Joe Scarborough: 'Ted Cruz's Campaign Is Over'

[mystery-ak]

http://www.newsmax.com/PrintTemplate.aspx/?nodeid=715651


Newsmax
Joe Scarborough: 'Ted Cruz's Campaign Is Over'
Tuesday, February 23, 2016 09:25 AM

By: Sandy Fitzgerald

"Ted Cruz's campaign is over," and it ended after Donald Trump beat him among evangelicals in South Carolina on Saturday, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough declared Tuesday morning.

"It ended in South Carolina when Donald Trump beat Ted Cruz among evangelicals after coming out in support of Planned Parenthood," the former lawmaker said on his "Morning Joe" talk show.

"Ted Cruz's campaign is over. Mark it down. He is not going to win the nomination. He may win Texas. It's over."

It wasn't just the South Carolina race that ended the Texas senator's campaign for the GOP presidential nomination, said Scarborough, but other incidents as well, including his decision on Monday to fire national spokesman Rick Tyler, who made a social media post of a video claiming that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio suggested to a Cruz staffer who was reading the Bible there "aren't many answers in it."

"What happened yesterday was an ugly, terrible exclamation point to the end of Ted Cruz's campaign," said Scarborough. "I'm not being hateful any more than I was sucking up to Donald Trump when I said before anybody else that the guy was going to be a player here."

Further, said Scarborough, he does not believe Florida Sen. Marco Rubio can stop Trump, either.

"They're not going to stop Trump for a simple reason, one of the reasons why most of the media has missed this thing for the past six or seven months, part of his appeal is people think he's fearless and he has two people now left to combat him, Cruz and Rubio, who are both filled with fear," he said.

If Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich can be encouraged to leave the race so that Rubio could face Trump one-on-one, there could be a chance of bringing down the New York real estate mogul, he continued, "but unless you do and it's Marco Rubio versus Donald Trump, it's game over by super Tuesday."

[Free Vulcan]

I fear he's right. Cruz is going to have to drastically retool to get traction. The Conservatives are getting squeezed by the Populists and Establishment on this one, sadly.

[libertybele]

Actually, I think Rubio and Kasich should leave therefore paving the way for Cruz to beat Trump -- he did it in Iowa -- he can do it again!  Oh, Carson needs to get out as well, but I think Trump is paving his way!

[mystery-ak]

I fear he's right. Cruz is going to have to drastically retool to get traction. The Conservatives are getting squeezed by the Populists and Establishment on this one, sadly.

 

Cruz today changed his stance on immigration and now Trump has jumped all over it...

Cruz backs deportation for 12 million illegal immigrants

Trump: Cruz changed tune on immigration because he's losing

[musiclady]

I fear he's right. Cruz is going to have to drastically retool to get traction. The Conservatives are getting squeezed by the Populists and Establishment on this one, sadly.

Isn't this the furthest an actual conservative has made it in the primary?  If it were just conservative vs. "GOPe" the conservative would win.

It's the populist minority who are messing it up for conservatism this time.

[libertybele]

Isn't this the furthest an actual conservative has made it in the primary?  If it were just conservative vs. "GOPe" the conservative would win.

It's the populist minority who are messing it up for conservatism this time.

And that is exactly why Trump is in the race.

[Free Vulcan]

Isn't this the furthest an actual conservative has made it in the primary?  If it were just conservative vs. "GOPe" the conservative would win.

It's the populist minority who are messing it up for conservatism this time.

In many ways yes. Santorum got traction for awhile last time, but his campaign traveled on a wing and a prayer. Cruz is much better funded.

[musiclady]

And that is exactly why Trump is in the race.

I completely agree.

At least one of his goals is to defeat conservatism.

[musiclady]

In many ways yes. Santorum got traction for awhile last time, but his campaign traveled on a wing and a prayer. Cruz is much better funded.

Exactly.  Cruz is well funded, and has a well organized campaign.

As I see it, he's the strongest, longest lasting conservative we've ever had in the Republican primary.

I ain't givin' up yet!

[Free Vulcan]

Exactly.  Cruz is well funded, and has a well organized campaign.

As I see it, he's the strongest, longest lasting conservative we've ever had in the Republican primary.

I ain't givin' up yet!

Nobody that has the funds to stay in should get out until after Little Tuesday on the 15th of March at the earliest (except maybe for Carson and Kasich if they have no chance of winning anything). With Trump only getting 33% at this point, he's on a delegate tightrope and can afford no stumbles. It's all in play right now.

[libertybele]

It could get real interesting, especially if Cruz outperforms Rubio on Super Tuesday which is likely.

[NavyCanDo]

I completely agree.

At least one of his goals is to defeat conservatism.

Well at the very least to destroy the Republican Party, which in turns destroys any hope for advancing conservatism in the branches of government and in the Courts. We have heard some Trump followers here in their own words say they want to see the Republicans demise. These same have an uncanny hatred for all things GOP, with at least one renaming them and any one supporting them "RINOGOP"   Naturally they flock to Trump, much the same way Ron Paul drew people, but in far far greater numbers.

What shocks me most is the evangelicals, which I consider myself one. I can't for the life of me understand why they would support Trump in any numbers, with him on his 4th wife, the builder of casinos, and  throws out profanity like a sailor - and  no indication of any redeeming moment of his life. 

[musiclady]

Well at the very least to destroy the Republican Party, which in turns destroys any hope for advancing conservatism in the branches of government and in the Courts. We have heard some Trump followers here in their own words say they want to see the Republicans demise. These same have an uncanny hatred for all things GOP, with at least one renaming them and any one supporting them "RINOGOP"   Naturally they flock to Trump, much the same way Ron Paul drew people, but in far far greater numbers.

What shocks me most is the evangelicals, which I consider myself one. I can't for the life of me understand why they would support Trump in any numbers, with him on his 4th wife, the builder of casinos, and  throws out profanity like a sailor - and  no indication of any redeeming moment of his life.

Those evangelicals are either closing their eyes, or are just plain ignorant about who Trump is and what he's done in his life.

As for those who would destroy the GOP......... they truly hate the GOP more than they hate socialism.  They would rather have a Democrat (Trump) in the White House than anyone who is supported by any one in the Republican party, no matter how conservative they are.

It is truly a case of twisted priorities, IMO.

[MBB1984]

Cruz has a good organization in the Super Tuesday states.  And, that area is his territory, where he can do best.   Glad to see him move further to the right on immigration. 

Cruz's campaign has had some hiccups, beginning with Carson and I believe has unfairly been charged as a trickster.  The Washington Post had an article generally exonerating Cruz from those allegations, I believe.   Cruz needs some good news, but I anticipate a more focused and on message Cruz in the Super Tuesday states.  If he gets some good news his campaign can turn around instantly.

[aligncare]

The Cruz ship is sinking fast. (Sorry, folks. I just had to get that pun in under the wire...)

[musiclady]

The Cruz ship is sinking fast. (Sorry, folks. I just had to get that pun in under the wire...)

Actually, it's quite clever.