Thread: Cruz Courageous Conservatives ROBO-CALLS Against Trump

Feb 20 2016, 1:30 am ET

Pro-Cruz Robocall Blasts Trump Over Gays 'Tearing Down Our America'

by Vaughn Hillyard

Columbia, South Carolina — A robocall dialed out to thousands of Republicans in South Carolina on Friday night suggested Donald Trump would advance "equality" for gays and lesbians by enacting a slew of new government regulations that would lead to "tearing down our America."

Just hours before polls opened for the GOP's presidential primary in the state, the robocall — paid for by the pro-Cruz super PAC Courageous Conservatives — went out to 180,000 likely Republican voters in the state.
Pro-Ted Cruz SuperPAC Hits Trump on Gay Rights 1:00

In the call, which was obtained by NBC News, a woman is heard asking whether "President Trump" would "look for more forward motion on equality for gays and lesbians."

Trump can he heard responding, "Well you can. That's your thing. And other people have their thing. We have to bring all people together."

The narrator of the ad then asks, "What is he agreeing to?"

The ad lists the predicted repercussions of the "forward motion" that Trump seemed to agree to.

"It's about mandatory celebration," the narrator says. "It's about forcing people to bake cakes and photograph gay weddings, forcing clergy to officiate, about transgender bathrooms in your child's school. It's about tearing down our Judeo-Christian values."

The ad then sharply states: "It's about tearing down our America. Ted Cruz for president - now, before it's too late."

Rick Shaftan, who runs the super PAC, has spoken provocatively before, questioning Sen. Cory Booker's sexuality in 2013 during the then-mayor's run for the U.S. Senate as part of an interview with Talking Points Memo.
Trump Struggles to Defend His Support of Iraq War in 2002 Interview 3:09

At the time, Shaftan was a top aide to Booker's Republican opponent Steve Lonegan. Shaftan was soon let go because of his remarks.

But Shaftan's pro-Cruz super PAC has been on radio airwaves for months, and it sent out a separate robocall on Thursday night as well, attacking Trump for his support of the removal of the Confederate flag from the state's capitol grounds.

Shaftan told NBC News on Friday that the robocalls are not a "dirty trick" because their content is now public and the ads use Trump's own words.

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016...wn-our-n522201

Baking a cake for a gay couple is "tearing down America"? I don't think so.

Feb 19 2016, 8:48 pm ET

Pro-Cruz Robocall Attacks Trump Over South Carolina Confederate Flag

by Vaughn Hillyard

Charleston, South Carolina — A pro-Ted Cruz super PAC launched a robocall on Thursday night to Republicans across South Carolina, attacking Donald Trump's support for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from the state's Capitol grounds last summer.

The 60-second robocall plays audio of Trump saying, "Let it go. Put it in a museum." Trump's voice continues, "Respect whatever it is that you have to respect because it was a point in time."

"That's Donald Trump supporting Nikki Haley removing the battle flag from the Confederate memorial in Columbia," the ad's narrator says.

Courageous Conservatives, the pro-Cruz super PAC who paid for the calls, intends to send out two new robocalls on Friday night as well — just hours before the polls open for the state's GOP primary.

Rick Shaftan, the head of the group, told NBC News the robocall about Trump's opposition to the flag went out to 180,000 homes of Republicans who have voted in past primaries in South Carolina.

Haley, the governor of South Carolina, endorsed Cruz's other main rival, Marco Rubio, on Wednesday.

Haley called for removing the battle flag from the Capitol grounds and the state legislature voted to bring it down after a white gunman fatally shot nine people at a historic black church in Charleston in a racially-motivated attack.

"A lot of people are very upset with Nikki Haley for that decision," Shaftan said. "People feel very strongly about that. It's not the right thing to do, especially among conservative Republicans."

In the ad, the narrator says, "Donald Trump talks about our flag like it's a social disease."

A new poll released by left-leaning Public Policy Polling released this week suggests 70 percent of Trump's supporters think the Confederate battle flag should fly on the state Capitol grounds.

Shaftan, who lives in North Carolina, said he "couldn't believe" Trump took the position to remove the flag, contrasting it with Cruz who said at the time that the decision should be left up to those in the state.

"People feel very strongly about it here, especially Trump supporters," Shaftan said. "That's what surprised me — to see people who support the flag also supporting Trump. We're trying to reach those folks who are having second doubts [about Trump]."
Lester Holt Talks To SC Voters About Issues That Matter to Them 2:03

Shaftan said the ad could be used in other states as well, He dismissed any notion that ad could be interpreted as a "dirty trick" because the ad's content is now public.

In the last two weeks, several of the Republican candidates have traded barbs over the use of robocalls in the South Carolina race.

He said the super PAC spent $25,000 in radio and robocall advertising in South Carolina this last week. It just bought $10,000 worth of radio air time in Nevada as well through Tuesday.

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016...e-flag-n522131

Didn't Ted Cruz support what South Carolina decided? That's what he told the Washington Post in June. Does he now believe something else?

I don't think Cruz Courageous Conservatism has our country and citizens best interests at heart.

Originally Posted by Judy

Baking a cake for a gay couple is "tearing down America"? I don't think so.

No, but bringing a federal lawsuit against them for refusing to bake a cake for a purpose that they oppose on religious grounds could.

Shaftan, who lives in North Carolina, said he "couldn't believe" Trump took the position to remove the flag, contrasting it with Cruz who said at the time that the decision should be left up to those in the state.

I agree. Cruz is right on this. It should be left to the people of the state to make the decision. This is one issue that Trump probably should have just remained mum on. I see nothing wrong with the robocall. Robocalls can be an effective means of getting the word out.