Another GOP debate, and yet another opportunity for the presidential candidates to display the full blossom of falsehoods, idiocies and misdirections that constitute the party these days. Ben Carson declared that doing brain surgery qualified him to take on ISIS. Carly Fiorina forgot that Gen. David Petraeus lost his job because he was having an extra-marital affair with his biographer, not because he told President Obama things he didnât want to hear. And Donald Trump repeated the lie that âfriends, family, girlfriendsâ of the 9/11 hijackers returned to Saudi Arabia just prior to the terrorist attacks.
In short, just another day in GOP Land.
Because this debate was focused on foreign policy, the candidates served up a big, heaping dish of fear for the audience to savor. The constant refrain was how unsafe we are and how much safer we will be if swagger were to become our national security policy.
By now, of course, no one watches the debates to understand the fine points of policy distinctions among the candidates, largely because many of their positions are too incoherent to be described as policy at all. The debates largely serve to see who can best tap into the dark id that is the Republican voting base.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
In that sense, Jeb Bush should pack it in now. Bush, who seems to embody the word âineffectual,â tried in vain to position himself as the serious candidate in direct opposition to Trump. But Trumps unabated lead in the polls suggests that the base isnât interested in serious.
The man who did himself the most good in the debate was probably Ted Cruz, the creepy Senator from Texas who owes his career to gay money. At this point, Trump, Cruz and Marco Rubio constitute the strongest candidates, and Cruz is positioning himself to be the last man standing.
Scarily enough, thatâs a real possibility. Cruz has pulled neck and neck with Trump in polls in the first battleground state, Iowa, largely by pulling in voters deserting Ben Carson. Cruz has also garnered a formidable list of supporters, many of them from the same (antigay) ilk. Heâs raised more money than any candidate not named Bush, and heâs consciously copying the data strategy that won Obama election in 2008. For a candidate whose colleagues in the Senate loathe the idea of him winning the nomination, Cruz is well positioned to do just that.
His strategy was on display at the debate. Cruz pointedly refuses to attack Trump, knowing that he can pick up Trumpâs supporters. In fact, because Trumpâs every iteration is so outrageous, Cruzâs less bellicose version of the same belief comes across as moderate.
Instead, Cruz turned his sites on Rubio, who has come off pretty well in the debates, largely because heâs gone up against lightweights like Bush. With Cruz, Rubio may be trying to punch above his weight. The most telling moment of the debate came when Cruz slammed Rubio for supporting immigration reform or, as Cruz likes to call it, âamnesty.â Rubio tried to say that there was little difference between his position and Cruzâs, but the Texan was having none of it, saying the comparison was âlike suggesting the fireman and the arsonist have the same record, because they were both at the scene of the fire.â
Immigration reform is Rubioâs weak spot with the base (and a point in his favor with more moderate voters). Rubio took on immigration reform after the 2012 election, possibly out of the belief that it would help secure Latino votersâ gratitude. Instead, it aroused the ire of the base so badly that Rubio has spent years trying to distance himself from that brief moment of common sense.
A lot can change between now and the early election states, but one thing is clear: the Republican party remains in complete disarray. Rubio may be the hope of the GOP establishment, but so far thereâs no sign that voters are rushing to embrace him. Trump may be the candidate who has a solid base, but nothing to add to it. And that leaves Ted Cruz, cheerfully biding his time, with lots of cash and a well-planned strategy. He may be the only alternative the party is left with when all the shouting stops.
Mike Tracy
Let’s fucking hope not!
Justin S. Bishop
Both are scary as can be…
Treavor Alvarado
Actually there is better alternative’s.
Amaurys Arias
The horror
Ed Crawford
Ted Cruz is amazing. Can’t wait for him to mop the floor with that liar Hillary.
Desert Boy
What an ugly man. Inside and out.
DarkZephyr
“Best” according to anti-LGBT freaks you mean.
David Trower
don’t mean to be mean and I’m no oil painting, but that face – was it put together as spare parts, nothing seems to belong.
Christopher Malcovish
There goes gay marriage
Giancarlo85
@Ed Crawford: lol. Are you kidding me? That debate was a disaster and since Hillary knows far more about foreign policy, your man Cruz would get destroyed.
The republicans are gonna get shellacked next year. They are self destructing. Cruz stands absolutely no chance against Hillary. Cruz shouldn’t be allowed to run… He wasn’t born in this country.
Alejandro Cruz
He won’t get the Latino votes The LGBT community must go and vote..
1EqualityUSA
Traitors!!!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/liberal-hispanic-activists-assail-rubio-cruz-as-traitors-to-their-culture/2015/12/15/9bcca938-a317-11e5-b53d-972e2751f433_story.html
1EqualityUSA
queerty, don’t know if you know this, but our comments are disappearing without ability to save the words. I’ve got to go to work. Perhaps a bug in the site?
Giancarlo85
@1EqualityUSA: Exactly. Total traitors. Cruz is an immigrant who bashes on immigrants. I can’t stand that idiot. I can’t believe this article even said he was a moderate. Who writes this shit?
Kieran
Gays had better pray real hard that the GOP doesn’t nominate Cruz, Rubio, or Carson because where Trump may not like illegal immigrants and Jihadi terrorists, the others flat out despise gay people.
Giancarlo85
@Kieran: Trump flat out despises gay people too. He has made consistent statements AGAINST equality for years. And everything is not about Muslims. will you ever learn? I don’t give two shits who the GOP nominates because I am voting democrat. Hillary will steamroll any of them, including Trump. Trump has higher disapproval ratings than any other candidate.
So no… I don’t have to pray real hard because I honestly don’t give a shit about their party.
Giancarlo85
Trump is pushing stupid ideas that would send this nation into an economic and political tailspin. What is there to like about him? What policies would he push that would actually average people? Tough questions for one dimensional Trump supporters.
Giancarlo85
@Giancarlo85: *help average people.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@Ed Crawford: That fcuking smcubag Cruz appeared on stage with Kevin Swanson as he again screamed about smearing scat all over himself to “protest Gays” and once again called for the EXECUTION OF GAYS
How’s about you go away you dispicable troll…………………
Kyle Hanson
Id say rand Paul is the best republican. But he isn’t getting the right amount of attention.
Tony Chaplinski
If that isn’t a choice of the lesser evil , I don’t know what is
zooby
@Christopher Malcovish: Except that neither Trump not Cruz will win…
zooby
@Kieran: Because that makes Trump any better. Seriously, quit trying to sell him on here. We don’t care that he “attended a gay wedding”. You think anyone is moronic enough to think that because of this he’ll help us out? He has stated that he is for traditional marriage, so quit wasting your time.
@Giancarlo85: He’s the son of immigrants, but isn’t an immigrant himself.
Ian Watson
WHAT DOE’S THAT SAY ABOUT AMERICA TODAY?
PRETTY DAMN WELL HORRENDOUS NOTION
AMERICA AS PROBLEM’S AHEAD OF THEM IF
THIS TURN’S OUT TO BE THE CASE.
Giancarlo85
@zooby: Trump isn’t someone anyone can sell me on any issue. I wonder if these gay republicans actually care about other issues.
Cruz was born in Canada lol.. So technically he is still an immigrant.
thajokerzwild
That’s like saying a nuclear disaster is more preferable than the sun blowing up.
joeyty
Ted Cruz ! Yuck ! If I was to vote Republican this time I’d much rather Trump, who at least has the gumption to tell off a royal from that horrific homo-hating Saudi Arabia.
Nebbish
Not to pick nits, but it’s having someone in your sights (like gun sights), not sites.
AxelDC
I’d vote for Trump over Cruz any day. Granted, I wouldn’t vote for any of these bastards, but I certainly would pick Trump over Cruz. Trump is a liar and self-aggrandizer, but Cruz is just a dick. Even other Republicans seem to hate him. Cruz is also pushing a 19% VAT to replace upper end income taxes, so he would dramatically shift the tax burden from the rich to the poor.
GayEGO
Oh No! Tedwina Cruzy-Woosy is such a nut I can’t imagine him winning anymore than I can imagine Benitia Carsonia winning. Trump is better than those two but I am voting for Hillary as I agree with her social, economic, and international values.
Bob LaBlah
@1EqualityUSA: I have noticed that too. It seems hard to believe that I am getting a “duplicate message” prompt when the original message never posted. I have been noticing this for quite some time and have taken notice of the subject of the article as well when it happens. I am not so sure this is a “bug”.
shle896
Ugh, this is the same man who compared homosexuality to beastiality. It’s pathetic that he is the best they can do. The GOP is soooooo SCREWED next year.
Kangol
@Giancarlo85: I am with you but I saw a chilling scene on the Daily Show, in which the correspondent was interviewing Trump supporters in Nevada, a number of them Latino, who appeared to go along with his hateful, crazy, r@cist ideas.
Two of the people in the focus group even said they would support Trump if he decided to set up a registry of Jewish Americans!
What are these people thinking? Do they think they’re somehow exempt from the r@cist and whitesupremacy and homophobia and misogyny Trump advocates for? What is going to wake them up?
NateOcean
After much critism from the *previous* debate (concerning Fiorina’s Planned Parenthood comment), the best part in last night’s debate was when Carly surprised everybody and actually produced the video. As the video played on the overhead screen she provided a scene-by-scene commentary fully supporting each of her previous assertions about “the brutal dissection of a fetus with limbs flailing and heart beating.”
Oh, wait, that never happened because Carly is a liar.
Kangol
@AxelDC: Have you seen Trump’s tax plan? It’s just as awful! http://taxfoundation.org/article/details-and-analysis-donald-trump-s-tax-plan
@shle896: Exactly! And don’t forget that just the other day Marco Rubio was talking about rolling back same sex marriage and saying he wanted to appoint “strict constructionist” (i.e., Scalia-Alito-Thomas) style judges to the Supreme Court.
Rubio is particularly scary to me because he’s a slick liar and hom0phobe with extremist views, yet comes off as politically reasonable, supportive of the Latino community (though his immigration plans keep changing like a weathervane), and seems appealing to a decent number of people on the far right of the spectrum.
scotshot
@Ed Crawford:
Hi Ed! Good to see you out somewhere other than a public bathroom. Talk about licking the floor, you old closet case!
SteveDenver
Diarrhea or Vomiting for four years… no thanks.
Giancarlo85
@Kangol: There are always a couple of token people in the republican party. Most Latinos will vote democrat… Even Cuban Americans who republicans recently lost. I think even more Latinos will vote democrat than in 2012. Hillary is immensely popular among Latinos.
billeetee
@Ed Crawford: Hey Ed, it will be intersting to see a ‘ball-less’ senator after Hillary castrates him once and for all. Then it will be your turn, dear!
billeetee
@Ed Crawford: Hey Ed, it will be interesting to see a ‘ball-less’ senator after Hillary castrates him once and for all. Then it will be your turn, dear!
AtticusBennett
dear gay republicans, this is why NOBODY respects you. these are the morons you support.
billeetee
There was actually nothing new last night. Same Old Same Old, just diguised as a “Wolf Blitzer” Love-Fest. The Rump as the “Ultimate Macho Dude”, Jeb as the “I think I’m the Macho Dude”, Ted as the “I’m tough, guys, really tough and checks his nails”, Marco as the “I’m not really gay, I just look and sound like it”, Carly the “I’m so butch that if I twirl my skirt just right you can see my balls”, John, “I really do have gay friends, I just don’t want to have to shower with them”, and then there’s the Chorus: Ben “I sing tenor but this time I’m trying for bass”, Chris the Destroyer, “I’m Tough Baby, just pull my finger!”, and Rand “did the chicken cross the road, or did the egg come first”. Same Old Same Old.
Actully I understand that ISIS was laughing so hard, they lost three platoons to Obama Bombs before they could ‘hide out with civilians’.
GG
“Ted Cruz May Be The Best Alternative To Trump That Republicans Have”
Ted Cruz is not the best alternative to ANYTHING.
dwes09
@thajokerzwild: A nuclear disaster is quite obviously a better alternative than the sun blowing up! A nuclear disaster presents a possibility that spexcies, even possibly humanity will survive. When the sun becomes a red giant (and that will involve less of a release of energy than it actually exploding) it will engulf the earth, vaporizing it within seconds.
Honestly, in all circumstances empiricism and reality trumps myth and assumption!
If we have to have a Republican president in 2016 (and it remains unlikely that they will win the white house so far), Cruz is a better alternative. Trump could do great damage, but Cruz will be absolutely thwarted in his Dominionist goals because the constitution will not allow a theocracy to be formed. The legislature and the court will oppose him.
Bob LaBlah
It’s obvious even Fox News is trying to deflate Cruz. I watched a few of its soap opera-ish programs being passed of for news and not one has given a favorable portrait of him. I am beginning to wonder if they are just as disappointed as the rest of us. Not even a peep from ol’ Rush himself about this farce of an election.
bambamboom777
Trump is an obnoxious loudmouth who makes extreme statements that resonate with a large portion of the American electorate who are crippled by fear due to ignorance, inability to adapt to the times, xenophobia, and years of non-stop propaganda from right-wing media. But this is about marketing to Trump. The only real issue Trump cares about is seeing President Trump’s Portrait in the White House alongside Washington and Lincoln. Even if he somehow accomplished a miracle and won a general election, he’s lost credibility with just about everybody outside his Tea Party base and it would be unlikely that he would be able to accomplish much of anything.
On the other hand, what Trump says out loud, seems to be what Cruz actually believes. And unlike Trump, he has a grasp on how Washington works. This makes him far more dangerous than Trump.
As far as LGBT issues go – Cruz recently attended the Ken Swanson conference of which the topic was “biblical laws” on homosexuality and how they should be applied in the U.S. Basically, they are talking about a “Kill The Gays” law such as American evangelists promoted in Uganda. These people actually went to a well-funded conference attended by many prominent and powerful people to discuss how homosexuality could be made a capital crime and what would be involved in the execution of LGBT’s in the U.S.
This is the type of crowd Cruz hangs out with. They even make Huckabee seem like a loving christ-like figure. Unfortunately, for the gay community, Trump is probably the closest to an ally available out of the likely candidates. Cruz is blatantly homophobic and as a president he would put every resource available to do as much harm as possible to the LGBT community. So much attention is being put on what these candidates say, but it’s what they are likely and capable of doing that is of greater importance. Trump is out-of-the-closet with his insane view of the world. Cruz, on the other hand, keeps it all bottled up and pretends to be a rational and reasonable candidate, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see what an angry right-wing extremist he really is.
dave lopes
Anybody but BUSH.
He is stuck in political correctness lalaland.
inbama
@dave lopes: In the end, Pataki – is the only decent person they’ve got, and as a result has no chance. Kasick used to be more to the right, but for some reason, he’s not kissing Teavangelical butt like Bush.
Alistair Wiseman
Hillary supporters endorse Sharia Law.
https://youtu.be/oKosd0xJadE
mujerado
The truth is that out of all the candidates the only truly viable one is Paul Ryan, and he’s far too moderate for the party as it now exists.
Bob LaBlah
With a national debate held only last night I don’t get the focus on Cruz, a man who the entire community hates. This is shallow and gives the impression the gay community has no direction other than complaints instead of solutions.
Chris
@Giancarlo85: The irony that a bunch of birthers might end up nominating someone who is likely to b disqualified from serving as president because he is not native born is absolutely delicious.
Chris
@zooby: No, Ted Cruz was born in Calgary Canada. Though we at as if Canada were our 51st state, Cruz is as much an immigrant as any of the Syrians his state is trying to keep out.
Alistair Wiseman
@Chris:
Sorry to burst your liberal bubble. đ
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ted-cruz-canadian-born-us-president-heres/story?id=29846887
http://www.snopes.com/politics/cruz/canada.asp
http://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-LB-50880
Shannon1981
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS: Yeah, Cruz is aligned with some scary preachers. Swanson, who wants to kill gays and another one who thinks killing abortion doctors and bombing clinics and keeping registries of women who visit places that perform abortions should be a matter of law. He’s dangerous as hell.
1EqualityUSA
Go to Rachel Maddow msnbc and watch the Dec 16th show. We were in stitches. The Republican candidates were so inept! After the segment about sheldon addle brain billionaire buying elections, the next one picks apart the mistakes made in the debate, These candidates are really scary. This one was a good one. I needed the laugh.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
Giancarlo85
@Alistair Wiseman: Crock of shit video. I love it when you post lots of crock of shit videos. Hillary supporters don’t do anything of the sort, but then again an ignoramus like you supports the Christian Taliban. That just seems to fit into your right wing agenda on here. Cruz is not legally allowed to hold the office of President in this country.
THe republican party is imploding and destroying itself. The debate was a total disaster. They can’t even get their points across effectively.
Cruz is an idiot who would get hammered by Hillary in any match-up.
Giancarlo85
@Alistair Wiseman: It wouldn’t surprise me if that entire video was staged by right wingers. Right wingers tend to do that a lot in order to engage in defamation. It’s an obvious lie.
REPUBLICANS ENDORSE CHRISTIANITY AS A FORM OF LAW. In fact republicans want to see up Christian Shariah law in America.
1EqualityUSA
“Factual flaws no hinderance to GOP candidates’ debate bluster” is the title of the segment showing how inept the republicans are with foreign affairs matters. She does a spontaneous Chris Christie that is ki!!er good. It’s the second segment…. worth your while, babies. Enjoy! Classic Rachel. Brilliant segment. When Chris Christie said he would take on King Hussein of Jordan…. who’s been dead since 1999, so fun.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
Giancarlo85
Again a post that wasn’t posted.
This site is beyond screwed up. Now I couldn’t even try to edit the post because what I wrote is now gone.
Chris Christie had a $30,000 hotel tab paid for by King Abdullah. It surprises me he couldn’t even remember the guy’s name (messing it up with his precedessor).
Republicans are huge embarrassments when it comes to foreign policy. Gay republicans love to boast about how much they know about foreign policy, but they are actually the biggest idiots.
1EqualityUSA
Since I kept losing my comments, (A bug on the site?) I’ve taken to doing an extra step of making a copy of the comment, before submitting it, in case the site does that again. I write off the cuff, so it’s nearly impossible to remember how the sentences were structured. I loved the few sentences written about Ted Cruz yesterday morning, but it disappeared when posting it and it couldn’t be retrieved. Maybe conservatives have found an new way to battle our messages. Suppress votes, suppress speech? Queerty, your site has been hacked or bugged. True, blue bummer. Call I.T.in to fix this.
1EqualityUSA
After seeing her spontaneously break into Chris Christie I had to go back in time. This is unrelated, but classic Rachel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n02_fnwSz1c
Giancarlo85
@1EqualityUSA: It would not surprise me. It happens to me when I try to post certain links. The article I was trying to post was from the New York Times. A source teapublicans really hate.
1EqualityUSA
Giancarlo85, Bob LaBlah has been having a tough time posting too.
Giancarlo85
@1EqualityUSA: I think some of the closeted gay teapublicans have hacked this site. Now I had my share of disagreements with Bob, but it doesn’t surprise me. The weird thing is the closet queen log cabin types can post just fine.
1EqualityUSA
oh, now, don’t start that stuff up again. Tie those thoughts to a balloon and let them float away. I like LaBlah’s long stories of LGBT past and all. Got to go, enjoy your day, queertiers.
Giancarlo85
@1EqualityUSA: I am still waiting for an apology, but I will let it go. Fair enough.
onthemark
(sarc alert)
When Canada sends us people like Ted Cruz, they are not sending their best. They are rapists, drug dealers, chickenhawks, religious fanatics, and maybe even Muslims. (But I’m sure some of them are lovely people.) And Cruz is a bit of a maniac. We need to build a HUGE wall on the Canadian border to keep these maniacs out. And Trump will make Canada pay for it!
(end sarc alert)
Kieran
One thing is for sure: Ted Cruz is definitely NOT the best alternative to Donald Trump for gays. Gays better finally wake up to that reality. Cruz has a long history of being one of America’s premier homophobes. There is a tremendous amount of discontent and dissatifaction in America today. Whoever gets the GOP nomination has a good chance of winning against “Back to the Future” Hillary. We can’t chance a Cruz or a Rubio or a Carson winning the GOP nomination.
money718
Trump is by far the best candidate for LGBT issues. He is not homophobic and blatantly anti-gay like Cruz. Do people at queerty even research the candidates? Cruz is pure evil.
Bob LaBlah
@Giancarlo85: @1EqualityUSA: Something else just happened that has forced me to say it is time to take a vacation from here. I won’t go into what just happened but trust me, that was no accident nor “bug”. Take care guys. I hope Santa brings you what you want for Christmas.
Giancarlo85
@money718: Just don’t ask his ex wife what she thinks of him. Trump is one of the worst and would be horrible for the environment and economy. He would ruin the US and destroy its international reputation. I don’t care for this brownnosing shit. Trump is against same sex marriage. End of story.
Giancarlo85
@Kieran: No republican has a good chance of winning against Hillary. you lie over and over. Yes there are upset people on this country and they are tired of full of shit republicans. Hillary will easily steamroll Trump and the rest of them. Trump is an idiot who only attracts loud mouth tools. Not enough of those idiots exist anymore fortunately.
So justify your stupid remark please. How would a republican beat Hillary? On what basis?
Giancarlo85
Leave it to Kieran to do a whole lot of brownnosing he won’t defend.
Giancarlo85
Leave it to gay republicans to say stupid things like “A republican can beat Hillary” (fat chance). “Trump is the best for LGBT rights” (this smells like stinking BS).
I suppose some animals put out manure that smells a lot worse. Same thing applies to republican politicians. And Americans aren’t buying it anymore… which explains why a democrat won even in Louisiana and Hillary has strong leads over all republicans in match-ups.
charlieeod74
@Ed Crawford: Ed, you are one ignorant conservatard you probably thought Joe McCarthy was a good senator. Crudz is McCarthy reincarnated
charlieeod74
@onthemark: I like it! But rest assured, someone won’t catch the sarcasm đ
zooby
@Chris: Yes, he was born in Canada to an American mother (who made him a citizen at birth). If he was an immigrant, he wouldn’t be eligible to run for President. You have to be a natural born citizen.