Ted Cruz Righteous Against Karl Rove – Meanwhile in Greece and Puerto Rico...

The morning papers are having some fun with the “spat” between Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Karl Rove (the architect of the Bush brigade) over Cruz’s assertion in his new book, that Rove told him to back off an endorsement by President H. Bush, given the man’s age, and a current race tied to donations to the Presidential library. Rove said Cruz flat out lied, Cruz pulled the emails from 2009. (Dallas Morning News) Score Cruz 1 – Rove 0 – Cruz is turning out to be one of the most interesting contenders for the 2016 prize –the other, Bernie Sanders, VT-Democrat Socialist or Socialist Democrat – is giving Clinton a run for her money – and best bet is he surpasses her in the polls and stays there.

Over the weekend, the nation of Greece decided to close its financial institutions for six days given it’s ongoing battle with those who hold the purse strings to a nation that has no ability to stop guaranteeing work, vacation and pensions to one and all – the system is a house of cards when that nation also has little in the way of exports. This affects all global markets. (The Guardian UK)

Next up on the possible default list – Puerto Rico - whose Governor announced they simply cannot pay their debts, many of which are tied to municipal bonds (hello – 401k’s) – His suggestion that “creditors must now “share the sacrifices” that he has imposed on the island’s residents.” Is par for the Democrat Padilla – to read more on this on- see article in the New York Time (New York Times)

2016 Update – O’Malley Announces from Baltimore, Cruz Campaigns in MA, Paul to Stop in MA

The former Governor of Maryland, Martin O’Malley, launched his Presidential Campaign in Baltimore, joining Bernie Sanders of VT and Hillary Clinton in the quest for the Democrat nomination for 2016. (Yahoo News). O’Malley presents a reasonable alternative to Clinton and can be made to appear more mainstream than either Clinton or Sanders – the one to watch on the Dem. Side.

Meanwhile, in Massachusetts of all places, Ted Cruz has a campaign rally in Andover this past weekend according to the Andover Eagle Tribune, the event, held on private property, saw over 500 in attendance. Granted MA is close to the NH border, however, Rob Eno over at Red Mass Group suggests that the 2016 primary in MA will count for a multitude of reasons, least among them the number of delegates to the Convention and the fact that the Bay State Primary is earlier making this a competitive state. (Red Mass Group)

On June 7th, Rand Paul will be in Peabody for a campaign event, at the Marriott, tickets are paid, making this a fundraiser/campaign rally(document via Facebooks’ Massachusetts for Rand Paul page.

There are rarely visits to Massachusetts by any politician campaigning for the Presidency, one might site Big-Foot first, so this is an anomaly –however, given the makeup of the state, with the majority of voters registered as unenrolled (or independent) it is a perfect stop for those seeking support, both in votes and financially. Given the Jeffersonian Republican wing of the party more prevalent in the Bay State, both Paul and Cruz, could fare well here, especially with boots on the ground.

Both parties fields are more robust than previously predicted, the GOP with the most varied field in memory, and the Democrats starting to pick up options making a Clinton-Bush rematch less likely than touted by the media and both DC based parties. America can temporarily breathe a sigh of relief – until both drop out of the race.

2016 – GOP - Cruz In First – Rand Paul On Deck, DNC – O’Malley Most Likely, watch Julian Castro

The 2016 Presidential Sweepstakes begins today with the announcement that Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), will be running for the Republican Nomination. Cruz, who made the announcement via Twitter, will be speaking at Liberty University today, an evangelical Christian college. (Mass Live).

Rand Paul (R-KY) is expected to announce his primary bid on April 7th, with with an “ambitious five state tour”according to the Washington Times.

On the DNC side, the likeliest first to announce will be the former Governor of Maryland Martin O’Malley, who, according to the New York Post, is a favorite if Hillary Clinton does not run (NY Post)

The likelihood of Clinton running successfully, if at all, is high. Going by DNC history, the more likely candidate to emerge would be the former Mayor of San Antonio who is currently being evasive about a VP roll in a Clinton campaign. (National Mortgage Professional.com).

O’Malley who spent both time and money is Iowa in 2014, and is well received, has yet to nail down the support. Apparently, those who would be pivotal are waiting for someone else, (Washington Post) could it be Castro?

In any event, and somewhat early to tell with few exceptions (Cruz, O’Malley, Paul), it will be a politically diverse slate of candidates, with perhaps the exception of the DNC, who has the Progressive’s front and center (thus less support Clinton). Given the recent thrashing that the standard politicians took in 2014, one might speculate that the candidate that is less “political party” would go the distance – to the White House. Cruz, in comments from any news article, is seen as a radical Tea Party, Canadian born (Constitutionally, that does not matter), super intelligent, but lacking experience, candidate. The fact that Cruz holds his own regardless of which side of the aisle he is taking to task makes him extremely interesting. Additionally, if he is acceptable to the Evangelical right, then, he will be the nominee and with the twenty million who sat out the last General election due to an inability to vote for a Mormon, he can secure the Presidency. Unless, of course, they are able to support multiple candidates, should the candidate social issues align with their own, on a personal level.

The top of the GOP field picks: Walker, Cruz, Paul, Perry. Top of the DNC field picks: O’Malley, possibly Castro, and that rascal from Vermont, Bernie Sanders. With O’Malley in the game, there is little incentive for Elizabeth Warren to step forward. If Warren is aware that Castro is going to jump in, then that would be a reason she is not doing the same. Clinton is being maligned from all sides – therefore, it is very unlikely that a credible female candidate will emerge in 2016 with enough stamina to break the glass ceiling.

Ted Cruz – In Florida – Crowds Exceed Expectations – Center Right GOP throngs to Cruz Message

Ted Cruz speaking in Sarasota, image from the Bradenton Herald

There’s just is something about Ted Cruz, the Senator from Texas – he rails against the GOP leadership, he is not concerned so much about his place in the party, rather in following what he believes to be right for his state and the U.S. overall – by the book – which is the U.S. Constitution. Therefore, as the left media (Mainstream) throws bomb after bomb, and are joined by the likes of John McCain and Mitch McConnell (the Establishment GOP), one wonders where on earth the appeal would be for Cruz by center, rather than hard-right Republicans?

In a word, he is forthright and as far as one can tell, speaks to what he believes in, not necessarily what is politically correct – he is refreshing.

When a rally was held in Sarasota for the Senator who was receiving a Statesman of the Year Award by the Sarasota GOP, they expected 200 people, 2,000 showed up. The gathering in Sarasota contained those people most likely to vote for a standard center right Republican Candidate, say a Mitt Romney; yet, they came to see Cruz, and gave, significantly, to do so. According to the article on Breitbart, it was noted by a FL GOP spokesperson that Cruz did well with those in FL most capable of donating large sums to the GOP.

This astounding Cruz popularity makes for a conundrum of sorts, since one thinks of Cruz, given the national media, as a Tea Party only Senator or a “wacko bird” in McCainian speak. Yet, he is more an everyman, which is the appeal, and why, when seen engaged in speaking (not in sound bites) he is instantly liked, even by those whose party is more progressive!

Although the media in Florida had different accounts of the crowd size (Palm Beach Post, suggests 1000,, while the ABC Affiliate in Bradenton suggests 1500, and the Sarasota Herald Tribune admits to “more than a 1000” ) it is apparent that the event was noteworthy for two reasons: one Cruz generates media, and thereby attention, and two, it was more than the anticipated 200 attendees – bearing mention.

One may hypothesize that Senator Cruz will be running for President in 2016, or perhaps, he feels so strongly about the many things that are wrong with the status quo in Washington D.C., regardless of political affiliation, that he is just out there on the stump spreading the message of standing up for what you believe in regardless of party. The bonus is that in and by doing so he is also raising money for state GOP’s. 2016 sounds more likely – and those pundits in D.C. and elsewhere that will be looking for the right meld of moderate again, will be wasting their time. Regardless of the intent of Cruz, he has a growing base of admirers – including Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where grassroots will be flooding to Manchester to hear him speak in April, 2014 and the event it sold out, with a waiting list only in case a larger venue is found or seats open up (unlikely).

Maybe, just maybe, the nation is looking for someone sincere, who doesn’t sound like Washington, and who is – simply put, unafraid and smart. The addition to the 2016 potential candidates of Senator Cruz, would make for an interesting primary, specifically if the choices include Rand Paul, and then the “old guard” – Santorum, Gingrich (no kidding), and Jeb Bush (even his mother is against that move). A more constitutionally based, Jeffersonian GOP is certainly possible, and that terrifies the left media, as well as the major political parties, who would hold less sway with a Libertarian leaning President who would not cow-tow to the right nor the left.

Ted Cruz – Texas Offers Warm Welcome – UK profiles Ted Cruz’ Wife – Cruz Stock Rises, no Matter His intentions.

The Power Couple - just ask the media - Ted Cruz with wife Heidi - image from problanc

This morning looking over articles regarding Ted Cruz and the State of Texas, one finds a slew both opinion and news whereby Ted Cruz is a star in Texas. From the Washington Post ”Ted Cruz Returns to Texas as a Hero who is reshaping the State Republican Party”, reads the headline. Of course it’s not all milk and roses, the premise, Ted Cruz is supported by Texans, but that’s because Texas is mainly Republican, with the last Democrat winning a statewide office in over two decades. That’s about as complementary a post one can find re: Cruz and the Media.

As a follow-up, the State GOP is jubilant – with packed artless regarding the crowds showing up at every event Cruz invest his time – and he is apparently visiting a lot – there are photo’s and video’s – here – at texasgopvote.com. One would imagine, a man so despised in Washington by the rank and file GOP, from a state that gave us George Bush, Gorge W. Bush, Lyndon Johnson, et al, this is a new era of the Washington elite becoming a thing of derision when one leaves the beltway.

Although the Texas GOP isn’t alone, local Texas media is also on the bandwagon This CBS local has an exclusive on Cruz, as he talks about threats to his family and himself and – of course – Obama care – they also threw in a crowd estimate – for good measure.

But the telltale sign that an American Politician is seen as somewhat worthy of a bid at least at the Presidency is the European Press, with that said - The Globe and Mail has showcased Heidi Nelson Cruz, the wife of Senator Ted Cruz, in an article – speaks to her history, who she is, who her husband is –with a few editorial notes, but over-all the image of the article screams – this woman is important in the grander scheme of things – she’s married to Ted Cruz.

One might be able to anticipate that the Texas Senator may not be well liked by the media or the Washington Establishment, including member of his own “party” but, the rank and file, as well as certain members of the press, are beginning to understand, a bit, that brilliant trumps, plus he does have a sense of humor and a relentless smile and try and they might with hundreds upon hundreds of articles on Ted Cruz daily (just use Google news – it’s a landslide), he is overwhelmingly popular with the regular guy.

If it were in his mind to put himself out for the American Public by running for higher office, he would have already laid the groundwork and he’s getting a helping hand from those rapid politicians in DC holding desperately to their turf, as well as the media – ironic is it not?

Ted Cruz – Doing the “Right “thing – Frustrates the Right and the Left of the Spectrum

Ted Cruz, the firebrand Senator from Texas, has seen an uptick in reporting and opinion pieces lately, specifically his potential as a 2016 contender for the GOP nomination. Fellow Republican’s in the Senate are not necessarily in agreement with his tactics to defund Obama care – although he is constitutionally correct, he is also a torn in the side to those Republican’s who are so concerned with the media’s image of the “Party”, that they must run for cover rather than come up with a plan that would run counter to the present administration – regardless of the consequences. (Time) One must remind John McCain hat he was a media darling, before he was running against a Democrat for President. It’s just never going to happen.

Those on the left, are clearly rattled, as Cruz spends more time in Iowa, the left ramps up the innuendo’s that may be needed come an expansion in Cruz’s popularity. The Daily Beast, in delving into the Senator’s past at Princeton, has, on rumor, decided that a bathrobe worn in a co-ed dorm, might be “creepy” – of course, it matters not if this took place in 1988, it goes to the man’s fashion sense (that’s not what the Beast is in anyway implying.. The Dallas Morning News, doing its part for Print Media, is harping on the fact that Cruz was born in Canada – and is – shockingly also eligible to be a Canadian Citizen quoting lawyers from - Canada.

The right and the left, from Ann Coulter is not sure if Cruz is eligible, , she may have spent some time with the other birth certificate challenger (Mediate)– Donald Trump has raised some doubt as to his eligibility - (Fox News Latino) Unfortunately for both left and right of the spectrum – who have a variety of reasons to want to derail Cruz, should he have any plans at all to run, is his birth – by an American Citizen, in a foreign country, which automatically gives him American Citizenship.

The fact that Cruz has a Canadian Citizenship also poses no threat, as it is easily dispatched – (and that is from the Dallas Morning News article – final paragraph.

Ted Cruz, for riling the Democrat Base of Crazies, along with the Republican Party Standard-bearers Crazies, just got a lot more appealing.