{"id":11861,"date":"2015-09-18T12:42:05","date_gmt":"2015-09-18T16:42:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gunpoliticsny.com\/?p=11861"},"modified":"2015-09-18T12:42:05","modified_gmt":"2015-09-18T16:42:05","slug":"bloomberg-media-goes-after-cruz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.gunpoliticsny.com\/?p=11861","title":{"rendered":"Bloomberg media goes after Cruz"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bloomberg’s<\/a> astroturf media outlet The Trace goes after Ted Cruz<\/a>, “Expert: Cruz\u2019s Shoutout to Gun Owners of America Marked an \u2018Unprecedented\u2019 Turn for Presidential Campaigns<\/a>“:<\/p>\n

“It was one of the Senator from Texas\u2019 few big moments in Wednesday night\u2019s Republican presidential primary debate, and he milked it for all it was worth. Speaking over the moderator as he looked directly into the CNN<\/a> camera, Ted Cruz boasted about his long history standing up for the \u201cright to keep and bear arms.\u201d He used the phrase three times in under a minute as he ticked off his gun-rights bonafides … Finally, he worked up to his clincher: \u201cI was honored to be endorsed by Gun Owners of America<\/a> as the strongest supporter of the Second Amendment on this stage today.\u201d …”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The reason he did this is simple: Cruz has to do something to separate himself from the pack.\u00a0 There are way too many candidates on stage right now.<\/p>\n

Of course Bloomberg doesn’t like this:<\/p>\n

“… Alan Schroeder<\/a>, a Northeastern University journalism professor and author of Presidential Debates: Fifty Years of High-Risk TV<\/a><\/i>, tells The Trace, \u201cI honestly cannot think of a parallel example from previous presidential primary debates\u201d of a candidate on national television aligning themselves with a group so extreme …”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This attack demonstrates why I don’t believe Bloomberg is going to be very relevant in next year’s presidential election.\u00a0 It’s just lame.\u00a0 The best his money could buy was to get an egghead nobody has heard of before to trot out the old liberal canard of Republicans being “extreme.”<\/p>\n

“… GOA\u2019s positions and rhetoric are notably high-proof …”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And still don’t come close to the Laddites calling for SWATting gun owners<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With voters in no mood<\/a> for more gun control, Bloomberg’s attack is not likely to dissuade other candidates from presenting their pro-gun credentials.\u00a0 If he simply left the issue alone for now, Cruz’s remarks would have faded into the background noise.\u00a0 Instead Bloomberg elevated GOA which might encourage NRA to step up their pressure.<\/p>\n