Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 1 minute ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: So where is Karl Rove and company? As long as I'm in the mood for a good conspiracy theory, where did they go all of a sudden? Speaking of coincidences, no sooner had I posted that and gone back to web surfing, then this pops up on The Daily Beast. Ted Cruz ‘Affair’ Rumors Peddled by Marco Rubio’s Allies If I didn't know any better, I might believe that while the establishment wants to damage Trump's delegate number so they're supporting Cruz, they don't want Cruz to actually be viable at the same time and this 5 mistresses story is just the start... Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selene Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Can't wait to hear about Evita and Huma... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KorbenDallas Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Here comes Bill. #cruzsexscandal pic.twitter.com/1jMMbUfGX0— Ryan Kelly (@RBoston08) March 25, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 1 hour ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: Apparently, Cruz thinks Stone is a ratfucker. And it looks like he actually said that. (He also said Trump is a rat and I'm not sure he's thought that all the way through.) He did! He did! He did call Stone a ratfucker (in nicer-sounding words, but the same concept). And he didn't think it through. Here's the part Cruz didn't think through. He said: "Donald Trump may be a rat but I have no desire to copulate with him." So... Is he saying he desires to copulate with other rats? Now there's a visual for ya'... Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Campbell Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 The Daily Mail claims that the first person to publicize the names of two of the alleged mistresses was... Liz Mair. And the person who suggested that Katrina Pierson "may have come on to" Ted Cruz was... Liz Mair. This thing already has more loops, lines, and arrows than an old Glenn Beck chalkboard. Michael, you should note that the piece about the National Enquirer getting cozy with Donald Trump significantly pre-dates all of these events. It's from October 30, 2015. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Campbell Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 More on possible sources for the story, and the National Enquirer's role in promoting Trump here: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/25/ted-cruz-affair-rumors-peddled-by-marco-rubio-s-allies.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 As to Roger Stone, he denies planting the story. From a USA Today article on the national Enquirer article: Quote Political consultant Roger Stone, a former adviser to Trump, is quoted in the story as saying rumors have been “swirling around Cruz for some time,” adding “I believe where there is smoke there is fire. I have to believe this will hurt him with his evangelical Christian supporters.” Stone, reached via email, told USA TODAY: “Everything I know about these allegations I heard from credible reporters for the MSM,” he wrote in an email. “I played no role in the placement of the story.” That's probably true. I'm not saying Roger Stone would be above planting the story (I think he would be fine with it), but if there are establishment Republican folks who would be comfortable with Hillary winning this time around so they keep dibs on a spot at the hog trough (as in the Rush Limbaugh theory), getting Cruz and Trump deep into the mud in a manner designed to alienate the women's vote is a great tactic. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Campbell Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Michael, Who the hell knows? But Liz Mair is not a friend of Ted Cruz or of the Cruz campaign. And she's been out there goading people to sue the National Enquirer and to sue Trump's campaign in the bargain. Do Enquirer reporters ever, um, rat out their management? Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 33 minutes ago, Robert Campbell said: Michael, you should note that the piece about the National Enquirer getting cozy with Donald Trump significantly pre-dates all of these events. It's from October 30, 2015. Robert, For a Trump groupie like me, you think this is news? I just don't think it's relevant except as a hint about where to start looking when the Cruz affair with 5 women thing blew. But it's nothing more than a starting point for further enquiring (groan ) if nothing is found. And so far, nothing has been found. Everybody and their brothers and sisters and fathers and mothers and pets are denying anything, everything, for all time and everywhere in the universe. Like you said about my comment on a two-man race, your comment on predating contains very little substantive information. Maybe a touch of innuendo, but no meat to chew on. Donald Trump and David Pecker are friends. So what? Among Trump's many talents, he's a marketer and National Enquirer is a media vehicle (among the many Mr. Pecker controls). Why wouldn't they be friends? Trump is friends with many people in the media, left, right, center, highbrow, lowbrow, all media formats, too. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 2 minutes ago, Robert Campbell said: Do Enquirer reporters ever, um, rat out their management? Robert, I don't know. I think it's rare, though. I've gotten the impression over time the National Enquirer staff functions as a close-knit family or a group on a sacred mission. I admit, I've only read marginally about them. (I did a light research dive once on their headline techniques and the way they match their stories to their target customer personas.) Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 As a curiosity, Drudge seems like he has not been impressed. As far as I can tell, not one headline on his site all day long on this affair. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Bissell Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 In other Trump-related news, a new Monmouth poll shows Gary Johnson (libertarian) in double digits in a three-way matchup with Trump and Clinton. Could it have something to do with their huge "negatives" and "untrustworthiness"? This is some of the most encouraging, optimistic news I've heard in this entire hideous election cycle. REB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Campbell Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 38 minutes ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: Donald Trump and David Pecker are friends. So what? Among Trump's many talents, he's a marketer and National Enquirer is a media vehicle (among the many Mr. Pecker controls). Why wouldn't they be friends? Trump is friends with many people in the media, left, right, center, highbrow, lowbrow, all media formats, too. Michael, Little thought experiment... If we replaced the name "Donald Trump" with the name of any powerful Democrat, and we replaced the name "David Pecker" with the name of an owner, CEO, or upper manager at some other media outlet, would you be nearly so so-whatty? Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellen Stuttle Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 On March 22, 2016 at 8:22 AM, Guyau said: Ellen, I'm among those whose only asset was their labor,* yet no way would I want the vulgarity (and bluster and ignorance) of a Trump in the White House. He is revolting. Pretty sure millions of other labor-asset-only Americans agree. Clearly, the responses of disgust or swoon are heavily influenced by personality of the responder. Mostly the revulsion for him as our President is not from citizens with inherited-wealth status. (Stephen was responding to this post.) Stephen, miscommunication, I suppose because of my referencing disdainful reactions of British and European upper-class persons to commoners with new wealth. I wasn't meaning to suggest that reactions to Trump fall along inherited-wealth versus labor-background lines. Instead, I'd been thinking about what Michael called "this visceral Trump hatred (or disgust or any other automatic deep negative emotion)" and speculating that that came from Trump's being so very improper according to standards of "refinement," of "class" in the sense of cultured tastes and behavior. Actually, you're a person whom I'd expect to find Trump "revolting." I'm not enamored myself. I'm not in the "swoon" category - and I'm afraid his latest (his remark about Cruz's wife) might have gone beyond a limit where he'll alienate people formerly inclined to overlook his crudities for the sake of the prospect of his potentially being able to defeat Hillary Clinton and get some action going toward braking the direction things have been going in this country. Ellen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 1 hour ago, Robert Campbell said: If we replaced the name "Donald Trump" with the name of any powerful Democrat, and we replaced the name "David Pecker" with the name of an owner, CEO, or upper manager at some other media outlet, would you be nearly so so-whatty? Robert, If the guy was a successful businessman before who worked in entertainment? Sure. Media relationships are what they do. It's kinda like dogs and barking. It's what they do. I doubt anyone holds the Hollywood and media connections of, say, Al Franken against him. I certainly don't. I may despise his politics, but not the characteristics of his previous professional life. They are what they are. And if some of his previous friends later helped him in his political life, welcome to the human race. People are people, not just career roles. We all have a history. There's nothing inherently evil or sleazy about that. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 43 minutes ago, Ellen Stuttle said: ... I'd been thinking about what Michael called "this visceral Trump hatred (or disgust or any other automatic deep negative emotion)" and speculating that that came from Trump's being so very improper according to standards of "refinement," of "class" in the sense of cultured tastes and behavior. Ellen, If Trump's antics haven't fully turned the stomach of those people, the following will probably put the icing on their heave-cake. #PetsForTrump that are on the #TrumpTrain! #Trump2016 A photo posted by Donald J. Trump (@realdonaldtrump) on Mar 25, 2016 at 11:30am PDT Yup. Cute little doggies and kitties all wanting to vote for Trump. Did I just hear someone out in Interwebs-Land scoff "saccharine" along with "vulgar" as they executed a muted sniff to focus their mind? Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 It looks like speculations of Cruz's possible affairs with other women has been a thing for quite some time. On Twitter, they have been discussing this at least since March 11 under the hashtag "#thething" (see here). Add that to the story that Rubio's people have been shopping the scandal around to major news outlets for about six months. Trump hasn't been tweeting much these days, but he just retweeted this: "@stanColtrane: Turns out @glennbeck was wrong. @realDonaldTrump had nothing to do with it https://t.co/svSKfiDkdf"— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 26, 2016 I found it interesting the original tweeter cited Glenn Beck. As far as I know, Beck has not been on this story too much today. However, one thought does cross my mind. Since Beck keeps saying Cruz has been anointed by God to be the ruler of the USA, if it turns out that Cruz really has been cheating on his wife, Beck's entire operation is going to take a big hit. On another point, I am almost 100% sure this is going to be a media drip campaign. Here's a guy, Bill Still, who claims the National Enquirer just updated that there are three more women who claim Cruz had an affair with them, bringing the total to eight. The video shows an Enquirer page. Let's see if it gets reported elsewhere. Something tells me this is just the beginning. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 4 hours ago, Michael Stuart Kelly said: As a curiosity, Drudge seems like he has not been impressed. As far as I can tell, not one headline on his site all day long on this affair. Oddly enough, by accident I came across the following tidbit. Drudge posted three times about the Cruz affair with other women story on his Facebook feed: here, here and here. This is definitely looking like a drip campaign. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KorbenDallas Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Nature just endorsed Bernie Sanders: Here's how that bird (& at least 1 more) made it into @BernieSanders rally #BirdieSanders https://t.co/bho0fhRMab pic.twitter.com/7JxetBiguG — The Oregonian (@Oregonian) March 26, 2016 Trump needs to be worried about this, nature vs. industry will be hard a hard win. Go #BirdieSanders ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KorbenDallas Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Birds listen to Bernie Sanders speak. Birds attack Donald Trump. #BirdieSanders pic.twitter.com/M6yNTXRuC0— Sean (@Somniferously) March 26, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 For what it's worth, this video was posted by Anonymous (or at least someone claiming to be Anonymous) on March 15. Anonymous claims to have the goods on Cruz consorting with prostitutes. Some articles mentioning this video are now appearing here and there. I don't know if this is legit or a hoax staged by Cruz's opponents. I know it doesn't have the standard markers of something Trump does. Will Anonymous or National Enquirer or even someone else deliver? We'll see. What's worse, my gut is telling me we actually will see something not good for Cruz... Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turkeyfoot Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Michael, If we're at the point where National Enquirer can be taken seriously, there isnt anything Trump can do that can save the country. Shades of Herman Cain. Just how does one prove something didnt happen? Thats the kind of integrity I look for in a president! ha Trump: “Ted Cruz’s problem with the National Enquirer is his and his alone, and while they were right about O.J. Simpson, John Edwards, and many others, I certainly hope they are not right about Lyin’ Ted Cruz.” Thats the kind of integrity I look for in a president! ha "The Pulitzer Prize Board declared the tabloid eligible for journalism’s most prestigious prize in 2010 after it broke the news that presidential candidate John Edwards had fathered a daughter out of wedlock with a campaign staffer. " In other news. 1. Supreme Court Justice Scalia — Murdered By A Hooker 2. CLINTON SEX ROMP CAUGHT ON VIDEO! 3. ‘Family Man’ Marco Rubio’s Love Child Stunner! 4. Jeb Bush Snorted Cocaine On Night His Dad Became President! 5. HILLARY CLINTON LESBIAN LOVERS NAMED IN SECRET EMAILS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Kelly Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 1 hour ago, turkeyfoot said: Just how does one prove something didnt happen? Geoff, You mean like stealing votes? That's the kind of integrity you are looking for in a president? Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Ellen wrote: . . .and I'm afraid his latest (his remark about Cruz's wife) might have gone beyond a limit where he'll alienate people formerly inclined to overlook his crudities for the sake of the prospect of his potentially being able to defeat Hillary Clinton and get some action going toward braking the direction things have been going in this country. end quote I know many people, myself included, can be accused of trying to be witty but end up just being crude. But we are not running to be the Republican Presidential prospect. I praise you Ellen for being concise and accurate. I am one of those people who passionately wants to change the direction the county is taking. Yet, I am appalled at the direction the Republican Primary is taking with Trump. First it was Rubio, and now Cruz is occasionally vulgar and has stopped sounding consistently Presidential. They are falling for Trump’s (apparent) strategy and damaging their own reputations. So, at what point will I rather have Hillary as President? Never. But I am becoming repulsed and ALARMED by Donald Trump’s personality and thinking. I worry that the press will be rushing in like they do after a bombing to film and document the latest Trump atrocity as President. I have a question for everyone reading this. He is an experienced communicator. What went wrong? What is wrong with Donald Trump? I don’t mean his crudity, but what is wrong with his decision making ability? Would he be dangerous as President? I think more so, with each passing day. Trump seems to be like a sullen, brooding, bullying, violent juvenile. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 Margaret Thatcher wrote: Europe was created by history. America was created by philosophy. end quote Robert Tracinski makes a case that philosophically, our founding fathers would have not wanted Donald Trump. Tracinski wrote: . . . . Trumpism is a warning about what happens when you make a big show of being the party of the regular guy against the eggheads. We need the eggheads, too. The right needs to start depending a bit less on rabble-rousing populism and a bit more on the strength and influence of its thinkers and intellectual institutions. The left has a vast intellectual base in the universities and in generations of students indoctrinated in the universities. (Which does not prevent them from falling for a great deal of flim-flam and nonsense; more about that in a moment.) The right needs a similar base. What we need is not just intellectuals on the right but rather a dose of intellectualism, a greater regard for ideas and thoughtfulness and rational argumentation, as a corrective to the anti-intellectuality and irrational boosterism so evident in the Trump movement. Trump's rise is about anger and lashing out, about "burning down the establishment," without much regard for the consistency or logic of Trump's actual positions. That's what's makes it so unnerving. It's not just that Trump might do something crazy or irresponsible once he gets into office, though that's certainly likely. It's the fact that his supporters seem to be closed off to reason and arguments and are willing to support him no matter what he says or does. In a healthy movement, the emotional, populist element is balanced by an intellectual and ideological element, and normal politicians try to appeal to both. They give stirring stump speeches about how dad was a bartender or about how they're going to abolish the IRS (Rubio and Cruz, respectively), then they go give detailed policy speeches at the Heritage Foundation. What's disturbing about Trump is that he ignores that second part and says, in effect: I'm going to win without ever having to explain anything in a way that makes any sense. He is ignoring and disparaging the vote of the thinking man. And that raises the question: why is the thinking man vote not stronger in the GOP? end quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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