General Discussion

Atman

(31,464 posts)

36. I think he is calculated and cunning, but not stupid.

Mon Mar 23, 2015, 11:47 AM

Mar 2015

Well, wait a minute...I think he's crazy, but not stupid, if he really believes his Whackadoodle message is going to resonate in the general election. But he's smart enough to know that it will get lots of people to send him money, he'll live off the dole for a couple of years before he sells his next book and starts booking lucrative speaking fees. This year won't be much different than the 2012 elections, wherein most of the candidates were in it for the free air time to peddle various types of snake oil.

I have to believe Cruz realizes he doesn't have a chance in hell of winning...that's why he jumped in so early. Twenty more people are in the GOP clown car, and Fox "News" and the liberal media will name each one Front Runner at some point during the election cycle. They'll all make money off their books or their contracts with Fox. Even if Cruz gets knocked out early, he'll make a fortune as a pundit for the 2016 race. But very few of them really think for a minute that they'll actually be elected President. That would just be a bonus on top of their book sales, speaking fees and lobbying jobs.

Then again, GW Bush might have gotten elected the second time, we'll never really know, although he certainly didn't get elected the first time. But he still occupied the White House and seriously fucked up the country for a long time after he took the oath of office. The lesson being, hubris will kill us. We need to get out and vote, even the Hillary-haters. And Ted Cruz might just be bat-shit crazy enough (but not stupid) to try to ride this out all the way. George W. Bush is a testament to the fact that stranger things have happened.

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Anyone else not laughing off Ted Cruz? [View all] TDale313 Mar 2015 OP

I can't bring myself to laugh... Wounded Bear Mar 2015 #1

You know, those laughs that end up being vomit? erronis Mar 2015 #72

me. You got it precisely right. cali Mar 2015 #2

I think he's just wanting to access some of that MynameisBlarney Mar 2015 #77

That doesn't mean that he isn't dangerous FBaggins Mar 2015 #164

I'll say it now. Quackers Mar 2015 #3

He's not as smart some equate him to be as well as Scott Walker Iliyah Mar 2015 #108

Trump has already started to bring up the birther issue on Cruz. nt tblue37 Mar 2015 #148

he's not batshit crazy. and he's pretty smart. cum laude princeton, magna cum ND-Dem Mar 2015 #156

And Tom Cotton also had an impressive resume at Harvard Art_from_Ark Mar 2015 #158

cruz kept on having an impressive resume after university. cotton is the classic ND-Dem Mar 2015 #161

The entertainment value alone is worth the risk. TheCowsCameHome Mar 2015 #4

The evangelicals Bettie Mar 2015 #5

He's already unelectable. By birth. He was BORN unelectable. calimary Mar 2015 #17

His mother was a citizen Bettie Mar 2015 #20

Um, nobody accepted that explanation with Barack Obama although it was true THERE, too. calimary Mar 2015 #64

If by "nobody accepted that explanation," you actually mean.... NCTraveler Mar 2015 #86

Doesn't matter. He is eligible Kelvin Mace Mar 2015 #103

"Because they were crazy first" is not one of the reasons I cited. calimary Mar 2015 #110

Sorry, but you have about 200 years of precedent Kelvin Mace Mar 2015 #117

John McCain dgibby Mar 2015 #129

his mother was a citizen; he's a citizen. doesn't matter where he was born. you ND-Dem Mar 2015 #157

My nephew was born in Spain, to a U.S. citizen (my sister) and a Spanish national. Ikonoklast Mar 2015 #109

At least one of his parents were American Citizens, so he could have been born on Mars..makes no dif Volaris Mar 2015 #145

I wish that were true but it isn't tkmorris Mar 2015 #26

But he isn't. So was Barack Obama. Born to an American mother. Nobody counted that in his case. calimary Mar 2015 #66

Cruz is a white Republican Danascot Mar 2015 #84

He is President! Complaining and moaning by Republicans changed nothing. yeoman6987 Mar 2015 #106

obviously they did, because obama's president. if you have an american parent, you're ND-Dem Mar 2015 #159

And John McCain was born in Panama. nt valerief Mar 2015 #37

And the canal zone at the time was considered American territory, and therefore, it qualified calimary Mar 2015 #74

Nobody is bringing it up because dgibby Mar 2015 #128

On a military base in Panama. Curmudgeoness Mar 2015 #75

Hawaii was a state when Obama was born, but that doesn't stop the GOP from whining. nt valerief Mar 2015 #104

Sorry, Cruz' Mom is a US citizen. Also, his party once like Arnold Schwartzenegger for president.... Hekate Mar 2015 #65

Yeah, well I'm still gonna point that out. calimary Mar 2015 #73

of parents who are US citizens guillaumeb Mar 2015 #111

Unfortunately lots of folks like that stuff. Love him invoking slave owner Pat Henry for "liberty." Hoyt Mar 2015 #6

I don't find him threatening, just annoying whathehell Mar 2015 #7

He won't win the nomination, lark Mar 2015 #81

I agree.. whathehell Mar 2015 #126

I learned never to laugh at the chances of a fool for office in the TexasProgresive Mar 2015 #8

Yeah, because a state that hasn't voted Democratic at the presidential level since 1976... DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2015 #48

Can still remember that election night like it was yesterday bigbrother05 Mar 2015 #116

I'm laughing off Ted Cruz wyldwolf Mar 2015 #9

He's a whackjob and a footnote. He's burned every bridge in his own party Arkana Mar 2015 #10

I hope that's true. TDale313 Mar 2015 #21

I don't like it, either. Not at all. The birthers will totally use this because they never believed Tuesday Afternoon Mar 2015 #11

Unfortunately, Cruz qualifies as a natural born citizen. hedda_foil Mar 2015 #25

thank you for explaining it. I don't understand why/how Birthers kept pushing it. Can we all shutup Tuesday Afternoon Mar 2015 #30

Me, I just watched his speech. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #12

I predicted he would be the nominee months ago. He's a dangerous scheming, calculating stevenleser Mar 2015 #13

Yes he is. TDale313 Mar 2015 #18

Um - he wasn't born here. Last I looked, Canada was not one of the 50 states. calimary Mar 2015 #14

He's the child of US citizens, which makes him a citizen. jeff47 Mar 2015 #22

just like "kenyan born" Obama for that matter. fucking birthers and their dumbass shit. Tuesday Afternoon Mar 2015 #31

Many are confusing the terms... YvonneCa Mar 2015 #127

I admit to a 2008 deja vu moment forthemiddle Mar 2015 #15

Barack Obama lost Indys by 8% in 012 and was handily re-elected... DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2015 #60

I think you are right. I have been saying for a long time A Simple Game Mar 2015 #94

I think he is way too religious for libertarians. Voice for Peace Mar 2015 #96

I just posted something similar in another thread. hamsterjill Mar 2015 #16

Have they polled Thing 1 and Thing 2? pinboy3niner Mar 2015 #19

Despite what some say about his being 'super smart'... randome Mar 2015 #23

...he didn't even form an exploratory committee 2naSalit Mar 2015 #35

Reason #1: No one wants to associated with him. TheCowsCameHome Mar 2015 #42

I am not convinced about that. 2naSalit Mar 2015 #50

Most of the GOP doesn't like him. Most of his classmates in Harvard didn't like him. randome Mar 2015 #52

Let's hope he 2naSalit Mar 2015 #56

Bush, Jr. was a nightmare come true. randome Mar 2015 #68

If he runs, He'll only get as far a Huckabee or Cain or Santorum did. progressoid Mar 2015 #24

And because all four of them are sure they are Skidmore Mar 2015 #27

He is running. He announced today. And you're wrong. cali Mar 2015 #63

He sounds like an idiot and the average American will not take him seriously NightWatcher Mar 2015 #28

Sounding like an idiot is no problem for LibDemAlways Mar 2015 #61

He doesn't sound like an idiot to me. I loath what he espouses cali Mar 2015 #71

He is the male version of Andy823 Mar 2015 #142

i lived thru barry goldwater, fuck the clown spanone Mar 2015 #29

I think Scott Walker's a greater threat - TBF Mar 2015 #32

The problem is that they don't appeal to the SAME parts of the country... FBaggins Mar 2015 #165

One thing America has in absolute abundance: S T U P I D Triana Mar 2015 #33

Very well put. TDale313 Mar 2015 #40

I think the ignorance of the newsies is a polnt to fear olddots Mar 2015 #34

Yep, the media's a huge part of the problem. TDale313 Mar 2015 #44

I think he is calculated and cunning, but not stupid. Atman Mar 2015 #36

He's Sarah Palin 2.0. He'll do as well as her... no more, no less. LanternWaste Mar 2015 #38

Not me. He has a superficial charm and slick style. Unlike Bush he knows what he is doing. bklyncowgirl Mar 2015 #39

He scares the shit out of me. w8liftinglady Mar 2015 #41

There's more than enough of Teh Stupid sloshing around out there to make a win possible hatrack Mar 2015 #43

I didn't think Dubya had a chance either... Blanks Mar 2015 #45

Where was he born? SoLeftIAmRight Mar 2015 #46

Laughing at, and laughing off. tridim Mar 2015 #47

I'm not laughing off anyone on the Republican side Algernon Moncrieff Mar 2015 #49

Well said. That is the real threat "Aw let them have it for a while" underpants Mar 2015 #51

Agreed, that will be a major factor. DCBob Mar 2015 #58

New York is not going red regardless of who the Democratic and Republican candidate are./NT DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2015 #53

After the 2014 midterms, I'd take nothing for granted. Algernon Moncrieff Mar 2015 #138

Mid terms and presidential elections always have dramatically different turnouts, ergo: DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2015 #140

Not afraid of him winning, but he most likely will pull the country another notch to the right world wide wally Mar 2015 #54

1964 and 1972/NT DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2015 #55

His use of a right wing populist appeal will gain him considerable support, Agnosticsherbet Mar 2015 #57

I can't laugh off Ted Cruz Kalidurga Mar 2015 #59

Any candidate can win. malthaussen Mar 2015 #62

He's a 125-1 dog at the gambling houses DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2015 #67

As Robert A Heinlein put it: 99Forever Mar 2015 #69

But he can't be President Capt. Obvious Mar 2015 #70

When liberal law professor Alan Dershowitz says he's "off the charts brilliant" I cease to laugh Hekate Mar 2015 #76

Brilliant people don't lie every time they open their mouth. tridim Mar 2015 #79

Alan Dershowitz is a brilliant man himself, and a liberal. He's not "swayed" by Cruz, then or now... Hekate Mar 2015 #90

I didn't say he was stupid, I said he's nowhere near "Brilliant". tridim Mar 2015 #93

Mr. Cruz evokes another name in my mind charliea Mar 2015 #78

Laughing? LWolf Mar 2015 #80

I don't hink he is anywhere near stupid. NCTraveler Mar 2015 #82

TDale313 Diclotican Mar 2015 #83

Ain't laughing. zentrum Mar 2015 #85

Gerrymandering only affects the House yeoman6987 Mar 2015 #118

Yes. zentrum Mar 2015 #160

Actually, I DO think he's stupid. But that doesn't mean he can't win, or that he wouldn't be Nay Mar 2015 #87

U.S SUPREME COURT turbinetree Mar 2015 #88

I never laugh off an R. They have a lot of money to buy them whatever they want. We have already jwirr Mar 2015 #89

It's no laughing matter that millions of voters want him to be president. Martin Eden Mar 2015 #91

Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if he ends up as our next (and probably last) president. The_Commonist Mar 2015 #92

I agree with that sentiment... 2naSalit Mar 2015 #98

Charismatic sociopath. I'm not laughing. nt Hekate Mar 2015 #95

Not laughing here wryter2000 Mar 2015 #97

He doesn't seem so smart to me, and I predict his smarmy face will get old fast. arcane1 Mar 2015 #99

It only guarrantees a dog fight maindawg Mar 2015 #100

Not a stoneball's chance on the Sun Kelvin Mace Mar 2015 #101

I laugh at him like I laugh at Ted Bundy or Jim Jones. Not at all. bravenak Mar 2015 #102

Not laughing here. bvf Mar 2015 #105

He might look like Bill Murray after a bender Warpy Mar 2015 #107

I don't think he'll even win a single state primary demwing Mar 2015 #112

Disagree brooklynite Mar 2015 #113

Yup -not laughing at all. He is a serious threat dbackjon Mar 2015 #114

I just wish Canada would quit dumping their waste in the US project_bluebook Mar 2015 #115

I laughed off Bush. Not going to do that again. Autumn Mar 2015 #119

Yeah, same here. TDale313 Mar 2015 #121

I think he is dangerous... yuiyoshida Mar 2015 #120

Nothing would surprise me. Golden Raisin Mar 2015 #122

No, you're not the only one. TDale313 Mar 2015 #134

Four Words For Ya! ProfessorGAC Mar 2015 #123

Reagan was 'destined' for the Presidency. randome Mar 2015 #139

Then We Disagree ProfessorGAC Mar 2015 #144

He can't be president! It's very clearly defined by the constitution! Initech Mar 2015 #124

He's a U.S. citizen dgibby Mar 2015 #131

That's one problem with the Birther crap about Obama: the lie about our system sticks.... Hekate Mar 2015 #136

Not a snowball's chance in hell.... Hulk Mar 2015 #125

not that I think he will win DonCoquixote Mar 2015 #130

I'm not laughing. cheapdate Mar 2015 #132

I seriously doubt he'd be the nominee, but it would be great if he did. Lil Missy Mar 2015 #133

I guess I'm in the minority . . . I'm definitely laughing. Vinca Mar 2015 #135

I don't underestimate anybody but, personally,... BlueStater Mar 2015 #137

He's crazy enough to make it with the goobers in the repuke primaries hifiguy Mar 2015 #141

One of the saddest days in my life is when I realized that George AWOL Bush tabasco Mar 2015 #143

I will remember that moment for the rest of my days Skittles Mar 2015 #155

I'm not worried about him. It's sad that his vileness morningfog Mar 2015 #146

We mistakenly underestimted Reagan and W and their handlers (and overestimated tblue37 Mar 2015 #147

With a balanced breakfast of green eggs and ham, Jamaal510 Mar 2015 #149

STOP IT JAMAAL510 Skittles Mar 2015 #152

teabaggerted's not serious.. just wants the attention. Cha Mar 2015 #150

he IS stupid Skittles Mar 2015 #151

definitely not stupid. and no i'm not laughing, he's scary. trained from the cradle ND-Dem Mar 2015 #153

Snort... lonestarnot Mar 2015 #154

HAHAHA joshcryer Mar 2015 #162

He's polling at three percent. His "job" is to make Jeb appear reasonable by comparison. nt MADem Mar 2015 #163

He pisses off .. sendero Mar 2015 #166

he's a nutcase narcissist Skittles Mar 2015 #167