Last week, the New York Times ran an opinion piece headlined “Anyone but Ted Cruz“. It is widely known that Cruz is utterly despised in Congress. Maybe it is because of things he has done, like when “He likened Senate Republicans who recognized the impossibility of defunding Obamacare to Nazi appeasers.”
Cruz tries to spin this as “the price invariably paid by an outsider who challenges the status quo, clings to principle and never backs down.”
However, it turns out that virtually everyone who has ever worked with him (or even just knew him) loathes him. As someone who worked with Cruz in 2000 on the Bush presidential campaign put it, “Why do people take such an instant dislike to Ted Cruz? It just saves time.” Indeed, he was the only campaign staffer who did not get a job in the White House. Even his former boss, Dubya, said “I just don’t like the guy.”
It goes even further back than that. His freshman roommate in college at Princeton hates him so much he said publicly “I would rather have anybody else be the president of the United States. Anyone. I would rather pick somebody from the phone book.”
A political blog in Texas (where Cruz is the junior senator) picked up the story, and added that Cruz is so busy trying to put himself in the limelight that he has accomplished nothing for the state that elected him.
The best part are the comments. One comment says:
Cruz is an untrustworthy, narcissistic, plutocratic, theocratic fascist who speaks with a forked tongue. He lies as easily as he breathes. Truly, he is an insidious snake oil salesman–lacking any sense of ethical and social responsibility–not an ounce of compassion or loyalty in his bones. He has no respect for anyone. Cruz is all about Cruz.
Someone else responds “and those are his good points”.
Another series of comments goes:
i used to like Cubans until this fraud came up, which is everything Fidel Castro fought against. He is obnoxious to a stinking level, a parasite whose accomplishments in Texas amount to zero.
so you lump all cubans in with him? Come on
Yeah, lay off the Cubans. This bozo is Canadian anyway. Wait… Sorry Canada!
Extra special bonus: Watch unedited video of Cruz coaching his family to say nice things about him for campaign ads. There’s even a small argument between Cruz trying to talk his mother into saying some stuff, but she is uncomfortable and resists. Another video has his wife talking about her brother, who she says “is presently a missionary in Haiti”. But then she stops the taping, saying “My brother’s thing’s too much” because actually “He doesn’t live there”. Cruz tells people what to say, and hugs are repeated over and over until they have just that right feeling of warmth and spontaneity. Warning, watching Cruz try to appear human can be painful, and the discomfort of his own family is palpable.
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So it begs the question, how did this guy ever get elected? I’d sooner vote for the scorpion in his latest ad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4K_uFZW9Jk
IK, what a wonderful piece! You had me grinning throughout.
Unfortunately, Cruz does not. Turns out he’s a Prince of the creepy Dominionist theocratic movement/religion, which explains a lot about Cruz’ political career — he’s a sort of religious guided missile for the takeover of secular government.
Here are a few articles that made my blood run cold: http://www.alternet.org/belief/some-real-truths-about-sketchy-past-ted-cruzs-father-rafael?akid=13585.103838.RP8q8N&rd=1&src=newsletter1044258&t=12 ; http://jonathanturley.org/2013/10/12/ted-cruz-dominionism-and-jesus/ ; http://www.politicususa.com/2013/10/30/left-accept-ted-cruz-dominionist-messiah.html . There are lots more — just search “ted cruz” + dominionism
One last peep, and then I’ll stop. Here’s the article I was looking for this is the must-read: http://www.alternet.org/speakeasy/brucewilson/ted-cruzs-father-suggested-his-son-anointed-bring-about-end-time-transfer
Excerpt: “In a sermon last year at an Irving, Texas, megachurch that helped elect Ted Cruz to the United States Senate, Cruz’ father Rafael Cruz indicated that his son was among the evangelical Christians who are anointed as “kings” to take control of all sectors of society, an agenda commonly referred to as the “Seven Mountains” mandate, and “bring the spoils of war to the priests”, thus helping to bring about a prophesied “great transfer of wealth”, from the “wicked” to righteous gentile believers.”
Good article IK. After listening to him a few times over the last few years (I can’t take more then a few sound bites) the word I would use to characterize him is weasel. Based on Westomoon’s great addition I think it appropriate we give him a new name:
The Weasel King
I don’t know, that seems like an insult to weasels. And as the grandmother of a ferret named Taz, who is the handsomest ferret in existence and not at all objectionable, I think some other name should be found. Taz makes everyone laugh, Cruz does not.
Maybe Snake King or Skunk King?
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