“The tenor of what he said about the other candidates was really pretty pleasant,” another donor said. “Until he got to Cruz.”Oh, he's just trying to help his brother and a standard way to diminish Cruz is to nudge people to think of him as unelectable because he's unlikable. Why that's the standard thing for him — as with Hillary — must have something to do with the way he strikes some people, something about the face, the voice. It's on an animal level. Inexplicable. George Bush was just playing on that, the little rascal.
October 20, 2015
What George W. Bush said about Ted Cruz: "I just don’t like the guy."
As reported by those who were there at a meeting of about 100 donors.
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Texas is not big enough for the both of them. It is High Noon in Dallas.
The crafty W just sent a message to all Texans in the Bush circle that if you are friendly with Cruz, you will be excommunicated from the Bush circle.... think carefully because there are no do overs.
Barbara Bush had it right when she answered the question "should Jeb run?": "[Jeb is] by far the best qualified man, but no. I really don't. I think it's a great country. There are a lot of great families, and it's not just four families or whatever. There are other people out there that are very qualified and we've had enough Bushes."
Cruz is a typical Ivy League asshole. W was a likeable Ivy League guy
The Bush-league think that the presidency is a family dynasty. They know that Cruz is the most likely one to break that dynasty, so he is the one that must die, according to the family honor.
This is disappointing. I have been very proud of the way George W. has acted since leaving the WH up to this point. It is a shame to see him stoop so low at this point for mere politics. But, he is only human ... sigh.
I'm with George W. on this. There's something false and slimey about Cruz that hits me on an intuitive level. He sort of like Green Acre's Mr. Haney with an Ivy League education.
"The Bush-league think that the presidency is a family dynasty. They know that Cruz is the most likely one to break that dynasty, so he is the one that must die, according to the family honor."
I doubt Cruz is really the one the Bushes are most threatened by--if anything, Rubio should be raising their hackles. He was an old ally of Jeb's, is fighting for a similar constituency, and Cruz is going for the types of voters Jeb wasn't going to win anyway.
W taking a cue from Trump.
The release of this story was all planned by Jeb's campaign.
Traditionalguy is correct. Those that defect to Cruz will be punished, but not in a Clintonian way.
Dr. D -
Disappointing, indeed. Barack Obama deserves my silence, quoth GWB, but when GWB could stand up and save the country by commenting on Obama's horrible stewardship of the Republic, he holds his tongue.
Instead, he disses Cruz? I wish Cruz came across differently. One commenter thinks him "false and slimey", another calls him a "typical Ivy League asshole". I understand why they think this, but I've met him and think he's the real deal.
If he fails to win the presidency, I want him or Trey Gowdy as Attorney General, and I want them both on the Supreme Court someday.
And there are those of us who take it as a signal to like Cruz. Bush was a lousy President and it doesn't hurt to have him expressing disapproval.
A better analysis is not who has a popular persona. It is donor tribal based. That is what George I built for his boys and they do not want to see it gone with the wind.
Bush Dynasty has always included their Hispanic connections through the Texas/Mexico ruling structures that have had interior lines of communications for 50 years. That is why Cruz is the threat. He is real Texan based Hispanic and can supplant them.
Ted Cruz is an asshole. He's worse than a normal asshole, though, because he's the type of asshole who pretends to be a down-home 'Murican in an overdone, almost mocking way. Just be yourself, asshole. You're a top-notch attorney with a wife who worked at Goldman Sachs. Don't pretend to be some kicker from rural Texas.
Princeton, Harvard, judicial clerkships, an enviable career in Washington and Austin in government, private practice and academia ... yeah, I think Ted is much more sophisticated than he lets on.
BDNYC
Yale. Harvard MBA. Owned an MLB team.
GWB is more sophisticated than he lets on.
Don't vote for any Bush who hasn't been a pilot.
"Ted Cruz is an asshole. He's worse than a normal asshole, though, because he's the type of asshole who pretends to be a down-home 'Murican in an overdone, almost mocking way. Just be yourself, asshole. You're a top-notch attorney with a wife who worked at Goldman Sachs. Don't pretend to be some kicker from rural Texas."
I don't see him so much pretending to be a "regular joe"--it's well known he has an Ivy League pedigree (which to his credit does not seem to be due to family connections such as the Bushes) and a rich wife. He does come across as an "asshole" to me--I can't put my finger on it but when he speaks there seems to be a smug, self-righteousness and a feeling that he will throw lies at you rapid fire hoping you don't notice some of them. He will push blatant falsehoods and his end game seems to be not achieving any policy goals but making himself a star.
Plus, playing second-fiddle to Trump just makes him look like a lapdog.
George isn't known for verbal wisdom.
He's not a threat.
OR MAYBE.... He knows that Cruz is not an eligible natural born Citizen, since he was born in Canada, and had Canadian citizenship until recently, and still may have Cuban citizenship.
Maybe... Of course the "law prof" could never talk about such things, or risk her position in the Ivory Tower of Intelligista, and be (gasp)-- a Birther.
7 FAM 1131.6-2 Eligibility for Presidency
(TL:CON-68; 04-01-1998)
a. It has never been determined definitively by a court whether a person who
acquired U.S. citizenship by birth abroad to U.S. citizens is a natural-born
citizen within the meaning of Article II of the Constitution and, therefore,
eligible for the Presidency.
I think part of Cruz' seeming smugness is the shape of his face. It is sort of flat, like Keira Knightly's face. Short of plastic surgery, they cant do much about their zygomas.
"He will push blatant falsehoods"
Name one.
@ David Begley
What's your point? Whatever the truth about him, Bush always seemed natural and comfortable in his own skin. I tend to think he genuinely was as he presented himself. After school, Bush came back to Texas and worked in oil in Midland, where he met and married a local girl and was presumably surrounded by good ol' boys and roughnecks.
Cruz, on the other hand, spent his entire professional life surrounded by judges and attorneys educated at the finest schools.
And I don't remember Bush ever acting like a complete fucking retard like Cruz to pander to Christianist yokels.
"Inexplicable"
Not at all. Cruz is in-your-face champion debater, Bush was get-along frat boy.
Sure, Cruz is smug, and he has much to be smug about. He's just as sophisticated as he lets on. GOP needs it but people can't stomach it--I understand. Let's go with Donald who "tells it like it is," or the Doctor, who isn't quite as sophisticated about policy and politics as he is about brain surgery.
I like Bush, but turn-the-other-cheek sanctimoniousness, all for the good of the country you see, can be smug in its own way. Leaving O to do his thing while attacking Cruz is making a mockery of the supposed Bush good manners.
Cruz is a typical Ivy League asshole. W was a likeable Ivy League guy
We had Mr. Nice Guy for 8 years when GWB was president. How much good did that do? The left went after him nonstop, and he never fought back. Now he shows some spine when it comes to Cruz. Where was the "I don't like him" when people were really trying to screw GWB over?
Please. We need someone with stones on our side. It's long overdue.
I completely understand W. I'm pretty sure if I knew Ted Cruz personally I'd want to punch him in the face.
And I agree with most of his politics.
Newt Gingrich had a punchable face too.
Ted's grandfather wasn't a US Senator nor was his dad President.
Ted worked his way into Princeton and Harvard.
His dad is a pastor. He's aiming for the Christian vote. Smart strategy.
You are free to dislike Ted, but he's not fake. He's not the typical Ivy Leagurer.
Sebastian nails it. Looks like we have a bunch of Jeb voters in this thread. Let's just continue down the road of status quo, being democrat lite.
Not me. NO ONE is more honest than Cruz. Not a single candidate. Not even Trump. But that tells you something about today's voters - they want to be told what they want to hear and aren't interested in honesty.
The next time I hear from someone purporting to want honest politicians, but dissing Cruz, I'm going to point out the blatant hypocrisy, because that's exactly what it will be.
""He will push blatant falsehoods"
Name one."
The first one that comes to mind is his insistence that the shutdowns of the mid-90s benefitted the GOP, even though they turned political opinion against the GOP and gave Clinton the comeback he needed to get solidly re-elected by running against the Gingrich congress.
"George Bush was just playing on that, the little rascal."
Then, again, he just may not like the guy. No hard feelings and all, but the chemistry doesn't work. As it happens, that's also how Rep voters seem to be reacting to Jeb!.
It's unfortunate that W would pick Cruz to say that about, considering the welcome Jeb received from Ted when he announced his candidacy: https://www.facebook.com/tedcruzpage/posts/10153369556417464
I follow multiple politicians on social media. Ted Cruz's posts are the most consistently gracious to his colleagues and he displays a healthy sense of humor about the jabs his critics take at him. He even found something to compliment about Bernie Sanders when he entered the race, saying, "I'll give him credit for candor. Bernie Sanders ran for years as a socialist...I think that is honest and straightforward. And it'll be a healthy debate for Democrats to have just to what degree of socialism they want to embrace."
The thing that's sad about the way we play politics these days is that the criteria people use to get their impression of Ted Cruz (and not just Cruz, but he's our working example in this case) are things outside his control. The down-slanted eyebrows that make him appear a little too puppy-dog earnest. The long nose that is a caricature artist's dream. The thin lips that still manage to hide his upper teeth when he talks and smiles and cause people to assume he is smug. The chess club voice. He looks like SNL's "Tim Calhoun," so when people see him, they're pre-prejudiced to assume he has the mental capacity of that character.
Of course, short of a visit from Extreme Makeover, there's nothing he can do to change any of those things. It's not something he can adjust on the fly like Hillary and her fake stump speech accents. And even if he did change his looks, he'd be blasted for it. Sarah Palin couldn't even borrow some campaignwear from the RNC without causing a ruckus.
When Carly gets elected and puts Ted on the Supreme Court you will all love him.
The first one that comes to mind is his insistence that the shutdowns of the mid-90s benefitted the GOP, even though they turned political opinion against the GOP and gave Clinton the comeback he needed to get solidly re-elected by running against the Gingrich congress.
This assumes that Clinton wasn't going to be re-elected (against Dole? Come on...). As a matter of fact, the GOP kept both houses during that time. So as far as I'm concerned, the fact that Cruz believes that is his honest opinion, and not by ANY means a "blatant falsehood."
That means he must post a real post-Trump threat to his brother's candidacy. He's in fourth place...ahead of Jeb.
MathMom:
"when GWB could stand up and save the country by commenting on Obama's horrible stewardship of the Republic, he holds his tongue."
I don't think he could do any such thing. There is no criticism George W. Bush could pass on Barack Obama's actions that wouldn't have every single Obama supporter yelling, "What about YOUR mistakes?", most independents agreeing with them on at least that point, and at least half of the right thinking, You did set us up for this. The election of Obama was a reaction to your presidency.
Some things are true even if GWB says them, but when it comes to Pres. Obama's numerous and important failures, he should right on biting his tongue.
"As reported by those who were at the meeting"
Anonymous people say x said y about z.
I'm so sure it came off exactly as they say and there was no nuance, nor any conflict of interest in the people who reported hearing it.
Brando did you vote in 1996 election? I did. Dole lost it all by himself. He was a nice guy, I voted for him but there was no energy there. In a three man race a tired old man doesn't win. Once Clinton lost Congress he couldn't do much harm and he was smart enough to take credit for things he had nothing to do with. Newt won Clinton his second term simply by making sure Clinton didn't ruin the country like Obama did and is doing. This is the lesson Republicans need to learn, make the Democrats bend to you and not the other way around.
"This assumes that Clinton wasn't going to be re-elected (against Dole? Come on...). As a matter of fact, the GOP kept both houses during that time. So as far as I'm concerned, the fact that Cruz believes that is his honest opinion, and not by ANY means a "blatant falsehood.""
Clinton was polling worse than even Dole before the shutdowns (not that Dole had the nomination in the bag at that point) and had been reeling from the 1994 midterms and the flurry of legislation that was passed right after (Newt as promised had votes on every one of his "Contract" points, and passed all but one through the House). Clinton was stuck embarrassingly saying he was still "relevant" which isn't something a winning politician has to say. The shutdowns swung popular opinion against Newt and Co., and enabled Clinton to run against Congress. Sure, the GOP held onto their majority, but it shrank in the House (where the shutdown strategy originated). You'll notice the shutdown also did not end with the GOP getting its way on the budget (same as in the 2013 shutdown).
Now, maybe Cruz genuinely believes that somehow the polls were all wrong, and the GOP never wanted to get Clinton to cave in the first place, and had they not done the shutdown the GOP would have done even worse in 1996. If he believes that, he's delusional, but I think he's smart enough to know better and just doesn't care.
I don't like Cruz's face and voice.
"Brando did you vote in 1996 election? I did. Dole lost it all by himself. He was a nice guy, I voted for him but there was no energy there. In a three man race a tired old man doesn't win. Once Clinton lost Congress he couldn't do much harm and he was smart enough to take credit for things he had nothing to do with. Newt won Clinton his second term simply by making sure Clinton didn't ruin the country like Obama did and is doing. This is the lesson Republicans need to learn, make the Democrats bend to you and not the other way around."
I did--Dole was the first candidate I voted for on the presidential level. I don't think he was a great candidate, but he was ill-served by the fundamentals (economy in recovery, lack of major scandals or wars) and Clinton tied him to Gingrich and the House (which was very unpopular among moderates back then). I remember the "Dole-Gingrich" commercials, as if the two guys were best buddies. The shutdown may not have been the only reason Dole lost, but it certainly wasn't HELPING him either.
Hey, I'd like to see the GOP make the Democrats bend to them (at least on the issues I'd like to see tackled). But shutdowns as legislative tactics have not worked and will not work going forward. If that's the only arrow in the GOP quiver, they might as well pack it up and go home. President Hillary is going to run all over them with that.
Looks like we have a bunch of Jeb voters in this thread.
Ha! Just because we don't like Cruz doesn't mean we love Jeb. We're just telling the truth about the perception of Cruz.
Mom2E's is right. A lot of Cruz's unappeal is out of his control. It doesn't mean that it isn't accurate.
W was elected and re-elected President. Cruz is polling in the single digits among Republican voters. It's not a mystery.
It's not enough to be right. You must be right in the right kind of way. Cruz is charmless, and his smile has a vaguely reptilian quality. He is not the man to sell conservative policies to the uncommitted.
Yes, shutdowns are terrible for the. GOP. That's why Republicans lost so badly in 2014 after the shutdown of 2013... oh, wait.
Basically the media told you they would be bad for Republicans, and despite ALL evidence to the contrary, you still think so. Just bizarre
"Ha! Just because we don't like Cruz doesn't mean we love Jeb. We're just telling the truth about the perception of Cruz."
I also don't get the logic of it--we don't like Cruz so therefore we love Jeb? That's like if a bunch of us were complaining that the Dallas Cowboys suck and then getting told that must mean we're Miami Dolphin fans.
Jeb I think is a nonentity in this race--he's running a '90s style campaign in 2015, and will not win the nomination. I'm not sure he'll be around after New Hampshire.
Cruz won't get the nomination either.
Oh great, let's vote on looks and charm as opposed to being correct on policy. That's worked so well so far.
Thus ends the Republic.
Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are both likeable.
Horrible presidents.
Barack is the worst ever and we will pay the price for 50 years.
"Yes, shutdowns are terrible for the. GOP. That's why Republicans lost so badly in 2014 after the shutdown of 2013... oh, wait."
The GOP won in 2014 because most of the Senate seats up for election were in red states, the mid-term electorate tends to be smaller and more conservative, the six year itch tends to work against presidents' parties, and GOP voters were fired up after the various Obamacare debacles while Democrats were unmotivated. From what I recall, the polls during the shutdown showed voters turning sharply against the GOP until the GOP put an end to it, only to have their leadership blamed by the Cruz-ites for not continuing it indefinitely, and the news cycles covering the shutdown put the Obamacare failures on the back burner. I don't recall any winning 2014 candidates campaigning on having been involved in the shutdown or promising more shutdowns. However, if you have some evidence that the shutdown helped the GOP, I'd be happy to check it out.
W was likeable and a bad president as well. Clinton was pretty good. Obama is bad. Cruz would also make a bad president. And he's unlikeable.
Cruz is charmless, and his smile has a vaguely reptilian quality. He is not the man to sell conservative policies to the uncommitted.
Nailed it.
Brando, I'll argue that 2014 is going to be why the GOP does poorly in Congressional races in 2016. The GOP promised to, bare minimum, make Obama issue difficult vetoes. And they didn't.
Trump is in the lead right now because of how pathetic Congress is.
JPS -
Good points. You may be right. Thank you.
"Brando, I'll argue that 2014 is going to be why the GOP does poorly in Congressional races in 2016. The GOP promised to, bare minimum, make Obama issue difficult vetoes. And they didn't."
I don't doubt that at all. The GOP at the very least should have been putting legislation on Obama's desk, and working public opinion against him on those issues so he would either reluctantly sign or take a hit in the polls for him and his party. But the shutdowns put absolutely no pressure on the Democrats, and turn off moderates.
The celebrity look alike I always think of is Quentin Tarentino, like in the kitchen as Jimmy in "Pulp Fiction".
Of course, among other differences, Cruz would never gate a pass on using the N-word, even in a work of "Fiction".
W was elected and re-elected President. Cruz is polling in the single digits among Republican voters. It's not a mystery.
Yup. But it ain't because he was an "Ivy League Asshole". Apparently, that's not a disqualifier, especially since we've had one of those for the past 7 years now. It IS because of the reasons I've already stated: people want their goodies, and a linguine-spined GOP is willing to give them away.
Oh great, let's vote on looks and charm as opposed to being correct on policy. That's worked so well so far.
Thus ends the Republic.
Bingo. I expected that kind of thinking on DailyKos, or DU. But here? Your last sentence nails it.
Interesting that W singled out the one candidate who worked on his 2000 campaign and transition team, and got a place in his administration, albeit not the plum he was hoping for since those responsible for handing out jobs just didn't like the guy.
I recently saw a video of Ted Cruz exposing the President of the Sierra Club for the ignorant posturing stooge that he is.
http://www.alternet.org/environment/watch-climate-denier-ted-cruz-bullies-sierra-club-president-senate-hearing
I think what you are all saying, is that Cruz does not suffer fools gladly, and it shows. He feels contempt for those who are evidently contemptible. I guess that means he can't be President. But I enjoyed watching him stick it to that bug-eyed sack of sanctimony.
Brando said...
""He will push blatant falsehoods"
Name one."
"The first one that comes to mind is his insistence that the shutdowns of the mid-90s benefitted the GOP, even though they turned political opinion against the GOP and gave Clinton the comeback he needed to get solidly re-elected by running against the Gingrich congress."
Garbage posted by someone who wont defend what is right. Gingrich forced a government shut down and reduced the rate of growth in spending. He is the person most responsible for the "balanced budgets" we had at the end of that decade. The issue was the GOPe isn't really on board with balanced budgets or cutting spending. So they helped the Dem's trash him. Reagan is on record numerous times lauding Newt's leadership and his efforts to reduce the size and scope of government.
But that is the kicker isn't it. The "moderates" and GOPe say they want smaller government, just don't touch their slice of the government cheese. Cruz just puts a mirror in front of the hypocrites and they hate him for it. At least the Democrat party is somewhat honest about their vote buying.
Brando as a private sector net taxpayer I honestly do not give a crap if the government is shutdown and frankly have never been negatively impacted by any such shutdowns. Unless you work for government, are a government contractor or are on the taxpayer's teat you don't notice the so-called shutdown. That's why the national parks are always shutdown otherwise the private sector taxpayer and voter wouldn't notice.
"This is disappointing. I have been very proud of the way George W. has acted since leaving the WH up to this point"
As far as the shutdown in 1995, Gingrich wrecked that one. He could have waited longer. Clinton was consoling himself with Monica. Gingrich whined about the plane seat he got and worried about his book deal and lost it all. Then Hastert came along and played crook for the rest of the decade,
I mean to add I agree about Bush.
I didn't like Cruz (or his idiot father) until I read this. Did you people know that after decades of being a lousy drunk and a loser, the elder Cruz had a road to Damascus moment, found Jesus and became less of a dirtbag to his wife and children! Is it that easy? It shouldn't be!
FYI... Other famous people on Bush's sh*t list include Kanye West. There's something small and petty about Mr. Bush that were only learning about now.
Anyone who can't see how phony T. Cruz is probably couldn't see how incompetent G. Bush was.
These are the blind spots that conservatives sacrifice to the all-powerful cause of nationalistic demagoguery.
Mr. Cruz's public persona is not likeable.
I don't know him personally.
Titus: "I don't like Cruz's face and voice."
Maybe crunches would help.
"the all-powerful cause of nationalistic demagoguery."
Day shift at McDonald's over already ?
-----"Ted Cruz is an asshole. He's worse than a normal asshole, though, because he's the type of asshole who pretends to be a down-home 'Murican in an overdone, almost mocking way.
He’s just so damn brilliant that he makes you highly self-regarding lefties realize you are dummies. That’s what brings out your real anger.
Let it burn.
Rhythm and Balls: "Anyone who can't see how phony T. Cruz is probably couldn't see how incompetent G. Bush was."
Hillary Clinton
"Authentic"....and, better yet, she "ain't no ways taaaaaaaaard".
Like I said, "authentic".
When I think of "authentic", my mind inescapably moves to memories of Bill and Hill, dancing on the beach while gazing lovingly into each others eyes...
Like I said, "authentic".
And don't even get me started on Hillary's machine-gun dodging in Bosnia.
Lawdy lawdy, we's about over-run with authenticity!
"Let it burn."
Well, I'd put it out, but my day to water is Saturdays, so...
"Brando as a private sector net taxpayer I honestly do not give a crap if the government is shutdown and frankly have never been negatively impacted by any such shutdowns. Unless you work for government, are a government contractor or are on the taxpayer's teat you don't notice the so-called shutdown. That's why the national parks are always shutdown otherwise the private sector taxpayer and voter wouldn't notice."
You only don't notice them because Congress generally caves after a few weeks. If the shutdown were to continue, agencies would have to cut back or eliminate services that will in fact affect you. If you're truly insulated from any government services, you should be fine.
But since a number of people here think a shutdown has been a winner for the GOP in the past, then have at it--maybe your Cruz acolytes can shut it down, and keep it shut down until the Democrats cave and give in to your demands. If I'm right, that will simply never happen and when GOP voters start seeing their social security checks not arriving and vote out their representatives, we can go back to bitching about how the Democrats control everything and we no longer even have the benefit of gridlock.
"Garbage posted by someone who wont defend what is right. Gingrich forced a government shut down and reduced the rate of growth in spending. He is the person most responsible for the "balanced budgets" we had at the end of that decade. The issue was the GOPe isn't really on board with balanced budgets or cutting spending. So they helped the Dem's trash him. Reagan is on record numerous times lauding Newt's leadership and his efforts to reduce the size and scope of government."
The fact that you think the Speaker of the House wasn't a part of the "GOPe" (assuming that means GOP establishtment) and that you think the shutdown actually saved money shows that we're never going to even agree on the basic facts. Like I said above, maybe you'll get your way and some Cruz-ites will force another shutdown, and keep that one going indefinitely. We'll see if the Dems cave or the GOP gets crushed first.
Another question--much has been made of the question of where Obama was born, as though if he were born outside the U.S. he would not be eligible to be president. However, Obama's mother was an American citizen, so even if Obama were born overseas would he not be in exactly the same position as Ted Cruz--born overseas with one U.S. citizen parent? What's the difference between the two?
I'd be curious if any Ted Cruz fans were "Obama birthers" and how they reconcile the two.
I'd be curious if any Ted Cruz fans were "Obama birthers" and how they reconcile the two.
I wonder how many Hillary supporters will be Birthers for a second time.
As even Trump pointed out, it wasn't he who mentioned Obama's lineage first...
"I wonder how many Hillary supporters will be Birthers for a second time."
That's not my point--I know Hillary's team brought up the issue in the first place. My question is for anyone who thinks Obama wasn't eligible but Cruz is, what makes their cases different (assuming Obama was actually born outside the U.S.)? I'm not trying to score rhetorical points but it seems odd if the same people who thought Obama was ineligible don't feel the same about Cruz, as there is no question Cruz was born in Canada and had one U.S. citizen parent.
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