What caused Ted Cruz to drop out?

[clownboy]

What possible justification did Ted give for putting all his eggs in the Indiana basket, anyway? My guess was the donor class.

After the Acela primaries, Trump's landslide victories there and Cruz's third place performance the donors and neverTrump folks drew a line in the sand. The message was twofold and clear:
1) Win Indiana or we're done with you
2) If you lose, drop out or you'll never have a political future

The "discussion" with the Trump supporters wasn't planned. It was a mistake. One of several this last week. When you're desperate and flailing about, looking for anything to get traction, most often mistakes happen. Once Ted broke and went into the meltdown mode speech it was obvious he knew nothing he tried worked for him and that he had lost Indiana.

 

[cabse5]

thanks for the invite, but I don't vote for liberal authoritarian bullies who intend to further trash the Constitution for President.

That's OK, the election isn't until November. Don't completely close yourself off from the idea.

 

[cabse5]

It's sad to me that the people I used to think of as Constitutional Conservatives (not social Conservatives) really aren't Conservative at all. They're Populists and Nationalists with a mean authoritative streak. It seems to me that being a true Constitutional Conservative is far more rare than we all thought.

Your constitutional Conservatives will never win the White House solely on their ideology, IMO. Reagan had his Jimmy Carter to help propel him into the White House.

Not to keep pounding, but you guys thought the GOP revolution that won both majorities of House and Senate were because of the doings of tea partiers and Conservatives. It wasn't. The whole nation was feeling disenfranchised. The whole nation felt non-represented with their own set of grievances apart from you guys.

 

[justabubba]

Jim DeMint!

he better choose a rare smart south carolinian politician: nikki haley

she had the 'balls' to publicly disagree with him. and she was right

nikki would help neutralize hillary's 70% female voter advantage

 

[VanceMack]

I think he just reached a point where he decided you know what? Screw you guys. You want him? You got him.

He put a lot into Indiana. No more reward. The GOP voters HAVE spoken. So...whats to fight for?

 

[Chomsky]

Now Ted needs to 'salvage' his image. That could be done in a Trump administration.

I doubt he'd give-up a sitting Senatorship, nor in political terms would it be wise for his party, opening-up another GOP Senate seat to defend (though I doubt it takes much to defend a GOP Senate seat in Texas).

 

[calamity]

Was it this confrontation that caused Ted Cruz to drop out? Ted Cruz had a bad past few days, in addition to losing the Indiana primary Ted Cruz got into an embarrassing fight with a heckler, had another 13 year old thrown heckler out of his rally saying he deserved a spanking, and watched his so called running mate Carly Fiorina fall off stage at a rally and didn't even try to help.

But could it have been this confrontation alone? Or maybe something else entirely?

I think he finally just realized that no one likes him.

 

[cabse5]

Now Ted needs to 'salvage' his image. That could be done in a Trump administration.

I doubt he'd give-up a sitting Senatorship, nor in political terms would it be wise for his party, opening-up another GOP Senate seat to defend (though I doubt it takes much to defend a GOP Senate seat in Texas).

Ah, IMO, Ted needs to salvage his image not exacerbate it!

 

[Fiddytree]

This primary season has caused me to come to some very painful realizations about my own political "tribe".

And then folks like you and I have better conversations because we can more directly see the consequences of X notion and the consequences of Y notion beyond the somewhat conventional wisdom of big v small government.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

Ah, IMO, Ted needs to salvage his image not exacerbate it!

I think Cruz's next step will be a run at Gov. of Texas. He'll never be Prez, he knows that. He's hated by both sides in the Senate, meaning he'll never get anything that HE wants done in the Senate. But governor of the 2nd largest state in the Union? He can push his TP, far right, religious right agenda there. Unlike the Senate, as governor he won't need anyone's else to push that agenda.

 

[clownboy]

I think Cruz's next step will be a run at Gov. of Texas. He'll never be Prez, he knows that. He's hated by both sides in the Senate, meaning he'll never get anything that HE wants done in the Senate. But governor of the 2nd largest state in the Union? He can push his TP, far right, religious right agenda there. Unlike the Senate, as governor he won't need anyone's else to push that agenda.

Agreed. We'll see come the mid-terms when he faces re-election.

 

[Chomsky]

Ah, IMO, Ted needs to salvage his image not exacerbate it!

Agreed.

But relinquishing a Senate seat is not an easy thing to do!

 

[cabse5]

Agreed.

But relinquishing a Senate seat is not an easy thing to do!

Nor is repairing any relationships in the Senate.

 

[Chomsky]

I think Cruz's next step will be a run at Gov. of Texas. He'll never be Prez, he knows that. He's hated by both sides in the Senate, meaning he'll never get anything that HE wants done in the Senate. But governor of the 2nd largest state in the Union? He can push his TP, far right, religious right agenda there. Unlike the Senate, as governor he won't need anyone's else to push that agenda.

I agree with your line of thinking. And Texas would seem to (currently) suit him well.

 

[Chomsky]

Nor is repairing any relationships in the Senate.

Which is why I think SenorXm/Sirius' suggesting Cruz' running for Gov (of Texas) makes sense.

 

[Howler63]

Your constitutional Conservatives will never win the White House solely on their ideology, IMO. Reagan had his Jimmy Carter to help propel him into the White House.

Not to keep pounding, but you guys thought the GOP revolution that won both majorities of House and Senate were because of the doings of tea partiers and Conservatives. It wasn't. The whole nation was feeling disenfranchised. The whole nation felt non-represented with their own set of grievances apart from you guys.

So to whom do we attribute these massive victories in 2010 and 2014?

 

[Chomsky]

Newt?

Hah!

But don't laugh, earlier in Trump's campaign I thought he should bring Newt on!

Yeah, he'd be an excellent attack dog - but I feel Trump needs someone a little more contemporary.

 

[haymarket]

Jesus Christ, those people were ****ing stupid.

But they had the perfect timing of a nightclub comedian skewering a heckler.

 

[Chomsky]

he better choose a rare smart south carolinian politician: nikki haley

she had the 'balls' to publicly disagree with him. and she was right

nikki would help neutralize hillary's 70% female voter advantage

Good pick, I think.

Although it's blatantly obvious, and might be perceived in some quarters as pandering.

But she also brings-in ethnic diversity, which can't hurt with Indies and potential cross-over Dems.

 

[cpwill]

That's OK, the election isn't until November. Don't completely close yourself off from the idea.

:lol: Dude. Cmon.

I mean, what's even the argument for that. Am I supposed to worry that Hillary Clinton will have an inept foreign policy, fueled by dangerous ignorance about how the world works? Perhaps I should vote for Trump because otherwise Hillary will seek to restrict our First or Second Amendment Rights? Maybe I should switch to back Trump because Hillary would raise taxes and push for universal health care. Perhaps I'm supposed to vote for Trump because otherwise Hillary might pass Amnesty, support Crony Capitalism, and unilaterally pursue destructive economic policies?

Yeah, she might do all that. But you know what Hillary won't do? She won't order people like me to hunt down and murder women and children.

HRC +1.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

Good pick, I think.

Although it's blatantly obvious, and might be perceived in some quarters as pandering.

But she also brings-in ethnic diversity, which can't hurt with Indies and potential cross-over Dems.

Somebody here said Trump should pick Olympia Snowe as his VP. I forgot who, but I don't want to take credit for it. But anyway IMO that would be a great pick for him.

 

[Chomsky]

Somebody here said Trump should pick Olympia Snowe as his VP. I forgot who, but I don't want to take credit for it. But anyway IMO that would be a great pick for him.

Wow, interesting and off the radar pick! :thumbs:

I like her!

But see her more more as a Dem than a Repub, to be honest.

I think this would load the ticket too much in the NE 'liberal' Republicans vein, and fail to balance his ticket to appeal to GOP conservatives. But for the general with the top of the ticket poised to expand the core and map, that may actually be fine.

But actually, I'm personally fine with her. I abhor the current GOP, but think I could live with the Northeast variant. Hell, that ticket just might get my vote, and I definitely no longer vote GOP (not that I ever much did, besides my errant youthfully naive vote for Reagan's 1st).

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

Wow, interesting but odd pick!

I like her!

But see her more more as a Dem than a Repub, to be honest.

I think this would load the ticket too much in the NE 'liberal' Republicans vein, and fail to balance his ticket to appeal to GOP conservatives. But for the general with the top of the ticket poised to expand the core and map, that may actually be fine.

But actually, I'm personally fine with her. I abhor the current GOP, but think I could live with the Northeast variant. Hell, that ticket just might get my vote, and I definitely no longer vote GOP (not that I ever much did, besides my errant youthfully naive vote for Reagan's 1st).

Yep, you make good points.

BUT he's already seen as a NYC, NE liberal. The far right Cons are already going to A) stay home and not vote for him, or B) hold their nose and vote for anyone but Hillary Clinton. So IMO I doubt any VP pick will mean much to the far right part of the GOP

But Snowe might pull in the 'on the fence' Dem voter. And/or some women who don't like Clinton. Or maybe help him win a few of those North East states he will need.

 

[Cryptic]

Was it this confrontation that caused Ted Cruz to drop out? Ted Cruz had a bad past few days, in addition to losing the Indiana primary Ted Cruz got into an embarrassing fight with a heckler, had another 13 year old thrown heckler out of his rally saying he deserved a spanking

I doubt it was the hecklers. If Cruz could not deal with hecklers, he should not have been in the race. Heck, he had plenty of warning regarding the existance of aggressive hecklers from watching Trump's rallies. Likewise, Obama's primary and presidential campaign runs had a number of aggressive hecklers.

Cruz dropped out simply because his viability prior to Indiana was tenuous at best. Post Indiana, he was no longer viable.

 

[Chomsky]

Yep, you make good points.

BUT he's already seen as a NYC, NE liberal. The far right Cons are already going to A) stay home and not vote for him, or B) hold their nose and vote for anyone but Hillary Clinton. So IMO I doubt any VP pick will mean much to the far right part of the GOP

But Snowe might pull in the 'on the fence' Dem voter. And/or some women who don't like Clinton. Or maybe help him win a few of those North East states he will need.

To build on this:

I don't see Trump as a Republican, or at least a mainstream GOPer as currently practiced today. He was a Dem, then an Indie, and now a Republican. Hell, he was promoting single-payer healthcare (over Hillary!) just two months ago, until he muzzled it over Republican uproar! So he changed the message to tell them what they wanted to hear!

He's just using the GOP as his vehicle to get into the WH, and once in office will only need them in the context of approving legislation in lieu of executive order. He could just as easy be an Indie or Dem, as far as his lack of allegiance.

So with that in mind, yeah he could just take Snowe and run a campaign fully exhibiting his authentic (vs primary) values, drawing Dems, Indies, and moderate Rebubs, and make this about him and not party - which is what I believe he really wants. His message resonates across party lines with certain subsets of the electorate. And Snowe would fit well here, though I don't see her and her mild upper N.E. demeanor playing the traditional veep campaign role of attack-dog. But that should be no problem, because Trump's seems more than happy to attack!

So the more that I think about this, the more I like it. But I really think he'll pick a seasoned politico holding more serious party gravitas; in his Morning Joe phone-in today he expressed the desire to legislate, and claims he needs a guy that can get it done. From his demeanor, I believe he's dead serious about bringing changes to the country. That's both scary and invigorating at the same time!