Ted Cruz is a departure from normal yet alone normal Senate format. The guy is a jerk.
...Departing from the normal format (click here) at Senate hearings, Cruz had the committee staff play a clip of Hagel’’s appearance on an Al Jazeera call-in program, during which a caller suggested that Israel had committed war crimes. During his response to the question, Hagel did not anything to refute the caller’s statement.
“Do you think the nation of Israel has committed war crimes?” Cruz asked Hagel after the clip was played.
“No I do not, senator. I’’d want to look at the full context of the interview, but to answer your question, no,” Hagel said....
It was one of the five things the sane people of Texas believed bizarre about the guy. Someone needs to provide the future Secretary of Defense a copy of the interview.
4) Ted Cruz Is An Islamophobe: (click here) At a campaign event earlier this month, Cruz touted another of the Tea Party’s favorite conspiracy theories, claiming that “Sharia law is an enormous problem” in this country. Although it is common for far right politicians to claim that American law is somehow being replaced with Islamic law, these claims have absolutely no basis in reality. Few American courts have ever even mentioned Sharia or Islamic law, and those that have generally only do so in contracts or similar cases where a party before the court agreed to be bound by Sharia law.
I just can't stand the number of women veiled on the fashion runway in New York City these days, can you? And the number of women thrown out of the university is appalling.
I just can't stand the number of women veiled on the fashion runway in New York City these days, can you? And the number of women thrown out of the university is appalling.
...“In response to questions from attendees, (click here) Cruz said he hoped to see U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder impeached and opposed the law that prohibits tax-exempt churches from endorsing candidates from the pulpit.
When asked about whether he viewed “Sharia Law” as a problem in the United States, Cruz said “Sharia law is an enormous problem.”...
Cruz needs to be impeached. The only reason he was elected is his fancy credentials to Rhenquist. The man has been nothing but bizarre. I doubt if the former Chief Justice would have endorsed him at all. Just another bizarre lawyer playing with words again.
Cruz needs to be impeached. The only reason he was elected is his fancy credentials to Rhenquist. The man has been nothing but bizarre. I doubt if the former Chief Justice would have endorsed him at all. Just another bizarre lawyer playing with words again.
..."In a speech on the floor of the Senate (click here) you referred to Israel's military campaign against the terrorist group Hezbollah as a, quote, 'sickening slaughter,'" said Cruz. "Do you think it's right that Israel was committing, quote, a 'sickening slaughter,' as you said on the floor of the Senate?"
As with so much else today, Hagel was caught short, and tried to explain why "slaughter" might occur if "war crimes" didn't. It was another hit he should have seen coming; the Weekly Standard, in a morning cheat sheet of Hagel quotes, reported that Hagel "accused Israel of carrying out a 'sickening slaughter' in Lebanon."...
Since when is "sickening slaughter" not a part of the American dialogue. How does anyone believe White Phosphorus was identified as a cruel instrument of war, by remaining silent? Where was Cruz in Vietnam when defoliants were deployed? Sickening slaughter is sickening slaughter and it needs to be dealt with. At least Senator Chuck Hagel is willing to speak the words and see the wrong doing.
The entire Republican questioning was misleading. They were trying to set him up as an idiot. He hardly was. He was the most decent man in the room and it was refreshing to hear someone with backbone to finally address those idiots.
The entire Republican questioning was misleading. They were trying to set him up as an idiot. He hardly was. He was the most decent man in the room and it was refreshing to hear someone with backbone to finally address those idiots.
But it's misleading. Hagel's full speech is available on C-SPAN, and here's the larger context of the quote.
How do we realistically believe that a continuation of the systematic destruction of an American friend, the country and people of Lebanon, is going to enhance America's image and give us the trust and credibility to lead a lasting and sustained peace effort in the Middle East?
The sickening slaughter on both sides must end, and it must end now. President Bush must call for an immediate cease-fire. This madness must stop. The Middle East today is more combustible and complex than it has ever been. Uncertain popular support for regime legitimacy continues to weaken governments in the Middle East. Economic stagnation, persistent unemployment, deepening despair, and wider unrest enhance the ability of terrorists to recruit and succeed....
