oberliner (33,862 posts) http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027549868
What I learned by coming face to face with Ted Cruz
He is a good public speaker. He sprinkles in a copious amount of Biblical references (that his audience knows well). He wants to undo everything that Obama has done. He laughs creepily at his own jokes. He knows how to work his audience. He has plants who ask him softball questions for which he has prepared answers. He makes sure to shake hands with everyone who comes out to see him. The people that like him really really like him. He has a lot of young people on his team. His crowd is comprised of a wide range of age groups. He prides himself on having stood up to Washington and positions himself as someone who will fight for what he believes in when no one else will. It cost $3.50 to buy one of his campaign buttons (stickers are free). He has prepared one-liners tailored to the venue where he is speaking. He likes to talk about the book that he wrote. He wants you to not only vote for him but also to pray for his success (just one minute a day, he suggests).
Any questions anyone has, I'd be happy to answer. I just happened to find myself in the same town that the Ted Cruz caravan was coming through and went to hear him speak at a diner out of curiosity.
Did he have to use a teleprompter?
oberliner (33,862 posts)
2. It was tough to sit through his speech
The things he said were indeed risible. I tried to focus on being an observer of the totality of the situation and learning what I could from seeing who was there and how they were reacting to him.
oberliner (33,862 posts)
8. It was fascinating to watch the crowd And to see how they responded to him. I guess I looked at it as sociological field work.
oberliner (33,862 posts)
6. He shook hands with everyone before he spoke I didn't want to get kicked out because I was curious to hear how it all went down so I did shake his hand when it was offered to me. He said thanks for coming and I nodded and then he moved on to the next person.
oberliner (33,862 posts)
7. I forgot to mention that he did a very bad JFK impression In fact, he did it twice. He tried to say "with vigor" using a JFK voice that was not even close. And then at one other point he did the same sort of thing. He then went on to say that JFK would be a Republican today.
That was on TV, Oh-be. It was indeed a horrid impression of John F. Personally I didn't think it worked and my suggestion to T.C. is don't try it again. BUT- I saw it on TV. so far nothing you said makes me believe you were in the room with T.C.
Whiskeytide (1,476 posts)
13. Telling that current republicans... want to try and own past democratic figures. They hammer FDR - I suppose because that demographic is very small now (couldn't have done that 30 years ago) - but they want to attach themselves to anyone who might have been a boomer's political hero. Creepy.
JFK is and was a very popular president. His one line "Ask not what your country can do for you; Ask what you can do for your country" is the most popular quote Rs use when referencing JFK. It's very much only a conservative thought anymore.
oberliner (33,862 posts)
15. Also perhaps the fact that he was in New Hampshire. I wonder if he uses the JFK stuff in Iowa. I would doubt it.
oberliner (33,862 posts)
16. He seemed like a con man to me but his followers seemed to view him as a preacher of some kind
There were folks in the front (not sure if they were plants) who would shout out words of support during his speech (like "You tell 'em Ted" or similar) and he quoted from the Bible often which seemed to resonate with the crowd. The older people in the crowd seemed to view him as a preacher. The younger folks were less responsive.
I also noticed that he said he would take a few questions at the end but only took them from the people in the front and they were all softball questions (he called on a little girl who asked if she could get his autograph, for instance). There were a few people in the back with their hands up who seemed a bit annoyed that there weren't called on.
OMG. Have you not ever watched a Barry or Hillary event?
Liberal_Stalwart71 (17,959 posts)
20. Did you catch anyone wearing their Klan uniforms?
