs. Ted Cruz, Round 203



On Friday in an interview on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports," Arizona Sen. John McCain blasted his colleague Ted Cruz over the Texas senator's critique of the party's last three losing presidential nominees.



Here's McCain:


He can say what he wants to about me; he can say anything he wants to about Mitt.... Mitt can take it. But when he throws Bob Dole in there, I wonder if he thinks that Bob Dole stood for principle on a hilltop in Italy when he was so gravely wounded and left part of his body there fighting for our country. Bob Dole is such a man of honor and principle and integrity. I hope Ted Cruz will apologize to Bob Dole because that's crossed a line that to me leaves the realm of politics and discourse we should have in America.

McCain's comments came 24 hours after Cruz made the case in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that a purer form of conservatism was necessary if the party wanted to win in 2016. "All of us remember President Dole and President McCain and President Romney � now look, those are good men, they�re decent men, but when you don�t stand and draw a clear distinction, when you don�t stand for principle, Democrats celebrate," Cruz said.

It's not the first time the two men have clashed. Almost a year ago to the day, McCain described Cruz and his ilk in the Senate as "wacko birds." Cruz proudly owned the attempted slam; McCain apologized (though whether he was actually sorry is a whole different question). Then last fall, McCain hit Cruz's attempted filibuster of President Obama's health-care law as a misreading of the history of the fight over the law.

Two senators of the same party not liking one another isn't a new thing. (Frank Lautenberg and Bob Torricelli, anyone?) But the ongoing battles between McCain and Cruz are fueled by more than just personal animus -- although that's definitely in there, too. It's indicative of the broader differences between the establishment and tea party wings of the party and a leading indicator of just how nasty the 2016 presidential primary could get on the Republican side.

McCain, the party's 2008 standard-bearer, may think of himself as a maverick in Washington, but the truth of the matter is that when compared to the likes of Cruz, the Arizona senator is very much an establishment figure. McCain is a big believer that there is a way things are done in the Senate (and in Washington more generally), and one of the big no-no's is to attack former leaders of the party (particularly when that leader is in his 90s.) To McCain, what Cruz keeps doing is breaking the unspoken rules of the Senate for his own political gain. (Politics and baseball are similar in this way; they are both governed by scads of unstated but understood rules.)

Cruz, to put it bluntly, doesn't care about McCain and his unstated rules. (A clear illustration of Cruz's lack of interest in going along to get along? His decision to force his colleagues to vote on a clean debt-ceiling increase last month.) Not only does Cruz not care about these unspoken rules, he thinks they -- and people like McCain -- are part of the problem with the Republican Party. By hewing to a set of rules on how to act, Cruz would argue that his party has lost its way -- straying from the sort of first principles that can get the GOP back into the White House.

And it's important to remember that not getting along or even actively feuding with the powers-that-be within the Republican establishment is very good politics for Cruz. No one in Washington thinks Cruz is doing anything but prepping to run for president in two years, and the more he burnishes a reputation as the guy who refused to play nice in the D.C. sandbox, the more his image as a tea party darling will be strengthened. And, say what you will about a profile like that in a general election, but in a Republican presidential primary, it's potentially quite powerful.

In short: Expect more of McCain vs. Cruz.

McLame needs to STFU and retire. Oh, and he can take Grahamnesty with him.

Sounds good to me!

375 now...

_____

http://www.runtedrun.com/


Ex-Cruz staffer to lead �Draft Ted Cruz for President� super PAC



Supporters of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) have launched an online petition to draft him into the 2016 presidential race, and a Cruz staffer is leaving the senator's office to help out.

The Web site, RunTedRun.com, is seeking to get 1 million signatures in hopes of luring Cruz to run for president.

The effort is spearheaded by a super PAC that was set up in January called "Draft Ted Cruz for President." The super PAC is based in Houston and, until Wednesday, little was known about it.

But Cruz regional director Raz Shafer announced Wednesday on RedState.com that he is leaving the senator's office to run the PAC, lending credibility to the effort.

As of early Wednesday afternoon, the effort had 232 signatures.

He Could Be a Contender: Ted Cruz Has Book Deal

NEW YORK April 2, 2014 (AP)


Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate, is working on a project considered standard for national contenders: a book.

Cruz's literary agent, Keith Urbahn, said Wednesday that the tea party favorite had agreed to terms with HarperCollins. Urbahn declined to confirm a report in the Washington Examiner that the deal was worth $1.5 million. But he says the number is "close."

Cruz, 43, is expected to officially sign with HarperCollins over the next few weeks.

"I'm looking forward to the opportunity to share my story and to tell the truth about what's happening in Washington," Cruz told The Associated Press after giving a speech Wednesday at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.

"We're having a national debate right now about the direction our country should go, and I am eager to participate in that debate through any medium possible. And a book can serve as an effective vehicle for conveying the positive hopeful optimistic vision for America that I believe together can turn this nation around."

Elected in 2012, Cruz quickly established himself as one of the most polarizing and talked-about senators, and several publishers bid for his book. Some other possible 2016 candidates have books scheduled for this year, including former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Rep. Paul Ryan, while Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Rand Paul are among those who already have books out.

����

"Ted Cruz didn�t so much give a speech at Liberty University today as a sermon � and a darn good one, I might add. Plenty of others, I suspect, will dissect his words, but I think the political potential also serves some exploring.

First, a refresher: I�ve long contended that Cruz and Sen. Rand Paul are competing for the same turf, with Paul having the benefit of a superior infrastructure, and Cruz having the benefit of superior positioning. This is true when it comes to foreign policy, and when you compare Cruz�s speech at Liberty University today to Paul� speech at the Liberty University Convocation last October, it�s clear that Cruz has the greater potential to inspire and motivate Christian conservatives in places like Iowa.

I watched both speeches today, and, as such, may be uniquely qualified to compare and contrast them. As previously noted, these two men are competing for the same turf � and, in that regard � both are pro-life Christians who attempted to stress this commonality with the student crowd."

A RINO or democrap could not have said this better . . . so many clich�s!

Ted Cruz weighs in on Iowa Senate race

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz has decided to throw his name into the ugly senate battle brewing in the Midwestern state of Iowa.

According to the Daily Caller on April 3, a video was published in which Iowa Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley denigrated Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley as:

�
A farmer from Iowa who never went to law school." �

Braley wanted to make a point that Grassley's lack of a law degree made him unqualified to be the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, in which he would be granted if the Republicans can retake control of the Senate in the midterm elections in November.

But when a backlash arose, Braley apologized for his remarks. But Ted Cruz did not take the jab to Grassely lightly.

Cruz wrote an op-ed in the Iowa Republican on April 3 that touted Grassley and the accomplishments he has made in the Senate. Cruz wrote in the op-ed:

�
"Well, let me tell you something. Washington would be a lot better off if we had more farmers in Congress and a lot fewer trail lawyers. I'm a constitutional lawyer who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and in my opinion Chuck Grassley -- that Iowa farmer whom Braley was denigrating -- would make an outstanding chairman of that committee." �

Cruz touted Grassley's opposition to immigration reform and the efforts to "protect the Second Amendment rights" as a means for his qualification to be the chairman of the committee.

Fellow Conservatives:

We wanted to share the final results of the 2016 presidential straw
poll that we conducted a few weeks ago. With more than 60,000 ballots
cast, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) was the clear winner with 43% of the
vote. U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) finished second with 18%. Here are
the results:

* SEN. TED CRUZ (TX) - 42.67% (26,114)
* SEN. RAND PAUL (KY) - 18.00% (11,018)
* GOV. SCOTT WALKER (WI) - 10.05% (6,153)
* OTHER: (write-in candidates) - 6.85% (4,192)
* FMR. GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE (AR) - 6.15% (3,765)
* GOV. RICK PERRY (TX) - 4.15% (2,540)
* SEN. MARCO RUBIO (FL) - 2.41% (1,478)
* FMR. GOV. JEB BUSH (FL) - 2.18% (1,333)
* GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (NJ) - 1.83% (1,122)
* REP. PAUL RYAN (WI) - 1.64% (1,006)
* GOV. BOBBY JINDAL (LA) - 1.24% (760)
* FMR. SEN. RICK SANTORUM (PA) - 1.02% (627)
* GOV. JOHN KASICH (OH) - 0.65% (398)
* GOV. MIKE PENCE (IN) - 0.45% (273)
* GOV. NIKKI HALEY (SC) - 0.39% (240)
* GOV. SUSANA MARTINEZ (NM) - 0.31% (187)

It's remarkable to see Ted Cruz and Rand Paul at the top of this list.
When they ran for the Senate, the Washington establishment said they
were bad for the party. Now, they are two of the party's top prospects
for the White House in 2016.

It's a good reminder that we must keep working to elect conservative
leaders who will fight for our principles and help us win the argument
for freedom. [3]

Electing new leaders isn't easy, but we must do it. Change in
Washington will only occur if we change the people we send there.

Best regards,

Matt Hoskins
Executive Director
Senate Conservatives Fund

"U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas): "Off-the-charts brilliant. And you know, liberals make the terrible mistake, including some of my friends and colleagues, of thinking that all conservatives are dumb. And I think one of the reasons that conservatives have been beating liberals in the courts and in public debates is because we underestimate them. Never underestimate Ted Cruz. He is off-the-chart brilliant. I don't agree with his politics.""

Alan Dershowitz

Senate approves bill to ban Iranian diplomat


The Senate passed a bill Monday that would allow President Obama to block Iran�s new United Nations ambassador from entering the United States.

The bill from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) came in reaction to Iran's decision to name Hamid Abutalebi as its new U.N. representative. Cruz said Abutalebi is a member of a militant group that took 52 Americans hostage in Tehran in 1979.


Cruz said it was �deliberately insulting and contemptuous� that Iranian leaders would nominate Abutalebi for the U.N. role.
Abutalebi has applied for a visa to visit the United States in order to work at the U.N. headquarters in New York. But lawmakers have said the U.S. should reject that application based on Abutalebi's background.

The bill amends the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, which already allows the president to deny U.S. entry visas to U.N. representatives found to be engaging in spying against the United States, or who might pose a threat to U.S. national security.

The new legislation would add language saying visas must also be denied to any U.N. representatives who have engaged in terrorist acts against the United States.

The Senate passed the bill through a unanimous consent agreement.

�I thought it was totally inappropriate that Mr. Abutalebi was nominated in the first place," Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. "It may be a case of strange bedfellows, but I�m glad Sen. Cruz and I were able to work out a bill that would prevent this terrorist from stepping foot on American soil. We ought to close the door on him, and others like him, before he even comes to the United States, and that�s exactly what this bill will do.�

Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) has a companion measure in the House, H.R. 4357.
.

Ted Cruz on Jeb Bush: �Rule of law matters�



Texas Sen. Ted Cruz says illegal immigrants endure �heartbreaking� conditions, but wouldn�t agree with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush that they aren�t committing a felony.

�We�re a nation of immigrants, we need to celebrate that, but at the same time, rule of law matters,� Cruz said Monday on CNN�s �The Lead.�


The Republican senator, whose name has been included in 2016 speculation, added that the border needs to be secured to deal with the �humanity� of the situation.

�If you come down to Texas, and you see the conditions where you see photographs that are heartbreaking of bodies, of women and children left abandoned in the desert,� Cruz said. �Because they entrust themselves to transnational global criminal cartels who smuggle them in, who assault them, who leave them to die. This is not a humane system and we need to solve the problem.�

Cruz said in addition to securing the border, legal immigration needs to be improved and streamlined.

However, Cruz would not go as far as Bush, who said in an interview with Fox News that aired Sunday that illegal immigration is not a felony.


�Yes, they broke the law, but it�s not a felony,� Bush said. �It�s an act of love, It�s an act of commitment to your family.�

Cruz acknowledged that immigrants come to the U.S. �seeking a better world,� but added that some are �breaking the law to do so.�

Cruz, who said he was a �big fan� of Bush�s, dodged when asked whether the former Floria governor � also seen as a possible 2016 contender � is a strong conservative.

�That�s a question for the voters to say,� Cruz said,

Cruz, who said he likes both Bush and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, also said the GOP establishment wants to pick a nominee for 2016, �who they think won�t rock the boat.�

�I don�t think Washington elites are going to be very effective picking the nominee. It�s going to be, quite rightly, a decision for the grassroots to make,� Cruz said.

Ted Cruz: Dems Pushing Gender Pay Equality As A Way To Pay Off Trial Lawyers


appeared on Fox News Channel today with Neil Cavuto to discuss the latest hot topic swirling around Washington: closing the so-called gender gap when it comes to employee compensation.

Speaking of the bills that Democrats are trying to pass in an effort to guarantee equal pay for equal work, Cruz said: �They�ve written these bills because they know that they won�t pass and they�re doing it just to score political points�. This has nothing to do with equal pay for equal work. That�s been the law for decades.�

�Listen, as someone who is married to a strong, professional woman, as a father of two daughters, I�m very concerned about ensuring that women are protected in the workplace and treated fairly,� he said.

At that point Cavuto asked him if he thinks that women are treated fairly right now.

�Oh, we have a long way to go,� Cruz replied. �I think women suffer a very difficult circumstance in the workplace� but the answer is not to pass a trial lawyer bonanza. This has nothing to do with actually improving the situation with women in the workplace. This has everything to do with a political showboat for the Democrats and paying off the trial lawyers who are among the biggest funders of the Democratic party.�

Now don't get me wrong on this post because for me there is no place on the national stage for another Bush, but.......

Republicans are realizing that Jeb Bush is their only option in 2016 Facing a Hillary Clinton juggernaut, the GOP has no choice but to go back to the Bushes.

http://theweek.com/article/index/25...at-jeb-bush-is-their-only-option-in-2016

Senate miracle: Sen Ted Cruz-backed bill unanimously approved


The Senate unanimously passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz Monday night, which would block known terrorists from getting visas to enter the United States as U.N. ambassadors.

He thanked several senators by name on the Senate floor he said were �instrumental in the passage,� including Sen. Chuck Schumer, a Democrat and a very unlikely ally.

Iran�s newest U.N. ambassador, Hamid Aboutalebi, was an active participant in the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, when 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days in Tehran. He was appointed earlier this year by Iranian President Hasan Rouhani.

Shchumer said in a statement reported by The New York Daily News that the nomination was �totally inappropriate.�

�It may be a case of strange bedfellows,� said Schumer, �but I�m glad Senator Cruz and I were able to work out a bill that would prevent this terrorist from stepping foot on American soil.�

�There are no circumstances in which the U.S. should grant such a person a visa,� Cruz said before the Senate. Given the threat represented by Iran�s nuclear ambitions, he said, �this is not the moment for diplomatic niceties.�



The bill will have to pass the House before reaching the President�s desk. Colorado Rep. Doug Lamborn introduced a companion bill last week with 34 cosponsors, which has been referred to committee.

Senator Cruz did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

I'm giving Ted the day off. He and Cornyn had a tough time at Fort Hood yesterday. (While Obama was fundraising.)

I'm giving Ted the day off.
============

Wanna bet?

You gonna bet the guy who's holding all the cards?