Iowa Caucuses Thread

[Alamo]

Ben Carson's campaign put out information that Ben Carson was going back to Florida Monday night, just as the caucuses start, and would not be in NH and SC.

CNN reports this, and tweets it out as well:

BREAKING: @moody has learned @realbencarson will return to FL following #IAcaucus, will not go to either NH or SC https://t.co/jl8NOY9KEx
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) February 2, 2016
​

Numerous people pick up on this, interpret it as Carson is dropping out and tweet about it. Marco Rubio supporter tweets that the Rubio campaign is pushing message that it looks like Carson is out, voters should move to Rubio. Yes Rubio. Cruz campaign picked up on it as well.

Carson campaign catches on, says wait a minute, he's just going home for a change of clothes. (What!? -- he can't have them shipped to him? Sure...)

Carson goes on tear about ethics and responsibility for campaigners, Cruz apologizes for his campaign's error, but Carson continues complaining.

However, when Carson is asked if he has any responsibility for the information his campaign put out that started the whole affair:

Reporter: Do you regret, uh, announcing that that you were going to be going back to Florida and spurring some of this confusion?
Carson: Well, I didn’t make that announcement. Uh, I guess somebody talked to … other people…
Reporter: Well, your campaign told the press.
Carson: You know, *I* didn’t say it, so don’t blame me. [laughing]
Reporter: But you’re here telling us that people should know what’s going on in their campaign and hold people accountable, I mean that’s [crosstalk]
Carson: Well, let me ask you this question, is it okay after being on the road for after three weeks to go home to Florida and get a fresh change of clothes? Or is that a problem? Does that make someone into an evil, horrible person?

Ben Carson Gets Hoisted on His Own Petard, and it Isn't Pretty (VIDEO) | RedState

Hey, it wasn't me, it was some staffer! Sure Ben.

ETA: A timeline: http://www.trevorloudon.com/2016/02...ble-for-ben-carson-campaign-suspension-rumor/

The best part of this is that Cruz apparently coined an excellent new word: Trumpertantrum.

 

[Alamo]

Btw, if you actually want to learn something about Ted Cruz and how he operates, Erica Grieder at Texas Monthly has been following him for some time, and predicted as early as last November that Cruz would win in Iowa. Texas Monthly is not what you would call a bastion of conservative support in Texas, so it's interesting to read this perspective.

Two articles worth starting with:

How Ted Cruz Won Iowa

The Field Guide to Ted Cruz

These do not make up a complete compendium of his career, but the Field Guide especially gives some interesting insight to why and how he operates.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Btw, if you actually want to learn something about Ted Cruz and how he operates, Erica Grieder at Texas Monthly has been following him for some time, and predicted as early as last November that Cruz would win in Iowa. Texas Monthly is not what you would call a bastion of conservative support in Texas, so it's interesting to read this perspective.

Two articles worth starting with:

How Ted Cruz Won Iowa

The Field Guide to Ted Cruz

These do not make up a complete compendium of his career, but the Field Guide especially gives some interesting insight to why and how he operates.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Hmmm...interesting. Based on this info, evil Cruz apologized for something he really didn't need to.

Ben Carson's campaign put out information that Ben Carson was going back to Florida Monday night, just as the caucuses start, and would not be in NH and SC.

CNN reports this, and tweets it out as well:



Numerous people pick up on this, interpret it as Carson is dropping out and tweet about it. Marco Rubio supporter tweets that the Rubio campaign is pushing message that it looks like Carson is out, voters should move to Rubio. Yes Rubio. Cruz campaign picked up on it as well.

Carson campaign catches on, says wait a minute, he's just going home for a change of clothes. (What!? -- he can't have them shipped to him? Sure...)

Carson goes on tear about ethics and responsibility for campaigners, Cruz apologizes for his campaign's error, but Carson continues complaining.

However, when Carson is asked if he has any responsibility for the information his campaign put out that started the whole affair:

Ben Carson Gets Hoisted on His Own Petard, and it Isn't Pretty (VIDEO) | RedState

Hey, it wasn't me, it was some staffer! Sure Ben.

ETA: A timeline: Trevor Loudon's New Zeal Blog » UPDATES: CNN, NOT Cruz staff, responsible for Ben Carson campaign suspension ?rumor?

The best part of this is that Cruz apparently coined an excellent new word: Trumpertantrum.

 

[Expat]

I saw Brit Hume talking about the CNN report last night. He said that all of them took it as meaning Carson was dropping out as well. So it does look like it is much ado about nothing.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I saw Brit Hume talking about the CNN report last night. He said that all of them took it as meaning Carson was dropping out as well. So it does look like it is much ado about nothing.

Certainly Cruz's campaign's actions regarding all of this is but Carson's, Trump's, and the media's Jerry Springer style handling of this is concerning.

 

[MDave]

I think it is typical. If the media can splash muck on a R candidate they will. They just keep filling the boat until the pumps can't keep up and then sink the candidate. Later down the road these "scandals" will resurface and be reported in a way to further challenge credibility. You see it every four years in TECHNICOLOR these days....

 

[jamil]

I've heard "Mr. Trump is a very generaous man".

Carson is not going to take Trump's money. For whatever faults he has, that's not one of them.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Carson is not going to take Trump's money. For whatever faults he has, that's not one of them.

Time will tell. Who'd a thought he'd basically lie about Cruz knowing full well he made the remarks he made about going home instead of going to NH? As his campaign continues to wilt and he starts spending more than what he can generate donations for, he might need a little help...and I'm sure the Donald will pay well for whatever support Carson has remaining when that time comes. Let's just watch and see.

 

[SSGSAD]

Time will tell. Who'd a thought he'd basically lie about Cruz knowing full well he made the remarks he made about going home instead of going to NH? As his campaign continues to wilt and he starts spending more than what he can generate donations for, he might need a little help...and I'm sure the Donald will pay well for whatever support Carson has remaining when that time comes. Let's just watch and see.

IF, he is lying, why would anyone support him ?????

 

[jamil]

Certainly Cruz's campaign's actions regarding all of this is but Carson's, Trump's, and the media's Jerry Springer style handling of this is concerning.

Carson is a descent guy but is politically ignorant. He should just drop out of the race.

 

[SSGSAD]

Carson is a descent guy but is politically ignorant. He should just drop out of the race.

You, wouldn't want Carson, as V P ?????

 

[jamil]

You, wouldn't want Carson, as V P ?????

He'd make a good surgeon general. Or perhaps cabinet secretary. He just doesn't have it to be POTUS. By extension VP.

 

[SSGSAD]

He'd make a good surgeon general. Or perhaps cabinet secretary. He just doesn't have it to be POTUS. By extension VP.

Ok, I get that surgeon general, didn't think of that ..... Good Idea .....

 

[T.Lex]

Can you imagine what he would be like on the range?

Slower than molasses on a cold day. Very precise, but each shot would be meticulous.

Ok, I get that surgeon general, didn't think of that ..... Good Idea .....

Why take the pay cut for a figurehead position? He's already head of surgery.

And back to the letter. I get that Cruz is a jerk alot of the time. He's kinda the counter-GWB like that. Bush was probably TOO nice, too often.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

What to watch for:

 

[MisterChester]

We have had less than 50 presidents under the current constitution; and many of those under wildly different times. There is not a significant enough sample size to do anything but speculate to burn up air time.

Is it just a coincidence? I don't think so. It's no secret that Iowa Republicans are more conservative than your average republican.

 

[jamil]

Can you imagine what he would be like on the range?

I could be wrong but I kinda doubt Carson would even shoot a gun. He'd probably be pretty good at it though.

The thing that makes him a top surgeon is not just hand/eye coordination. It's his spacial awareness and retention as well. I've read other surgeons who've worked with him explain that he has a remarkable ability to visualize in detail the components he's operating on in his head. He practiced every surgery in his head several times before he actually performed them.

And as much as I admire him for what he's accomplished, he just ain't got it to be prez.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Carson is a descent guy but is politically ignorant. He should just drop out of the race.

I think Carson, Rubio, and Cruz are decent people.

 

[jamil]

I think Carson, Rubio, and Cruz are decent people.

I have my doubts about Rubio. Last two debates, to me, revealed a person I don't really like. At all.