Ted Cruz responds to outlandish attack ads

July 26, 2012

Writer

There’s a lower than low attack ad running against Tea Party favored candidate Ted Cruz in Texas this week that accuses Cruz of committing crimes against children. Cruz joined radio today to talk about just how ridiculous this attack ad is - could it be the worst of all time?

Transcript of the interview is below:

GLENN: All right. Who here is from Texas? Okay. Just stop raising your hands. It's radio. Stop raising your hands. One more question. One more time. Who ‑‑ don't raise your hand. Who's from Texas? By applause. Okay. Good. Now, who ‑‑ guy in the back's like, "Yeahhhhhh! Nebraska sucks!" Who here is voting for David Dewhurst? Oh, my gosh.

PAT: Is that a shutout?

GLENN: Oh, my gosh. Seriously who's voting for David Dewhurst? Not a single person? Who's voting for Ted Cruz?

CROWD: (Cheers and applause)

GLENN: That's incredible. Ted, at least with this ‑‑ Ted, are you there?

CRUZ: I am.

GLENN: At least with this crowd you've just won by 100%.

CRUZ: Well, God bless you, Glenn, and God bless everyone from Texas who's there with you and standing with you.

GLENN: So I understand, so I can translate: What he just said, everybody from the other 49 states or 56 states, whichever you choose, suck.

CRUZ: (Laughing.)

GLENN: Ted, the election is coming up next week. I'm seeing stuff from Dewhurst, which, we had this debate coming onto the show this morning where Dewhurst is running some spot where you defended some corporation over children and I don't know what happened to those children, they died, they were, I don't know, put into a sausage machine. I don't know what happened to them, but you're an evil, evil man. And I saw this ad and we were talking about it and I said, don't worry about this because I think the American people are so tired of this bullcrap, they're onto it. The people who are really motivated to go to the polls are not listening to any of this stuff that you're a racist, that you're a baby‑killer. Whatever, whatever it is, they're not listening to it anymore. They're grounded in the facts. Tell me the facts of what happened when you were killing children.

STU: (Laughing.)

CRUZ: Well, you know, I agree with you that I think Texans are tired of all of the mud and all of the character attacks from David Dewhurst. This particular ad features a grieving mother whose son took his own life, and I'll tell you as a dad of two little girls, my heart breaks for her. I mean, she experienced every parent's worst nightmare. But I think it is contemptible of the Dewhurst campaign to try to exploit her grief and use it to try to attack me in this race. He is trying to tie me to a judicial corruption scandal in Pennsylvania where I'm ‑‑

GLENN: Say it again. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. What happened in this? What is this about?

CRUZ: Well, there was a terrible scandal in Pennsylvania where two corrupt judges were taking bribes and wrongfully sending juveniles to juvenile detention centers and her son was apparently one of those. The problem with the attack is that I had nothing to do with that corruption scandal. I had no involvement in the criminal proceedings whatsoever. I represented an individual who is a real estate developer who built the facilities, and I represented him in a civil appeal of a breach of contract case against an insurance company. And based on that, Dewhurst is trying to blame the entire judicial corruption scandal on me and apparently blame this child's death on me, which is just, I mean, it's shameless.

PAT: Where did you start kidnapping and beating children, though? When did that begin? Where in the story is that?

GLENN: When did it end?

PAT: I mean, this is amazing, the cash above kids scandal or whatever he's got on the websites?

GLENN: Hold it just a second.

PAT: Wow.

GLENN: So you represented someone who built the detention center.

PAT: And that's it.

GLENN: And it was completely unrelated to the scandal and everything else?

CRUZ: He had no involvement with the bribery and the corruption.

GLENN: He was just a builder that built the ‑‑

CRUZ: What they are using is he did plead guilty to tax fraud and so they used the fact ‑‑ and look, I didn't represent him in that criminal proceeding, either. I represented him in a civil action against an insurance company.

PAT: Jeez. Wow.

GLENN: You know, this story led us today to Dewhurst is such an ‑‑ on this case, I don't know the man and I don't want to besmirch his, you know, his character outside of this case because I don't know him. But what a dirtbag move this is.

PAT: Oh, yeah. Yeah.

GLENN: This is, you know ‑‑

PAT: Well, this and the Chinese thing are both specious, ridiculous charges.

GLENN: I am besmirching him on this, even though I don't really know what that word means. Because this is, this is people coming after John Adams. When John Adams was representing the British.

CRUZ: Yeah.

GLENN: And here he is representing the British. Of course he's representing the British. We believe in the foundational principles of our government. That you have a right to representation. And you don't ‑‑ you don't want to defend Al Capone, but you have to defend Al Capone because that's the way it works. I don't want to defend the blind sheikh but the blind sheikh deserves representation. Legal representation, ethical representation, not lies, not distortions but legal and ethical representation. You have to have that if we're going to have a citizen ‑‑ if we're going to have a free citizenry. You have to have it.

CRUZ: There's no doubt about it. And at the end of the day what Dewhurst is employing is the same strategy that Barack Obama employs. It is trying to distract from the issues with nasty personal character attacks that have nothing to do with the grave fiscal and economic challenges our nation's facing. We're going broke. And he has spent over $10 million of his vast personal fortune flooding the airwaves with nasty personal character attacks, calling me a traitor, calling me a corrupt. I mean, using every personal vitriol and character attack he can use. And you know what, Glenn? We have not once responded in kind and we're not going to. We're keeping the focus on the issues, on his record and my record. Because the challenges facing this country are too serious and people are fed up with politics as usual, the mud‑slinging and lies and games of distraction. We need to stand up and stop the spending and get back to our Constitution.

GLENN: I will tell you this, Ted.

CROWD: (Applause.)

GLENN: You know, I support your ‑‑ I support your campaign. I support you and I urge people to look into the two candidates and not listen to the ads but look into both of them and make your own decision. I've made my decision. But the minute, the minute you get to Washington and the minute you start going awry, I just want to promise you one thing: I'll be your worst nightmare.

CRUZ: I believe you, Glenn, and that isn't going to happen. And play this back at me. I am asking you, hold me accountable. So you've got this audio clip to play back at me, and I'm going to predict that it is going to gather cobwebs in the closet.

STU: Nice.

GLENN: I hope so, too, Ted but realize I will dust the cobwebs off.

CRUZ: I know fully well. And listen, that's the power of what's going on. What you're doing and what millions of Americans are doing is standing up and speaking the truth. As you know, the truth has an incredible power over lies.

GLENN: Yeah. Ted Cruz, best of luck and we'll see you tonight at Free PAC at American Airlines center here in Dallas, Texas.

CRUZ: I very much look forward to it. TedCruz.org is the website. Early voting is this week and election day is next Tuesday, July 31st. Please, please, please, conservatives, come out and vote. If conservatives show up to vote in this runoff, we will win and Texas will lead the fight to turn this country around.

GLENN: And let me tell you this ‑‑ thank you, Ted. Let me tell you this: Conservatives all over the country, they are counting on ‑‑ because I've talked to the elites here in Texas. They've absolutely ‑‑ I've had these guys look me in the eyes and say, "You know Ted Cruz isn't going to win." And I've said, let the people decide that. I don't really know. But I think you're wrong on that but who knows what the people will do. "Oh, he's not going to win. He's just not going to win. It's just not going to work. Dewhurst is the guy. He is the party favorite." And let me tell you something. They're so arrogant in that belief that if people turn out and in election goes to Ted Cruz, it will send a bone‑chilling fear down their spine all the way to their feet. This is a huge victory for the Tea Party if indeed it happens. Huge, huge. It will send a powerful message.

Who will be Kamala Harris' VP pick?

JIM WATSON / Contributor, Chris duMond / Stringer, Justin Sullivan / Staff | Getty Images

Over the weekend, President Joe Biden officially dropped out of the 2024 presidential election and put forward his endorsement behind his Vice President Kamala Harris.

Glenn recently predicted that Biden would step down due to the mountain of pressure within his party to do so. But now that we are here we are faced with an all-new line of questions, like, who will be the candidate on the Democratic ticket? Who will be their pick for vice president?

As of now, the answer to the first question seems to be Kamala Harris, who received the support of the president and several prominent democrats. It's still too early to call for certain, and Glenn doesn't think it's likely, but assuming Kamala becomes the Democrat nominee, who will her VP pick be? There are endless possible options, but there are a 5 big names that could prove beneficial to Harris' campaign:

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Bill Pugliano / Stringer | Getty Images

Governor Newsom has spiked in popularity within his party since his taking office in 2019 due to his scathing criticisms of President Trump and other Republicans. Newsom has been a popular contender as a possible Biden replacement, and a future presidential bid seems likely.

His widespread recognition may be a boon to Kamala's ticket, but the California governor comes with a dark side. Newsom was famously nearly recalled as Governor in 2021, hanging on to his office by a narrow margin. He also faced criticism for his hypocrisy during the COVID lockdowns, attending large gatherings while the rest of his state was locked inside. There's also the issue that both Newsom and Kamala are from California, meaning that if they were to appear on the same ticket, that ticket would lack geographical balance and would potentially lead to a Constitutional issue that would force the duo to forfeit all 54 of the states' Electoral College votes.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Tom Williams / Contributor | Getty Images

Another prominent Democrat Governor, Josh Shapiro has also been floated as a potential VP pick. Governor Shapiro has become a viable pick due to his well-received performance as Pennslyvania's Governor. The governor has good support within the swing state due to his handling of the I-95 bridge collapse, the train derailment in East Palestine, which had effects on his state, and the assassination attempt on the former president last week. Shapiro would bring much-needed support from the swing state if he was put on the ticket.

That being said, Shapiro has little time to build nationwide name recognition before the DNC in August and the November election. This would be Shapiro's debut on the national stage, and he would find himself in the most unforgiving situation possible.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

FREDERIC J. BROWN / Contributor | Getty Images

Former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and opponent of Biden during the 2020 Democratic primaries, "Mayor Pete's" name recognition might be what Kamala needs on her presidential ticket. Buttigieg rose to popularity during the 2020 election due to his youth and status as "openly gay." Buttigieg has served as the Secretary of Transportation during the Biden administration for the past four years and has formally endorsed Harris.

Nevertheless, Buttigieg has some dark spots on his resume. The East Palestine train derailment disaster has besmirched his reputation as Secretary of Transportation. And while his youth may work in his favor when compared to the other elderly members of our federal government, it also means Buttigieg lacks the experience and prestige that other politicians enjoy.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Noam Galai / Stringer | Getty Images

Yet another governor of a crucial swing state, Whitmer was elected in 2018, two years after President Trump was elected, helping secure the state for the Democrats. Whitmer is known for her strong opposition to Trump, both during his presidency and his reelection campaign. Whitmer serves as co-chair for the Biden-Harris campaign and as vice chairperson of the DNC, which gives her influence over the Democratic party, something that would come in handy as a Vice President. Gov. Whitmer also established the Fight Like Hell PAC, which is dedicated to helping Democrats get elected and to stopping Trump by any means.

On the other hand, in a statement following Biden's resignation from the election, Governor Whitmer stated that her role “will remain the same.” It is also worth noting that if she were to be chosen as Kamala's VP, that would make their ticket all-female, which may foster some "woke points," but is politically risky.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

Lexington Herald-Leader / Contributor | Getty Images

Andy Bashear has seemingly beaten the odds twice, having been elected and reelected as the Governor of Kentucky, despite the deep-red nature of the state. Beshear, who has moderate tendencies, would be a boon to the Harris campaign as he has a track record of reaching rural, typically conservative regions where Democrats tend to struggle. He is also known for his propensity to talk about his Christian faith and willingness to work with Republicans, which are traits that might help win over moderates.

But, like Gov. Shapiro, Bashear has very little time to whip up national support and recognition. He also is unlikely to be very much help for the Harris campaign in winning over important swing states.

Five times Glenn had J.D. Vance on his show and where he stands on key issues

CHANDAN KHANNAMANDEL NGAN / Contributor | Getty Images

We finally have an answer to the long-awaited question of who Trump will pick for his running mate, and it's none other than Ohio Senator and friend of the show, J.D. Vance. At the RNC in Milwaukee, Trump officially accepted the party's nomination as the Republican candidate and announced J.D. Vance as his running mate.

Glenn has had Senator Vance on the show several times to discuss everything from DEI to the Southern Border. If you are looking to familiarize yourself with the next potential Vice President, look no further, here are five conversations Glenn had with Trump's VP pick:

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How RFK's example can help our nation in the wake of Trump's attack

Rowland Scherman / Contributor | Getty Images

How did you feel last Saturday when you heard the news that a former president of the United States narrowly avoided an assassin's bullet by a mere few inches? Were you angry at the media for their constant demonization of Trump and his conservative contingency? Did you blame the left for curating a political climate that fostered an assassination attempt?

In his immediate reaction to the news, Glenn pointed us back to a similar moment in American history: April 4th, 1968—the day Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

"The best speech I've ever heard given was by RFK Sr. on the day Martin Luther King was killed" - Glenn

Robert F. Kennedy, the father of current independent presidential candidate RFK Jr., was en route to Indianapolis when he heard the terrible news. His security team, expecting violent outrage across the country, asked RFK Sr. to turn around and head back to safety. But as Glenn said, RFK Sr. believed in the good in people and demanded to give his speech. He arrived in Indianapolis Park late in the day, and he addressed the crowd of predominantly black campaign supporters.

There were no riots in Indianapolis that night.

The message RFK Sr. gave that night wasn't one of vengeance, hatred, or hopelessness, but of calm and goodness. He appealed to the best in people. He called for people to set aside their differences, anger, fear, and confusion and instead express love and compassion towards one another. RFK Sr. asked for wisdom and the pursuit of justice so that we might be resolute in our unity as the country faces another difficult chapter.

What we need in this country is love and wisdom and compassion toward one another.

Glenn has made a similar plea to our nation—a plea for unity and not to lash out in fear and anger. Don't use this time to blame your friends and family who disagree with you politically for what happened or to tell them "I told you so!" Instead, reach out with compassion and grace. This is a turning point in American history. Let's turn it upward, away from hatred and violence and towards unison and compassion.

Remembering Corey Comperatore: The man who died at the Trump rally protecting his family

Allyson Comperatore | Facebook

Fortunately, President Trump walked away from his attempted assassination with very minor injuries. The bullet that wounded Trump's ear could have just as easily ended his life, and his survival is nothing short of a miracle.

Sadly, that miracle didn't extend to everyone attending Trump's ill-fated Pennsylvania rally. Three other people were shot. David Dutch and James Copenhaver, both Pennslyavia residents, are thankfully in stable condition. Corey Comperatore, however, tragically died after being shot while protecting his wife and daughter from the hail of gunfire.

“Corey died a hero."

Camperatore, a 50-year-old loving father and husband from Buffalo Township, Pennsylvania leaves behind his daughter Allyson, his wife Helen, sister Dawn, and many other friends and family. Camperatore was a man of service, having spent 43 years as part of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company and had worked his way to becoming the fire chief when he stepped down to spend more time with his daughter.

Corey Comperatore's firefighting gear outside the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company. The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

Corey's friends and family have nothing but good things to say about him, and judging by their testimonies, Corey's final heroic act was consistent with how the volunteer firefighter lived his life.

According to many people who knew Compertore, he was a true patriot who loved his country. He was a fan of President Trump. Compertore was very excited to attend Saturday's rally, which he expressed in his last social media post.

Corey_Comper/X

During his speech addressing the shooting, President Biden expressed his condolences to the Comperatore family, stating that "He was a father. He was protecting his family from the bullets that were being fired.”

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