Full disclosure: I’m pretty much a liberal Democrat. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to spend the next year throwing shade at every Republican presidential hopeful. There are some prospective GOP nominees that I will be taking seriously, like Rand Paul and Jeb Bush. Like, I think they legitimately have a chance to become the GOP presidential nominee and I’m interested in hearing what they have to say about a host of issues. But while Sen. Paul and former Governor Bush are certainly going to run, they haven’t announced yet. No, the honor of the “first to officially announce” belongs to… Senator Ted Cruz. Who is probably the biggest jackass/spoiler in the Republican field (not including Donald Trump for obvious reasons). Here’s how Ted Cruz announced (on Twitter!):
I'm running for President and I hope to earn your support! pic.twitter.com/0UTqaIoytP
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 23, 2015
Something nice: I’m glad that the stock images of American voters weren’t just white people. I also think it’s cool that he announced on Twitter, of all places.
But now that he’s officially running, people are like “Who is this guy?” So here are five helpful reminders.
1. He was actually born in Canada. He had Canadian citizenship up until a few years ago when he “renounced” his Canadian roots. While he can still “technically” run for president, considering the “birther” movement sprang out of the Republican-wingnut-held belief that Barack Obama was secretly born in Kenya (when he was in fact born in Hawaii) and ineligible for the presidency, this is just inconsistent messaging.
2. He was one of the biggest reasons for the 2013 government shutdown… which achieved nothing but give Ted Cruz more exposure.
3. People always compare Cruz to Joseph McCarthy, in looks and temperament.
4. Just last week, he screamed at a terrified child, “YOUR WORLD IS ON FIRE.”
5. He once unsuccessfully tried to smear a Vietnam veteran and war hero.
I don’t know about you, but I’m actually looking forward to seeing what Rand Paul and Jeb Bush do to Ted Cruz in a debate.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
I studied abroad last summer with a guy who thinks Ted Cruz would make a great president because “he’s a great man with great values” so at least one person is happy… i guess?
God help us all.
You took the words right outta my mouth, Anti.
This Canadian is just glad he renounced his citizenship. Good luck, America
first one in and, IMO, he’ll be the first to drop out.
but I’ll wait to see. that might wind up being Chris Christie.
My money’s on Jindal running and dropping out just as quickly.
Pooh! He has been silent for a while, hasn’t he? He disappeared nationally after his response to the state of the Union didn’t go over well
You can’t be president if you’re a naturalized citizen. Sorry, Ted – read the constitution, idiot. That’s what kept Mitt Romney’s dad George from running, though he tried – he was born and raised in Mexico (in a Mormon community which still wanted to practice polygamy so they beat it out of Utah).
He’s not naturalized. He was born in Canada to an American parent. He’s a native born American citizen. I’m assuming his dual citizenship was because he was physically born within Canada, but I don’t know that for certain. The birther argument with Cruz is just as insane and the birther argument with Obama.
and whatever anyone thinks of his politics, he isn’t an idiot, and he’s read the Constitution.
Bring.it.on.The crazier the candidates the better chance the good ones have. ** Grabs popcorn for climate change denials and vagina hating rants. **
Exactly. The GOP does not have a history of nominating its wing nuts. Hopefully the trend continues.
“The GOP does not have a history of nominating its wing nuts.”
Well…they nominated Palin for Vice President, so I’m not sure that’s true.
And this particular wingnut is almost certainly ineligible.
This means Cruz wants something else. Is it certain favors for throwing his eventual support behind whoever becomes the actual Republican candidate? Is it a cabinet position? Supreme Court seat?
We’ll have to stay tuned. This is a long game.
Bush / Cheney are about as extreme as you can get, they lied their way into a couple of vile wars that are still going on.
seriously…the entire (potential) republican field is like a potluck of crazy.
I’m hoping we get Herman Cain, Michelle Bachman, Rick Perry, Trump and Palin in there, too. The debates will be GLORIOUS.
You know the first thing that pops up when you google HC’s name is “Herman Cain pokemon”? Presidential!
Don’t forget Dr. Ben Carson.
Throw Ben Carson in there for added laughs. I’ve been waiting for somebody to ask him how he can claim to be an expert on Medicare reimbursement when all of his patients are children, who are not eligible for Medicare.
Oh YES my body is ready for Herman “Shucky Ducky” Caine again!!
During the last presidential election, I drove cross-country. This was before Romney was clearly established as the front-runner so Perry, Cain, Santorum, Bachmann and all the rest were still out there hustling. Listening to MSNBC Radio made the never-ending drive a lot more entertaining!
And Rick Santorum. He’ll add to the hilarity.
You’ve all forgotten Bobby Jindal and his fixation on no-go zones and Sharia law.
@Cait, and his love of The Brady Bunch!
I Hope Jon Stewart is throwing us all a Party Behind this bozo
also I can’t wait for him to sink like a stone
Also I can’t wait for Santorum and his fecal lubey problem to pop up again… for reasons
also “this is just inconsistent messaging” …. Is not, you see, he is White, as our president’s should be so we are gonna forget about that /s font off
d’oh! I forgot Rick “Frothy” Santorum! He HAS to be part of that primary crowd!!!
Forgot all about “Santorum”.💩 (emoji in honor of Santorum, CBers, please take no offense.)
Seriously. Here is official campaign slogan*: “Vote for me, because everybody loves a good trainwreck”
*not really
I’ll bring the butter.
He completely missed the point of Green Eggs & Ham and wasted our tax dollars reading it aloud on the floor of the Senste, where he demonstrated his lack of reading comprehension. He did this in an attempt to restore insurance companies the right to discriminate against me for having survived cancer.
This is a question I always wonder about with your healthcare system. Are policies annual, like our house/motor insurance? Or ongoing, like our life insurance? Meaning, what happens if you get ill? Is the policy priced at your level of risk when you originally took it out or is it regularly reassessed?
As a fellow cancer survivor, I pay half as much again for travel insurance as Mr Sixer and the Sixlets.
Yes, our policies are annual. Most people get their coverage through work-based policies so the employer actually negotiates the coverage terms and the employees are stuck with it. Previously, insurance carriers could outright deny all coverage to a person with a serious condition or drop coverage or limit coverage to exclude treatment for pre-existing conditions. People would stay in bad jobs or marriages to stay insured. Some states (Massachusetts) banned the practice but most allowed it. ObamaCare put an end to it nationally and also imposed basic mandates and definitions on employer-based plans. Cruz and others want to repeal it and they offer no alternative protections.
Gotcha. So it’s all actuary-based but ObamaCare put some restrictions on it. It makes more sense now. Merci!
Reading sh*t like this makes me glad I’m a Canadian with universal healthcare.
People who don’t qualify for employer based coverage could purchase there own but prior to Obamacare, the same denials and exclusions would apply; they had no negotiating power; and very few are aware of the actual costs of healthcare so they would make poor coverage decisions. Medical providers here only have to stabilize in the event of an emergency when the patient cannot show ability to pay. They don’t have to treat.
Lilacflowers, congratulations on being a cancer survivor! I agree with you about the medical insurance. It would affect my son also if Obamacare were destroyed, he is mildly disabled. Right now he is on my husbands work policy, thanks to Obamacare he can stay on til he’s 26 or 27, but if the repubs destroy it, he won’t be able to stay on that or buy his own because the pre-existing condition thing will be back with a vengeance. I hate Ted Cruz.
@jane16, thank you and best wishes for your son.
He was born in Calgary, making him indeed inegible to become president of the USA due to jus soli. Unless something changed and I missed it? If he is hoping for the Latino vote, he can go home now.
That’s what I’m confused about. I thought only people born in America (or on American bases) could be President.
A natural born citizen is either born on US soil or born elsewhere to a U.S. citizen if the laws at the time (they change a lot, are kinder to fathers than mothers, and can include factors like how many years the parent has lived elsewhere or how recently the parent was in the US)
. Obama’s mom could have birthed him on Mars and he would be a U.S. citizen. Birthers don’t acknowledge the rights of women
No, no Lilacflowers, Obama is the wrong color to be extended that courtesy. Only WHITE males born outside U.S. soil can be natural born citizens. I’m sure Scalia and his toady, Thomas, could enlighten us on that.
Thank you, Alice.
Nail. Hammer. Head.
Yeah, he’s an American citizen, because he’s the child of an American citizen.
But a fun additional note that’s loosely connected to the Obama/Birthers nonsense: Cruz is ALSO a first-term senator, which was supposed to mean Obama was too inexperienced. In Cruz’ case, it’s spun as “he’s not a Washington insider.”
Bollocks. All of it.
Cait. Those nuts live in Bizzaro World.
So I looked at the link – his mother is US born American, his father is Cuban. His father had a job in Canada at the time he was born. Very similar situation to McCain, born outside the US due to his parents’ employment.
If Cruz automatically gets natural born citizenship because of his mother…WTF were people griping about with Obama (who actually was born in the US)?
“WTF were people griping about with Obama”
He’s black. They’re griping about him being black. All this “not my president” and “not my America” crap is codified racism because the president “doesn’t look like us” (to a certain segment of the population). I don’t care what a person’s politics are, the lengths that some people have gone to in order to demean, diminish, and discredit Obama are disheartening. In my lifetime (spanning Reagan – now), I don’t think any president has been more disrespected as openly as Obama.
I agree, Algernon and…
The fact that everyone calls him “Obama” bugs me too. It’s PRESIDENT Obama or The President. I know it seems like an insignificant thing to harp on, but he’s the only president that consistently gets referred to in such an informal manner, even by members of the press and journalists who should know better.
Hate to say it, but it is true. Most of the people who I’ve seen gripe about Obama use very vague reasoning, and the intensity of their dislike outweighs their actual points on him (if any). The ones I’ve encountered who fall in this category are usually white, undereducated, and have questionable intelligence. My husband had a friend whose now ex-wife was constantly posting racist things about the Obama’s on FB and couldn’t seem to understand WHY it was racist. She was also a teen mom, barely graduated HS, and didn’t know I much about the world outside her house, really. The Idiocracy, I tell you.
Personally, I’m going to have fun with this if Cruz makes it anywhere and people try to defend him, after the (non) issue they made about Obama not being a true us citizen.
Aside from what are obvious dog whistle issues regarding Obama with certain groups, I do not agree with all of his policies, but attempt to specifically articulate them, where I am opposed.
However, on the Obama versus President Obama topic, I can be honest enough to admit that I never called Dubya ‘President Bush’, so I think all political persuasions can be guilty of using nicknames or being irreverent to titles.
I said specifically members of the press and journalists, Kiddo.
Fair enough. I still refuse to call Bush president, even ‘ex’.
Oh I know, it was more of a rhetorical question. To this day there’s prominent people spouting that garbage. Giuliani just did a whole “he didn’t grow up like us” (whatever “us” means, there’s so much variety in the US, culturally, economically, geographically, etc) rant and questioned his patriotism.
Maybe I was too young at the time to notice, but I don’t remember any of the “not my President” or ‘take my country back” BS when Clinton was in office for 8 years.
I have no issue with people disagree on policies and ideology, in fact I think it’s good to have reasonable debate and question those in power, but the racist crap boils my blood.
@ Kitten
You’re, right I should address him as “President Obama” because he is the president. It’s just so much faster not to type it all out every time…
“. His father had a job in Canada at the time he was born. Very similar situation to McCain, born outside the US due to his parents’ employment.”
I think it is different from McCain. I could be wrong, but I thought McCain was born on a US military base in another country, which is technically considered “US Soil” because it was a base. Just being born in another country with an American for a parent is treated differently, if IIRC.
Interesting. Another difference between US and Canadian politics. Everyone here calls the Prime Minister plain old Harper (and is not said in an insulting way at all).
Winterlady, it’s what the plants crave.
I’m not American nor have I ever lived there, I’m just a busy body who spends too much time online. My understanding is that it has to do with how the US Supreme Court interpreted the specific provision (“natural born citizen” I think). I believe they understood it to mean that citizenship could be passed from a parent who was a citizen if that parent had lived in the US over a specific period of time. Blah blah. The conspiracy theory about Obama is that his mum from whom he would acquire citizenship had been living outside of the US over a period of time before his birth.
Of course the real underlying reason is that it appears some white Americans do no think black people are in any way American. Light skinned hispanics are another story apparently.
Actually, if one of his parents is an American citizen, then he is automatically an American citizen. It has nothing to do with where you are born. Therefore, he, if he has an American citizen parent, like the current President of the United States are American citizens (of course I don’t know about Mr. Cruz’s parentage, so if one of his parents is not a citizen, then he is not either and is therefore not eligible to be President). President Obama could have been born on Mars but since one of his parents is a citizen (his mother) of the US, so is he. But of course, Hawaii is not Mars, so the entire conversation about President Obama is moot. That is the thing that is misinterpreted. It is not where, but who that counts. To bring it into the celebrity realm, all of the Jolie-Pitt bio babies are citizens because their parents are, though none were born in the US.
But, though I understand the rules, I do wish we could get Mr. Trump and his crazy birthers to go after this guy the way they went after President Obama. But I am not holding my breath. Cruz is just nuts and that is why he should not be President, not where he was born.
This – you just need to be a “natural born US citizen” – where you’re actually born is irrelevant, provided at least one of your parents is a US citizen.
That being said, Cruz only denounced his Canadian citizenship in 2014…
I think any “issue” about Cruz not being born in American is just Karma coming to bit the right-wing in the ass after the far right had to push the whole “birther” movement. Otherwise I doubt anyone would really care all that much, tbh. If its good enough for President Obama, its good enough for Cruz, imo.
There are two different issues here:
1. What needs to happen to be a citizen.
2. What needs to happen to be eligible to be President of the US.
While his parents being citizens automatically makes him a citizen, the “natural born citizen clause” is one of the eligibility requirements in the Constitution for a Vice President or President of the US.
I don’t agree with the requirement, but right now, it is a part of the Constitution.
His mother was a U.S. citizen at the time of his birth. His father was a Cuban citizen. By Cuban law, that means he might have had Cuban citizenship at birth too, even though he was born in Canada.
It will be great to watch the GOP spin on this one. “Oh, Obama’s mother wasn’t really a U. S. citizen anymore because she spent time living outside the U. S.. Even though she was a U. S. citizen living in Hawaii when he was born in Hawaii, that doesn’t count as a birth of a native citizen to a native citizen on U. S. soil. This guy having Canadian citizenship until 2 years ago is no problem at all!”
Yep. I often have to explain this to people because I’m a direct product of this. My mother is from California (born and lived there until her late twenties), then moved to Canada where I was born four years later. She went to the US consulate in Toronto and registered my birth. She got a letter from the US State Department acknowledging the birth of a US citizen abroad (me), despite me being born and raised in Canada. I’ve never had to take any test or anything to “obtain” citizenship. According to the US government, I’ve been one since I was born. I have a US passport, I vote and file tax returns, despite not being born there or ever living there.
One of his parents is American & that is all you need to be a citizen.
Correct, but the obligations to be a citizen are different from the obligations to be a President, currently.
@Tiffany, yes, the requirements for the office of the presidency do require more than just citizenship but you don’t seem to be making the proper distinction on what those requirements are. A naturalized citizen, meaning someone who was born in another country to parents who are not US citizens and later applied for US citizenship is not a “natural born citizen” and cannot become President. However, someone who was born a US citizen, either by coming into the world on US soil or somewhere else but had a father or mother who is an eligible US citizen (there are actual quite a few pages of details as to what that actually means but I’ll spare myself and everyone else) , IS a natural born citizen and can become President.
Lilacflowers, the proper distinction has never been made by the Supreme Court as to what specifically “natural born” means. 😉
THIS Latina will never vote for this delusional clown and frankly, I don’t see how any Latino in their right mind would.
You don’t have to be born IN America. You have to be born American. The children of deployed military, expat citizens, and diplomats are native born Americans. The location of his birth is immaterial, and this is just as stupid as the “Obama was born in Kenya” BS.
Full disclosure, I am a liberal Republican ( In Robin William’s words, I am like a volvo with a gun rack )…but how on earth can a man born in Canada run for President? I agree the need for pandering to the Hispanic base..and his last name helps..but come on!!!
No snark … what do you mean by “a liberal Republican?”
I think Yeses might mean that they are for fiscal prudence but live and let live with respect to social issues.
Wow The Original G, have you been listening it on our dinner table conversations!!
THAT is exactly what I mean by a liberal Republican DK, Am all for fiscal prudence but when it comes to the pro life/ pro choice, LGBT issues etc, I’m far more liberal and believe in a “live and let live/to each their own” way of thinking, and no worries, no snark taken.
Those are the kind of Republicans that I can fully respect. 😀 More of them should run for president! Your party seems to only get the crazies (my opinion as a weird foreigner from a country that would laugh Ted Cruz out of parliament).
Imagine the impressions of Cruz that Williams could have done. He is missed.
Delusion is strong with this one………
This guy is a joke. Rand Paul for prez 2016.
+1
Surprised that the GOP has allowed the steep rise of a Latino of all people, to this highest of the high echelon in the party. I will be even more surprised if the conservative southern states end up becoming comfortable w/ voting for a man carrying that particular last name.
And yes: as an American, he repulses me in every way. Every way imaginable.
Why do you have to make a blanket statement like that…assuming that anyone that is not a liberal democrat would have a problem voting for someone with the last name of Cruz. It’s just not true…I do not consider myself a Democrat or a Republican…I vote for whomever I feel will do their best to run our Country in a sane and intelligent way…and I am from the East Coast, but now live in Texas. I know many “conservatives” that voted for Obama, and many that did not…There will always be a few idiots, that will only vote one way, because of race or religion, or sex or whatever. I think most Americans will vote for whomever they think can help them get jobs, and healthcare, and problems that affect our everyday lives…and you do know that some people ONLY voted for Obama because he was African American…didn’t know where he stood on issues, only knew he was black…so, it works both ways! As I said, when discussing politics with my friends (which are a very diverse group)….we just want, who will be the best, most effective leader for our Country…
Many more voted against him because he was black.
@MrsBPitt your comment is so refreshing. I hate how “my team versus your team” politics in this country have become. Every public forum I read about politics, judging by the comments, it seems that people now just vote by party and that is not good for the country. I’m an independent voter as well, and it is just disheartening to see how many people seem to think our political system is the SuperBowl and root for one side over the other instead of actually considering who might be best for the country.
Personally, I vote for the candidate who is seems the least insane and/or fanatical. Which leaves really slim pickings, lol. Call me a cynic, but I really don’t believe anymore in the idea of a candidate who can do “the best for the country”. It’s a little fairy tale at this point. Give me the one who will do the least damage.
I am not American, but didn’t majority of AA people vote for white Democrat president too? Did they do it because the y were white or democrats? Why should that change when the first AA Democrat president comes along?
Me too, Winterlady. It’s a shame that “least insane” is enough to get a vote these days, but the people who actually can and would do good generally don’t have the personality to claw their way to the top in politics. The campaigns are enough to put most people off of running.
I do know someone recently elected, it’s kind of interesting to see how moderate their voting has been compared to how hard right they campaigned. I guess you only get party support if you go big one way or the other.
Whenever I see people use the argument that “some people” voted for President Obama only because he’s black, then I counter with…
Did you know that the majority of whites voted against President Obama in BOTH the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections?
(See NYT presidential election polls for both years)
If the standard holds true that “some people ONLY voted for Obama because he was African American…didn’t know where he stood on issues, only knew he was black…,” then by that standard, should we admit that ‘some people ONLY voted AGAINST Obama because he was African American…didn’t know where he stood on issues, only knew he was black…?’
Considering that the majority of whites voted against President Obama in BOTH elections, even with the tragedy that Palin would have become Vice President in 2008, then re-elected in 2012, all with the dangerous possibility that she could become President,– that is if only whites were allowed to vote… then can it be concluded that the notion that people vote for “who[mever] will be the best, most effective leader for our Country” is not realistic?
Anne – +1,000,000. Thank you. SOOOOO sick of the black people only voted for Obama because he’s black rhetoric.
I forgot to say that those NYT polls were the EXIT polls, differentiating them from the pre-election polls.
@Santia – 🙂
@Santia
When my sister went to go vote last time, she said she could hear everyone in front of her, and behind her talking about how she was only going to vote for Obama because “she’s black”….they weren’t even ATTEMPTING to be subtle about it.
I believe that President Obama is the best president that America has ever had (along with Roosevelt).
I truly believe his accomplishments will be lauded in the future when this sorry band of legislators(HA!!)is long dead and buried. I just wish it happened in his lifetime, so he could see how many of us appreciated his efforts.
I agree, I think his accomplishments will be more highly regarded in hindsight.
I’ve seen this nutjob in debates and he scares me! Does anyone remember the movie “The Dead Zone” with Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen? Martin Sheen plays a guy running for President and acts so nice and CW has these pychic powers and when he shakes MS’s hand, he can see him ordering to engage nuclear weapons and acting all crazy…That movie was all I could think of when I heard that Cruz was running for President…
I think of that movie when I hear a few of the potential candidates speak. I think there’s a lot of crazy lurking under the surface.
His voice totally annoys me – and then when he speaks of making America great *again* – I shut the tape off, trying for a little repose before listening to him further.
His ideas are so old school – perhaps he would have done better as some religious cult-type pastor.
wolfpup, his ideas are so old school but that’s the Tea Party for you. I’ve come across a number of them in my work in local government in my town. It’s supposed to be non-partisan but people’s true colors have come out in response to various issues and I guarantee this faction is supporting Cruz with all they’ve got. It makes my stomach turn.
When does he think America was last truly great? Coz I’d say RFDR, but I’d wager Cruz would say Dubya Bush, and I am so not on board with that.
Please don’t vote this crazy in, America – you deserve better! Thanks in advance.
Hillary Clinton will stroll right into the whitehouse if this is is the best the republicans have to offer.
Go Elizabeth Warren!!! She’ll take care of the Occupy Movement. She has so much integrity that it’s not difficult to trust her. We need someone who cares about the issues of the people – not political ideologies and religions. Hillary Clinton has some strong points; that she is pro-woman is very, very important. However, Elizabeth Warren could fill that space probably just as well, if not better, IMO. Hillary is also “hawkish”, that is, more ready to go to war than others. As Secretary of State, Clinton wanted to send our troops to Syria. I like more the more peaceful plan of Obama, which would be keeping our men in the US out of harm’s way, if at all possible.
I doubt she’ll run ,but I’d prefer her over Hillary Clinton.
I adore my senior Senator but she has repeatedly said she will be running for re-election, not the presidency next year.
I think more people would vote for Clinton than Warren at this point. Elizabeth Warren is still fairly green and Clinton has more name recognition and more experience.
I’d be thrilled to have either one.
I think Warren is very smart and would be wise not to get on the bad side of the power players in the party by mounting a challenge to Hillary. She can keep building her street cred for the next few years and make a run for it later as she still has time. Politics is the ugliest game in the world and she has to make sure she has friends in the right places and keeps and nurtures them before doing what could be political suicide, as talented as she is.
Need fresh faces. No one from the Clinton or Bush families please.
Enough is enough.
Same here. Something is wrong when a country of over 300 million people can only come up with nominees whose dad, or brother, or husband was a prior president.
THIS. The nepotism is freaky weird. There’s plenty of amazing Americans, get more of them into politics!
I agree. I wouldn’t vote for another Bush or Clinton. I think both sides can find better candidates.
To be fair, the left did it’s own flirtation with birtherism back in 2008 when several commentators and publications questioned whether John McCain was eligible to run (McCain was born to two American citizens on a military base inside the Panama canal zone). The US Senate had to pass a unanimous resolution declaring that McCain was in fact eligible to run.
Honestly, I think the natural-born citizen idea is a bit dated. I know a ton of immigrants to America who love this place and who would make far better politicians then the ones we have now. Ted Cruz would be a crappy president for many reasons, but his birthplace is not one of them.
The intent of the natural born citizen concept was to prevent Alexander Hamilton from becoming president because the framers hated him. I think we’re safe from that now. He has been dead a long time
Could not resist: https://youtu.be/OLSsswr6z9Y
I had never seen that before! I love it!
One of my favorites!
The birther thing with Obama originated with Hillary Clinton’s campaign. It was her people who started it. After he became the candidate, the morons and internet trolls picked it up and ran with it.
I for one am looking forward to the crazy that both parties bring. The last go round I would stay up way pass my bedtime for conventions. Ryan still gives me the willies, along with Biden ‘ s teeth. It does not feel like four years ago.
Oh, Canada. I luff you people to bits. But we have already met our quota of crazy. Please take Cruz and Bieber back. We will pay for expedited return shipping.
Or we can send Falcor Rimes and Charlie Sheen to them. Sort of a Douche exchange program. Maybe like the NBA. 2 douches and an idiot to be named later?
I like the way you think, Tater! But Falcor is only mildly annoying. Okay, how about Sheen and The Kardashians? We need to make an equal trade! Plus the douche and idiot part is a combo with the Ks.
Canada would be in debt to us for decades if we sent them the Kardashians. They’d have to look under every rock and in every maple tree to find enough idiots to make up for it.
P.S. I feel we are on the precipice of a diplomatic incident.
Rob Ford! He was practically a reality show of epic f_ckery proportions in both idiocy and pathology, plus he was a politician. But then we will have the states fighting over who has to take him in.
Noooope. They may have been born here but America nurtured the crazy. You can keep them.
Edited to add: We’ve got our own climate-denying, abortion-rights-denying, ignoring-the-fact-that-aboriginal-women-have-been-killed, using-islamophobia-as-an-election-tactic nutjobs up here.
Nah-ah. You incubated it and unleashed it. TAKE IT BACK, PLEASE!
Was Cruz even raised in Canada? I know he was born in Calgary, Alberta (my home province of all places!), but I was always under the impression he was raised in the US?
Regardless, the man is an ignorant fool and I hope he’s the first one out of the race.
He and his family left Canada when he was really young (four, five…) so I think most accept that he spent his formative years in the US.
It actually seems fitting that he’d be born in Calgary, the city that has been voting Rob “Nelson Mandela is a terrorist” Anders into Parliament for almost 20 years. And let’s not forget the Wild Rose Party.
Please think of all the good people we’ve sent down to you guys: Michael J Fox, Jim Carrey, Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, Cobie Smulders, Ryan Reynolds, Ellen Page, Nathan Filion, Mike Myers, Christopher Plummer, William Shatner, Martin Short, etc, etc, etc. 🙂
OK, that’s a good list(‘specially Nathan). Keep ’em coming, but keep those sorry a$$ losers like Cruz. Can’t you ship them off to Saskatchewan or some place?
Let’s not forget Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara – check out Schitt’s Creek, their new TV sitcom, it’s a riot!
I would bet money that Scott Walker, Gov of unfortunate Wisconsin, will ultimately be the last one standing. He’s the one the POS Koch brothers have chosen to back financially, and what billionaires want billionaires get. He has not officially announced, but he will.
I live in Wisconsin so I get the joy of Walker. He petrifies me as a governor and the thought of him being president gives me an anxiety attack. I’m hoping that people will see him for what he is when they do some debating because the man cannot answer a straight question to save his life. I’m pretty liberal but I can at least respect a candidate who can effectively articulate their goals/plans and also answer questions on the fly during a debate or Q&A session. At least Dubya was entertaining to hear speak, I could walk away with words like “strategery”.
I, too, live in Wisconsin. The man is a horror show, but don’t underestimate him. He’s sold his soul for a chance at the presidency, which is his business. What makes it mine – and Hope’s – and the rest of Wisconsin’s – is that because he knew his soul wouldn’t be enough, he has offered up our education, land and is doing his best to give his buyers the souls of Wisconsin’s citizenry along with it.
I do not say this lightly. When he ran for his first term, he made nary a peep about what he planned to do to the public sector unions until after he was elected. He has no honor and no integrity. He is dangerous.
Scott Walker is a frat boy nob & no way will the general public fall for him. He compared protesters, using their freedom of protest, too ISIS. Seriously compared them to ISIS, he’s not ready for the general public.
A shocking number of the general public fell for the Romney routine. There were even less-than-ethical Republican vote-getters who were convincing some latinos that Romney was latino, because his father was born in Mexico.
Ugh, he does look like Joseph McCarthy.
Thank you Kaiser for that list – and CBers for your insights! Cruz is trying to rewrite history and say he did not shut down the government, but that was definitely on him and even at the time regarded as a stunt just to get attention.
Jerry Brown of CA called out Cruz for being a climate change denier. Cruz said he had just come back from New Hampshire where there was… Wait for it… SNOW. Therefore. no climate change. He is a deep thinker.
I find his face really disturbing.
And Gov. Brown stated unequivocally that Cruz is “absolutely unfit to be running for office.” Well said!!!!
I love Jerry Brown…good for him for being so candid about Cruz.
And to think he sits on a Senate Science committee.
Well, technically, he had nothing to do with the government shutdown. He’s a Senator, and it’s the HoR that shut the government down.
That’s semantics, I know, because he openly encouraged it, but he’s a Senator. He had no vote in it.
I’m not all that attached to the Democratic Party per se, I just really don’t want a right wing nut job in the White House. I fear for science.
his nose looks like a penis. that is all…
Ya know, penises have enough of a PR problem as it is. They don’t need these unwarranted attacks.
*clutches pearls and drunkenly falls off soapbox*
I’m kind of concerned about these penises you have been exposed to. Was there a factory explosion or something?
Hahaha! I’m gut hurts I’m laughing so hard.
Omg! LOL!
Be sure to check out TedCruz.com . His first big fail as candidate – failure to lock up his own name as a URL. Bwahahahahaha!!!!
LOVE IT!!! Thanks for that!
HA! 😀
Fantastic!
Why do I hear the dueling banjos song every time I see this turd?
haha!
*cackles* Cause of his Buttchin and Penis Nose situation? Yes?
He’s the Latin translation of Pat Buchanan in looks and hand gestures, but especially the down-turned mouth.
LMAO! Brilliant, all of you!
This pasty fat bastard. We don’t want him either!
I mean, I get where you’re coming from on Jeb Bush and Rand Paul. They do seem like more moderate candidates. But they are wildly problematic in their own ways. Bush has tried to distance himself from his brother and yet hired something like 10 out of 14 of Bush43’s international advisors. He has also enacted some very strong anti-choice laws in Florida. I will not even be surprised if he wants to get back into it with Iraq. Darth Cheney will probably pick his VP too. Not to mention that he’s governor of Florida, one of our more cracked out states. That state is broke and has some truly insane laws. I’d barely trust him to run a wet T-shirt contest.
As for Rand Paul he’s similarly anti-choice, which for my politics is a good enough reason for me to look elsewhere. But what really seals it for me is that he’s ignorant and proud of it. He plagiarized Wikipedia, for heaven’s sake. And when he got caught he doubled down om how it was an attack on him because he was Republican. He’s also an opthamalagist who has implied that he knows about women’s health despite his assertions being utterly wrong (my best example is him wanting to block the coverage of IUDs because they are abortifacients which they are actually not.)
This is what drives me nuts about the Republican party. They run complete and total nutcases so when they just run vaguely nutty candidates we all look at them and go “oh, that’s pretty moderate for a Republican.” Today’s Republicans, as a party, are sexist, racist, ignorant, and actively deducted to harming the working class (I don’t know if I’d call that classist.) Just because they’re not as bad as usual doesn’t mean they are good.
Sorry for the rant. Love reading here and love reading all of your thoughtful and entertaining comments!
Bush isn’t governor of Florida, not for about 5 years now. Now we have a guy whose company committed the biggest Medicare fraud in history in Kansas City, so he moved to Florida and got elected governor. Twice. I will never understand how.
Currently the esteemed Mr. Scott has forbidden anyone in government to even say the words “climate change”, and now FEMA will not pay funds to anyone who doesn’t recognize climate change, so Florida is majorly f***ed when the next hurricane hits.
Excellent rant!
DARTH CHENEY. OMG.
I think he looks like Grandpa Munster.
I looked at it and you’re right. Also LMFAO. thanks.
And Paul Ryan looks like Eddie Munster.
You’re probably right. Still, I refuse to insult Al Lewis/Grandpa Munster that way! LOL
Let the freak show began!! The republican party is out of touch and irrelevant. Hillary for president.
Does he know that he was born in Canada? He should be ineligible just on that fact. Forget what an ignoramus he is. You Americans can keep him, sorry.
Oh, Canada! You used to send us gifts like Christopher Plummer, Glenn Gould, Glenn Ford, Kids in the Hall, SCTV. Don’t you love us anymore? Now you send us Justin Bieber, Ted Cruz and Celine Dion. We are not a toxic waste dump! Do we have to erect a fence? More quality control, please.
Well we get the Kartrashians and all their ilk, Kid Rock, Guy Fieri, ALL of the Real Housewives of Wherever, Chris Brown, Maroon 5, Duck Dynasty, Honey Boo Boo (all reality TV actually). I think we’re on an even playing field right now….let’s blast them all into space for good.
Is he actually running as a Republican or a independent Tea Party candidate? Because Ted Cruz was voted in as a Tea Party not a GOP senator. I think he has a chance, especially if Rand Paul doesn’t run or Scott Walker doesn’t come into the picture. Cristie and Bush are old money or corrupt money GOP and people are tired of the Bush name right now. I doubt Bush has a chance at this point to get the GOP nom. Cristie has too many mob connections and scandals to run.
Opposes gay pride parades and opposes gay marriage. (Feb 2012)
One-man-one-woman marriage is building block of society. (Jul 2011)
Voted NO on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. (Feb 2013)
Supports defining traditional marriage. (Oct 2012)
Sponsored state definition of marriage supersedes federal gay marriage. (Feb 2014)
Supports the death penalty. (Oct 2012)
Companies can deny insuring birth control. (Apr 2012)
Protect innocent human life with partial-birth ban. (Jul 2011)
Opposes public abortion funding. (Oct 2012)
Opposes churches providing birth control. (Oct 2012)
Doesn’t he also support taking tax money away from public schools and allowing parents to use tax dollars to pay tuition to right-wing Christian schools? Otherwise known as “school choice” until someone tries to use the vouchers at a pagan (ie. Waldorf) school.
Shouldn’t there be an IQ test for candidates? *eye rolling
Just rushing to announce his candidacy is stupid. Limits on PAC contributions don’t apply until the candidate has announced he’s running, which is why all the other candidates put off announcing, so they can get more money.
Ah, I didn’t know that. Well, I’m glad he announced then. We all knew he’d run, he’s such an megalomaniac. Hopefully, he’ll have a long colorful fall to the bottom of the heap.
“Ted Cruz Becomes the First Candidste to Officially Announce Presidential Bid”
Excellent!
And may he be The First To Crash And Burn.
Eh, it’s going to be a Hillary vs Jeb in the end.
I think Celebitchy.com should stay out of politics, this website is far to fun and full of humor to be involved in this.
I have to disagree – I’m good with Celebitchy posting about politics from time to time. There are so many interesting and intelligent commenters on here and I really enjoy reading what they have to say.
Absolutely agree!
+1. Best and most intelligent comments I’ve seen regarding our politics anywhere. Civil and informed. Can’t ask for better than that!
Please, no! The celeb stuff gets so boring. I love the politics and social issues posts.
Until certain candidates are elected, we have the freedom of speech to choose not to click on political stories.
Clicking is optional 🙂
Did anyone see the CNN news story about Ted Cruz’s announcement? He wore mom jeans and OMFG he’s got a really fat a$$ in them. It’s just not a flattering look.
Yes, he’s utterly gross in every way. And evil.
He gave the speech at Liberty University (let’s just say not known for is liberal policies) and the students were required to attend. If they did not, they would have been fined. And why announce in Virginia if your home is Texas? Seems an odd thing to do unless he is too far right even for Texas and that would make him REALLY far right.
Virginia is usually seen as a swing state because the last few elections there have been close. He may be trying to sway people there early. Or he thinks the Revolution started there or something.
Fined $10 for required convocation attendance, not attending Ted Cruz’s speech. Anyway, they got back by wearing Rand Paul t-shirts. Heheh.
Psychopath.
Ummmmm when the people on ‘his team’ don’t believe our current president is American cause he was born in Hawaii – how will this d.bag pass the muster?? Oh ‘Merica – we are in trouble, yea?
What are good political websites, etc? I have to actually start paying attention to politics–I turn 21 in December…….
I’d advise reading the non-US press.
PBS.org
Agree wolfpup PBS news hour is the least biased news program on air.
Alternet. Mother Jones. And through them you’ll find other resources.
Remember during the 2004 election, when the entire Republican Party made fun of Kerry’s PURPLE HEARTS? They showed up to their convention with freaking band-aids on their face, saying they got a Purple Heart for their cuts.
I had never seen anything so tone deaf in my entire life. I was aghast. My husband earned two Purple Hearts in the Gulf War and my father-in-law earned one in Vietnam. That was the only year my normally Republican father-in-law didn’t vote in a presidential election. He was just disgusted. How can you make fun of a guy’s combat medals?
So Cruz smearing a Vietnam vet and hero does not surprise me in the least.
That was a shockingly low point. Even for Republicans.
also shockingly low considering the guy THEY were supporting used everything in Daddy’s power to get out of going to Vietnam, including moving his name to the top of the “waiting” list for the National Guard so he didn’t have to go.
COMEDIANS! Start your engines!
And it begins. I feel sorry for anybody who thinks the result of the next election will make a damn bit of difference. Move along, people, there’s nothing to see here.
as a Houstonian and a Texan I sincerely apologize for this idiot. His views in no way represent this city or state. I am so sad his campaign headquarters are in my home city 🙁 I can’t wait for him to be ripped to shreds by other candidates, the media, and especially SNL if he makes it that far…the jokes just write themselves for him!
Tecnically he may have a problem with his status as he is a “dual Citizen”, he has citizenship in both Canada and the US. He has to denouce his citizenship in Canada before he can legally waste enourmous amounts of running a failing presidential race.