Here’s what’s trending on Wonk Wire today:
Archives for December 2015
Cruz Says Access to Contraceptives Is a ‘Nonsense Issue’
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) told hundreds of Iowans that the idea of “condom police” in the United States is a “nonsense issue,” NBC News reports.
Said Cruz: “I have been a conservative my entire life. I have never met anybody, any conservative who wants to ban contraceptives.”
He added: “Last I checked, we don’t have a rubber shortage in America. Like look, when I was in college, we had a machine in the bathroom. You put 50 cents in — and voila!”
No Excitement for GOP Establishment
First Read: “With two months to go until the Iowa caucuses, here’s another reality check on the state of the 2016 race: The Republican insurgents (Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz) are still beating the GOP establishment (Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie) — in the polls, in excitement, and in energy. Sure, two months is a long time in American politics (Newt Gingrich was leading Mitt Romney in the Dec. 2011 national NBC/WSJ poll by 17 points!!!). And, yes, what’s been a surprising and strange race will likely become even more surprising and stranger. But the only candidates who have truly surged so far in this GOP contest have been the insurgents.”
“So where is the excitement and energy on the establishment side? When will, say, Marco Rubio shoot up in an early-state poll the same way we saw, say, Ted Cruz in the most recent Quinnipiac poll of Iowa — despite Rubio’s recent endorsements and his impressive debate performances? It’s more than possible that Rubio (or Jeb) could win the GOP nomination without winning either Iowa or New Hampshire — something that’s never happened before in modern times on the Republican side. Such a scenario would prove the political scientists right that, ultimately, ‘the party decides.’ But until then, we’re still waiting for the establishment hype around Rubio among the insider crowd to translate into something tangible in the polls or on the ground. Then again, maybe simply being seen as even having a toe in the establishment is enough to chase away primary voters. Nothing can be assumed at this point.”
Obama Will Deliver Early State of the Union
President Obama “will deliver his final State of the Union address on Jan. 12, an early date for the annual ceremonial appearance on Capitol Hill,” the New York Times reports.
“The White House recommended that date for a variety of reasons. The House was not scheduled to be in session the week after, ruling that one out. And holding it later seemed, from a White House standpoint, to be pushing it too close to the start of the presidential primary season, with the Iowa caucuses set for Feb. 1 and the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 9. This year’s address was held on Jan. 20.”
Trump Predicts Coming Battle with Cruz
“Donald Trump previewed a coming political battle with fellow Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, the Tea Party senator from Texas who many are predicting is jockeying for Trump’s base of support,” Bloomberg reports.
Said Trump: “Even Cruz, I think he’s going to have to hit me. It’s going to be a sad day, but we will hit back—I promise.”
Cruz Torches Rubio Over Foreign Policy
Ted Cruz offered “his strongest denunciation so far of Marco Rubio’s foreign policy views, assailing his Republican presidential rival as a proponent of ‘military adventurism’ that he said has benefited Islamic militant groups,” Bloomberg reports.
He even tied Rubio to Hillary Clinton and says the Florida senator’s support of her policy led to the Benghazi attacks.
Trying to Understand an Endorsement of Christie
The Newark Star Ledger spoke to the New Hampshire Union Leader about their recent endorsement of Gov. Chris Christie.
The conversation didn’t go well: “The paper knows almost nothing about his record as governor.”
Trump Really Wants to Win
Nicco Mele: “One of the things I learned in political campaigns is that generally speaking the candidate who wants it most tends to win. You have to really want it. And lately I think Trump has decided he wants it. I’ve been on his email list since his announcement, and the frequency of the emails has increased from monthly to almost weekly, and the tone of the emails has shifted recently from ‘buy more hats’ to something that very nearly sounds presidential. I think something has changed and he’s decided he wants this, which is crucial.”
Bush Strategist Thinks It’s Unlikely Jeb Can Win
Matthew Dowd, chief political strategist for George W. Bush, told the Washington Post he thinks it’s highly unlikely Jeb Bush will win the Republican presidential nomination.
Said Dowd: “I had always doubted Jeb’s ability to run an effective campaign in this environment for a few reasons: He is not as good of a retail politician as his brother, he has been away from elective office for too long, and times have changed.”
He added: “While there is an outside shot he can surface sometime next year, the odds are incredibly low and it will take the five candidates ahead of him falling apart.”
Trump Says His Critics Can’t Take a Joke
Donald Trump “was in full insult mode at a campaign rally here on Monday night as he egged on a man who called President Obama a ‘dumbass’, the New York Times reports.
“Trump, in defending some of his recent jabs before making new ones, resorted to the old trick of suggesting that anyone who took offense at his remarks simply didn’t have a sense of humor… Trump contended that he was simply telling ‘jokes’ when he mocked Ben Carson’s oft-told tales about his violent youth and a New York Times reporter’s physical disability.”
Said Trump: “We can’t tell any more jokes, you know.”
GOP Leaders Plot Strategy to Avoid Shutdown
House Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) “strategy for avoiding a government shutdown is taking shape, with his leadership team seeking a clean break from the divisive intraparty warfare that plagued John Boehner’s (R-OH) tenure,” The Hill reports.
“GOP leaders on Monday predicted there would be no shutdown over Planned Parenthood funding and made clear that they expect an omnibus package to be approved with Democratic support before money runs out on Dec. 11.”
Pataki Won’t Make Florida Ballot
George Pataki did not qualify for the Republican presidential primary ballot in Florida, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Quote of the Day
“The overwhelming majority of violent criminals are Democrats.”
— Sen. Ted Cruz, in an interview with Hugh Hewitt.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 31
- 32
- 33
Taegan Goddard
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.
More about Taegan Goddard →