Heartbreak Ahead

Via AllahP, Rubio's last stand:

The best 13 minutes of his campaign, and compulsively watchable despite the length because of how sincere he seems. But where was this guy two nights ago at the debate?

If you liked Rubio at all, this tape will leave you deeply regretting his imminent departure from the race.

But on the bright side - Carly's back and Ted's got her:

ORLANDO, Fla. — How would Ted Cruz feel about Vice President Carly Fiorina?

“Let’s win the nomination first,” came the response — from Mrs. Fiorina.

What did Mr. Cruz make of Donald J. Trump’s argument against holding future debates?

“Well, listen,” the Texas senator began, at a news conference next to his new supporter.

“I’m sorry, senator,” Mrs. Fiorina interjected, “I just have to say — ”

She suggested that Mr. Trump was afraid to debate Mr. Cruz if the field thinned. She noted that Mr. Cruz had “never talked about spray tans or body parts, or hurled insults.”

Then she lowered the boom: “Man up, Donald.”

 

Comments

[Sue]

It's quite possible Cruzsupporters are twaddlers.

[henry]

I regret many departures from the race... Although I regret some staying in too long more. At this point, I recoil in horror from the prospect of either Dem commie winning. Rubio staying in longer does not reduce that possibility.

[henry]

. Dammit

[boris]

Cruz / Carly should be a formidable combination.

But seriously Carly telling Trump to "man up" is a bit loopy after Chicago. Kinda looks like Trump is leaving them behind.

[narciso]

Goes the weather like at #never trump Rick.

[peter]

Rubio is a lot like Mitt. One good debate, and then folds.

[Porchlight]

Yawn.

[Porchlight]

AP: "GOP presidential candidates may retract pledge to support Trump after violence at rallies."

Haven't seen confirmation, but sounds about par for these dudes.

They won't support a guy being attacked by the left because he's being attacked by the left? Whom do they imagine will be left to support them when the same fate befalls them? The towel folders at NRO?

[maryrose]

I am not a waddler full stop
I am just messing with you
Sue's comment had me laughing
Comment of the day!

[maryrose]

Should twaddler

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

If it's this hot in early March think how the dog days of August and September are going to be flaring up.
Better order up some of them asbestos long johns.

[Sue]

Cruz has reaffirmed he will support the GOP candidate, including Trump.

[Sue]

Not candidate, nominee.

[Porchlight]

Thanks, Sue.

[derwill]

From pagar's link on the previous thread:

"A developing story out of Ohio is getting the attention of the progressive press: the FBI is currently investigating claims that Governor John Kasich made promises of political influence and threatened the jobs of those who would not help him replace those in power with his cronies."

Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.

[boris]

"currently investigating"

Might not be contemporaneously accurate..

[maryrose]

MM
Did you hear the news that Cruz will support Trump if he is the nominee?
What a stand up guy that Cruz is a man of his convictions
Someone I can trust
Twaddlers Unite!

[maryrose]

Derail ill
Don't believe everything you hear
There are many in Ohio jealous of Kasich
Especially the eunuch Democrat Party

[maryrose]

Twitchy our former Dem governor is afraid to debate Senator Portman

[daddy]

Just had an earthquake. A quick hit, but very strong, and really shook the house!

Nothing broke. Only a few seconds but really got my attention.

Off to see what the USGS says.

[daddy]

6.1

An earthquake with magnitude 6.1 occurred near Atka, AK at 18:06:44.00 UTC on Mar 12, 2016 ...

[maryrose]

Cruz is winning a Wyoming no delegate
Vote of support

[maryrose]

Be careful daddy for aftershocks

[maryrose]

Trump accusing g Rubio of rigging the vote in Florida
Stand up guy that Trump

[daddy]

This site says 6.3, but it makes no sense because the quake is 1,120 some miles away.

No local news reports yet, but we are now told that the snowmachiner who ran over the Iditarod dog teams killing a dog is a Native who says he was so blotto drunk that he didn't know what he was doing.

[daddy]

Captain Hate's Terp's are hanging in there, only down 1 against Michigan State with 5 minutes to go.

[jimmyk]

Grr, missed that a new thread started while I was playing catch-up. Reposting...

See my column tomorrow on what I think of Cruz's spineless remark.

I'm far behind and only have been able to skim, but I stand with Jeff and Tom Bowler. We're letting the leftist bomb throwers divide us. I'm surprised at people throwing Cruz under the bus because of one ill-advised comment. I've defended Trump right and left despite his being my third or fourth choice, and despite plenty of ill-advised comments (never mind questionable policy decisions) on his part. If we throw any candidate under the bus for one ill-advised comment, there will be no one left. Or do we expect perfection from Cruz, but Trump can say what he want, we'll that's just "Donald being Donald."

This is not policy issues, it is WAR.

Do you seriously think Cruz won't fight a WAR against the left and to undo the messes Obama and Hillary have created? I have less confidence that Trump will, because I don't really know what he stands for.

IVR, including Trump, but I'm disappointed in the circular firing squad here.

[jimmyk]

And for a little levity, I'm told this pic went viral, but haven't seen it anywhere but an e-mail from a friend:

[Threadkiller]

Threadkiller

Do you seriously think Cruz won't fight a WAR against the left and to undo the messes Obama and Hillary have created?

I think he thinks this can be won with mental snippets.

It can't.

https://youtu.be/NiRJaa1wbzg

[daddy]

From the Washington Post. Remember that CPD was responsible for security outside

Correct,

and don't forget that the CPD said Dr Richard Kimble murdered his wife.

[maryrose]

Jimmyk
Hear hear and thank you!

[maryrose]

Daddy
Super game

[Another Bob]

jimmyk | March 12, 2016 at 05:14 PM:

"IVR, including Trump, but I'm disappointed in the circular firing squad here."

Amen, jimmyk, amen.

But re. Cruz' willingness to fight the war? We do have the examples of Eric Cantor and Marco Rubio.

I voted Cruz, but he hasn't totally closed the deal with me on that yet.

[maryrose]

Blocked by Michigan

[maryrose]

Three pointer by Maryland will tie the game
I wonder if Capt is watching

[maryrose]

Two pointer
Need to win at the buzzer
Can't wait for the madness to start this Thursday!

[daddy]

Dennis Miller
2 hrs ·
Rubio is leading in the first and third southernmost Northern Mariana Islands.

[Sue]

I'm trying to figure out what exactly happened to Breitbart's Michelle Fields and Trump's campaign. I've watched the video several times, in slomo and regular speed, and it seems to me she is a delicate little flower or something. I can't see anything even when they circle it for me. Much ado about nothing, and seriously overblown by Trump haters.

[PD]

I'm surprised at people throwing Cruz under the bus because of one ill-advised comment.

I'm not throwing him under the bus, but I did say that he lowered himself in my eyes. And he did.

I would say *Cruz* is doing a little under-the-bus throwing with his remarks assigning blame to Trump for the disruption and violence last night.

[daddy]

Sorry, Captain.

I find I have no problem pulling for you guys now that you're in a Bush League conference.

[Porchlight]

Or do we expect perfection from Cruz, but Trump can say what he want, we'll that's just "Donald being Donald."

jimmyk, since Cruz has set himself up as the only constitutionalist in the race, his comments are particularly disappointing to those who were rooting for him for that reason. My take, anyway.

IMO it may be that the reason the firing squad is now circular is because the other side of the circle - made up of the ones accused of being dupes and suckers - is firing back.

[jimmyk]

That's fine, PD, and I wish Cruz had responded differently, but I don't expect perfection. It's been clear for a while that Cruz isn't always able to rise above the fray, though he's done better than Rubio in that regard.

[Centralcal on iPad]

I couldn't see it either Sue until the Megyn Kelly interview with her. It is pretty clearly him (left arm) reaching out and grabbing her left arm. (Watched the video on my iPad, not TV) I also agree that it is much ado about very little. Campaign roughing up a reporter - all in a day's work in this WAR.

What I do find ironic and bemusing is that it was a Breitbart reporter - who by their own admission are mostly (not all) very, very pro-Trump.

[Sue]

C,

Well whatever happened was clearly a microsecond and has been blown way out of proportion to what happened. If it had been a man would everyone be aghast?

[Stephanie]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news-campaigns/272782-john-lewis-trashes-trump-on-twitter

Shark jumped.

[maryrose]

Remember Porch how you voted for Trump because of that comment by the guy in the voting line?
I believe he said It is all about stopping Trump
Well that is how I feel wrt Cruz
He has disrespected from the get go starting back in Iowa when he won and Trump and Rubio declared themselves the winners
I will happily vote for Cruz who deserves my vote and Kasich will thump Trump
It is a twofer for me

[maryrose]

Briebart reporter
Your 15 minutes of fame has expired

[jimmyk]

since Cruz has set himself up as the only constitutionalist in the race, his comments are particularly disappointing

Ok, but I think candidates should ultimately be held to the same standards, not be punished for setting expectations too high.

I had a long and lively conversation with a good friend this morning who seems to be in the #NeverTrump camp, and was claiming that Hillary will be better than Trump because Bill will get her to be more like Bill was in terms of moving to the center, especially with a Republican Congress. Trump, who knows what he'll do?

I responded with two main points:

1. Bill's presidency came after 12 years of Republican administrations, the demise of the Soviet Union, the appointments of Scalia and Thomas to (ok, and Kennedy too) SCOTUS. A left/center presidency with a Republican Congress was not the end of the world, especially given how disappointing GHWB had been.

A Hillary presidency would come after 8 years of Obama disasters, SCOTUS moving left. His damage has to be undone. It's not enough to shift a bit toward the center (even assuming she would). Obamacare will be permanent, SCOTUS will be leftist for 30 years, the EPA and DoJ thugs will run everything. A "Hail Mary" pass with Trump is better than playing it safe (not that I agreed with him that Hillary would be safe).

2. Hillary's criminality, dishonesty, and lack of ethics cannot be rewarded, even if she would be the greatest president since George Washington.

I didn't convince him (yet), but I think I saw him at least conceding that I had a point.

[Porchlight]

Ok, but I think candidates should ultimately be held to the same standards, not be punished for setting expectations too high.

Fair enough. I was approaching it from more of a horse race perspective where candidates can get in trouble for boxing themselves in.

[Theo]

jimmyk --

I love the Hillary "LIAR" pick.

And I think that this comment nails it --

"I wish Cruz had responded differently, but I don't expect perfection."

In the heat of an election campaign, Cruz may have gone slightly wobbly from what he should have said. Of course we should defend even Trump's right to speak and not give in to the intimidation of the thugs. But it is also crucial that we stop Trump from being the nominee.

[James D.]

I hate the GOP primaries this year more than I think I'ever ever hated anything.

It really is tearing the right apart, and it's going to hand the Presidency to the Democrats, and whatever hope this country has will be destroyed.

And I guess I'm part of the division and the infighting because I blame the NeverTrump side for most of what's wrong. Mainly for this reason:

It's the other candidates, and the GOP leadership who failed to see what Trump was doing, and failed to take his campaign seriously when it was just starting to gain momentum, and failed to listen to what the people supporting him were saying.

It was the GOP leadership who created this hideous primary and debate process. It was the various departed candidates who hired retread advisors who produced failed campaigns. It was those same candidates who squandered hundreds of millions of dollars that might have been used against Hillary in the fall, to run ineffective primary ads and enrich consultants and vendors to no good purpose.

Trump did NONE of that. His supporters, out in the country and within the party, are not responsible for any of it.

And even now the NeverTrump side can't agree to commit on a single candidate, which might actually stop him and produce the result they want. Again, that is NOT the fault of Trump or his supporters. If his opponents cannot agree on a common plan and a standard-bearer, what is he supposed to do? Just quit anyway?

It's like a basketball team putting their shortest, slowest and weakest defender on LeBron James, and then complaining when the Cavaliers keep pushing the ball to him and he keeps making layups and dunks all game long. What do you expect them to do?

[JeanD]

I heart JamesD at 6:18, and Stephanie always. And I would happily phonebank for a Steph/Iggy ticket!

[daddy]

Dammit

Megaditto's, Henry!

That's how I feel too:)

[Theo]

James --

Agree in part and disagree in part.

Trump did not CAUSE the divisions on the right. He exploited them. A lot of his supporters (like a guy who published an article the other day linked to here by Miss Marple) say things like "I don't care that Trump is for big government." There are fundamental differences between me and that person and they would exist without Trump.

I agree with you that the party leadership has failed. They took the Trump voters too much for granted and they certainly ignored his campaign until far too late. The failure to unite behind a single alternative is for strategic reasons and that will probably end soon. Rubio is almost certainly gone and Kasich is unlikely to last either.

But the blame game gets us only so far. We need to stop shouting at each other and realize that to win this election we need a real conservative and a real Republican (i.e., not Trump) to beat Hillary.

[daddy]

...The best 13 minutes of his campaign, and compulsively watchable despite the length...

Personally I'd rather go thru another 6.1 earthquake than watch a 13 minute campaign tape of Rubio.

Sure there's psychological damage from both, but the earthquake's over a lot quicker.

[derwill]

I don't expect a perfect candidate, but I wouldn't call leaping up to defend a Soros-funded brownshirt operation a "mistake" or a "miscalculation." It tells me that said candidate will defend my own right to free speech and assembly only when it's convenient for him to do so. IVR, and I've already voted for Cruz anyway, but I the way I see it I didn't throw him under the bus, he threw me.

[narciso]

I'm guessing it's walter mead,

http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/228912/#respond

if the #nevertrumps could actually get around to denouncing the administration policies in any more then perfunctory manners,

[daddy]

I've watched the video several times, in slomo and regular speed, and it seems to me she is a delicate little flower or something.

Sue,

If with a thousand people watching and a hundred cameras flashing, her supposedly being invisibly grabbed on the arm for 2 seconds counts as "assault," then I should be guilty of child abuse for popping my daughters zits.

[Threadkiller]

Threadkiller

I stand with Daddy!

[clarice]

Cruz played the perfect white toga play and you know how much I hate that. The left has been playing these disrupt, silence and then whine victim game to a fare thee well for wages. No reason whatsoever to give them an inch. If Trump does no more than end the PC crap, give the right a tough spokesperson against these Alinskyites,close the borders and enforce immigration law, shut down the Dept of Education and the EPA I'll be happy.

I don't care if he can debate the fine points of the constitution, I'm sure he;ll select a better AG than Hillary will and he/she won't let him overreach, especially since the constitutionalist just failed his one big test.

[GUS]

Listen to what Theo says. He's "concerned".

[Theo]

"If Trump does no more than end the PC crap, give the right a tough spokesperson against these Alinskyites,close the borders and enforce immigration law, shut down the Dept of Education and the EPA I'll be happy."

Yeah, me too.

The odds of this are zero. He is not actually going to do any of that. He is not a conservative, does not believe in limited government and has no knowledge or experience about how to handle foreign policy.

But if he would and could fulfill clarice's agenda, that would be great.

[daddy]

And in the big scheme of "I'm a woman and he assaulted me," nice to remember the last words Marie Antoinette said to the executioner operating her Guillotine :

"Pardon, monsieur, je ne l'ai pas fait exprès."

"Excuse me, sir, I did not mean to do it." She had accidentally stepped on the executioner's foot.

[daddy]

If Trump does no more than end the PC crap, give the right a tough spokesperson against these Alinskyites,close the borders and enforce immigration law, shut down the Dept of Education and the EPA I'll be happy.

Clarice,

If Trump is only able to do a single one of those I'll be happy, and if he's able to do 2 I'll be over the moon!

[narciso]

as for the borscht, well bon apetite,

http://www.dailypundit.com/?p=118274

[narciso]

well we know you have none

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/03/top-house-dem-joins-cruz-kasich-rubio-lashes-out-at-donald-trump-have-you-no-decency-sir/

[derwill]

And while I'm up on my high horse . . .

Can we please retire the phrase "we need a real/true conservative and a real/true Republican." If such a paragon exists, he/she certainly is not embodied in the three not-Trumps left standing. So it's kind of counter-productive.

[Miss Marple]

Maryrose,
Glad to hear Cruz said he would support the GOP nominee.

Can't comment much. Am at granddaughters play about Anne Frank.

[boris]

Circular firing squad here is more like ...

A: Trump is evil

B: Doubt it

A: Trump is spawn of Satan

B: Oh he is not

A: Trump followers are a bunch of zombies

B: Don't be ridiculous

A: Why is everybody picking on me?

I am okay with expressing opinion, okay with advocating a candidate, okay with advocating against a candidate. I do react negatively to peer pressure though.

Individuals may say they won't vote for Trump in the general but collectively #NeverTrump is saying "you have to pick somebody else 'cuz there are enough of us to deny him the election".

Okay, good to know but the fact is they're not being picked on here.

[Theo]

Entirely disagree derwill.

Each of the non Trumps has flaws. But under any measurement or any way of looking at it, each of them is closer by miles and miles to the "paragon" you speak of than the con man Trump, whose views have no ideological or intellectual depth and are entirely shaped by what he thinks people want to hear today.

[daddy]

How about, while waiting for the important ACC BasketBall Game to start, we let the healing begin.

Let's see if we can something positive about whatever Repub candidate we're all #NeverThatCreep about.

Kasich: His campaign Tapes are shorter than Rubio's!

Rubio: They love him in Tinian and Saipan!

Cruz: His reading of "Green Eggs and Ham" was my favorite version since Jesse jackson version on SNL!

Trump: The Reporter his thug assaulted probably had it coming!

Your guys turn:)

[fpr]

I don't understand why Cruz is being held to a higher standard than Trump. He is much worse on free speech.

Donald Trump slams Pam Geller for “taunting” Muslims with “Draw the Prophet” contest: “What the hell is she doing?” "They can't do something else? They have have to be in the middle of Texas insulting everybody?"

http://www.salon.com/2015/05/04/donald_trump_slams_pam_geller_for_%E2%80%9Ctaunting%E2%80%9D_muslims_with_%E2%80%9Cdraw_the_prophet%E2%80%9D_contest_%E2%80%9Cwhat_the_hell_is_she_doing/

[maryrose]

Many have been waiting for a reason not to vote for Cruz
Now in their minds they have found it
I liked the article that Al Franken

has given us Donald Trump
Yes celebrity is a real asset to running well for anything
The most qualified and intelligent doesn't seem to factor in anymore
Minnesota actually has re-elected Franken who stole yes MM stole the election from Norm Coleman doing just enough recounts to manufacture a victory
But hey Cruz isn't as cool or As connected

as the Donald so we have to hold him to the higher standardYou guys want a celebrity President

[narciso]

I was rereading back blast, which is the last, court makes jack bauer seem like a boy scout, he's part of a black ops team, that basically put a
shoot on sight order, on him, he comes back to dc to find out why that is, after 5 years on the run,

[narciso]

in mark greaney's series, that pd mentioned last night,

[Threadkiller]

Threadkiller

Am at granddaughters play about Anne Frank.

My daughter had an unfortunate comment in 4th grade when she read The Diary of Anne Frank.

She was protesting having to read anything and she asked the teacher what was so wrong with a girl that got to go to camp.

:-(

This earned her an adult conversation from which she gained compassion and remorse.

[GUS]

Well it looks like the MEME is making it's rounds.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/donald-trump-calls-protests-chicago-rally-planned-attack/story?id=37601079

Read the story, everyone agrees/agreed that TRUMP is causing VIOLENCE.

Excuse me, but who CAUSED VIOLENCE last night?
Who tried to jump the stage today.
PROFESSIONAL COMMIE AGITATORS. And morons among us, want to blame TRUMP. KINGSIZED STUPID.

[clarice]

Should be for *ages* though, of course, it is also for Wages,,These are paid thugs.

[daddy]

My only regret is that Reporter David Gergen never tried to get between Trump and Corey Lewandowski:(

[narciso]

belmont has much to say,

https://pjmedia.com/richardfernandez/2016/03/12/chicago/?singlepage=true

some of trump's answers on thursday, suggest he might go like yeltsin,

[BB Key]

Daddy

Irony:

NC vs UVa

DC venue in a last ditch effort to keep MD in ACC

Shades of 1976

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Geez, I might have advanced to the Archies in 4th grade, but more likely it was still Ironman.
Diary of Anne Frank?
What was after that Faust...in German?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--IMO it may be that the reason the firing squad is now circular is because the other side of the circle - made up of the ones accused of being dupes and suckers - is firing back.--

Persactly.
As long as it's a only a semicircle with the guns, shooting at the knuckledraggers everything's hunky dory.

[GUS]

MARYLAND in ACC?

[narciso]

in college, they performed into the woods, I had burned the memory of how bad it was, the movie version was even more cromulent,

[clarice]

Very funny, daddy.

[narciso]

anyone care what mcardle says, rhetorical,

http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2016/03/12/trumps-clumsy-pivot-to-the-general-election/

[clarice]

wh makes no secret of its support and coordination with BLM , the folks who are disrupting the Trump rallies.http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/17/politics/obama-black-lives-matter/index.html Let me know when your fair haired candidates dare speak out about this.

[BB Key]

GUS

This year's event scheduled years ago . 1976 first time tourney was played outside NC : Landover MD

[daddy]

Everyone who is in high dungeon over Cruz laying some blame on Trump for the thuggish behavior still has not answered the question of why no other campaigns are having similar protests.

Posted by: Texas Liberty Gal
--------------------------------
Rubio Eggs On, Cracks Jokes as Supporters Attack Protesters at Campaign Rally---Feb 28th, 2016

In a YouTube video of the rally, Rubio turns to watch as a protester is attacked near the rear of the stage and eggs on his supporters attacking the protester, “Looks like a lot of fun back there!”

At no point did Rubio discourage violence or urge a peaceful resolution, instead he urged on the attacks and made jokes.
----------------------------
Think Progress Link: Activists Disrupt Ted Cruz’s Houston Rally On Behalf Of Immigrants, Women, And Low-Income Texans MAR 1, 2016

Though they wouldn’t say who they’re supporting in the race, the women acknowledged that they’re Democrats — and that Cruz’s rhetoric just doesn’t line up with their own. Mostly, they just seemed excited to be able to interrupt Cruz and get away with it.
“The protest was about disturbing his peace,” Lola Garcia said. “If he comes to Houston, he has to expect that Democrats are going to protest him. And that’s what we’re doing.
--------------------------
etc.

[maryrose]

Villanova/Seton Hall game a barn burner !

[GUS]

It's been played in GREENSBORO forever.

Maybe Maryland won't leave!! Hahahahahahahaha.

[James D.]

HERE is the true enemy:

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/obama-says-cannot-legal-case-apple-inc-223034884--finance.html

[narciso]

I dubbed them properly, some lives matter, because they are not concerned with the totality of the community, they started out with the doj funded dream defenders, whose trial run was forcing out
the sanford police chief,

[daddy]

Thanks, Clarice,

I was wondering of this microphone was on:)

[maryrose]

Seton Hall upsets Villanova

[clarice]

The WaPo says far fewer voters in DC than the poll worker told me but concedes the lines stretched for blocks even late into the polling.Says there are 19 delegated up at stake, not 32 which was from an earlier report I had read.http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/17/politics/obama-black-lives-matter/index.html

[JeanD]

maryrose, may I ask why you are voting for Cruz but working a phone bank for Kasich?

You know that OH is winner take all, yes? And you know that Cruz is polling a distant third, yes?

Are you that confident that Kasich will win, and doesn't even need your vote?

I am perplexed.

Since your vote is your own, and none of my business, I hope you will ignore my question if it intrudes on your private choice in the matter.

[maryrose]

When do the DC results come in?

[narciso]

meanwhile nothing else is happening in the world,

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4777038,00.html