A slap upside Cruz' head

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The Houston Chronicle Un-Endorses Ted Cruz
By Rick Ungar, October 16, 2013

Last week, I published an article here on Forbes.com entitled, “Ted Cruz’s Shameful Betrayal Of Texas.” In that piece, I noted that Senator Cruz’s desperate and misguided campaign for attention—a campaign successful in propelling his own name recognition to new heights—has done absolutely nothing to benefit the state that gave him his job.

As one might expect, the piece brought the condemnation of many a Tea Party traveler, incensed that I failed to see what Cruz has done for the folks back home—despite there being little evidence that the Cruz agenda has much of anything to do with the good people of Texas.

Who would have guessed that, just one week later, the conservative Houston Chronicle—the newspaper that handed Cruz a critical and key endorsement in his campaign to become the next senator from the Lone Star State—would agree with me by way of publishing something you just don’t see every day—an un-endorsement of Senator Cruz?

Under the title, “Why we miss Kay Bailey Hutchison”, the editorial board of the newspaper published on op-ed Tuesday evening wherein they write —

“One reason we particularly believe that Hutchison would make a difference in these hectic days is that if she had kept her seat, Cruz would not be in the Senate.

When we endorsed Ted Cruz in last November’s general election, we did so with many reservations and at least one specific recommendation – that he follow Hutchison’s example in his conduct as a senator.

Obviously, he has not done so. Cruz has been part of the problem in specific situations where Hutchison would have been part of the solution.”

Remarkably, a red flag warning of what Ted Cruz might become was specifically noted in the original editorial wherein The Chronicle gave their endorsement to Mr. Cruz—a warning provided by none other than Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson herself.

“In a visit with the Chronicle editorial board Thursday, Hutchison expressed some views about Cruz and offered some advice for her likely successor. “The good news is that Ted Cruz is smart, very smart, and wants to be effective,” Hutchison said.

She added a warning, noting that the people who supported Cruz in the Republican primary and runoff are from small states with different interests than a large state such as Texas. “He’s going to have to choose early between being loyal to [Sen.] Jim DeMint [R-S.C.] and [Sen.] Mike Lee [R-Utah] and the needs of the people of Texas.”

I think we know all too well how Cruz chose. Indeed, rumor has it that Mike Lee, Ted Cruz and Jim DeMint have constructed a tree house on the grounds of the Capitol Building and are known to giggle furiously as they drop bi-partisan water bombs on the heads of passing legislators.

UPDATE: October 16, 2013 4:48pm:

I’ve just had a phone conversation with Veronica Flores-Paniagua, the Outlook Editor for The Houston Chronicle, who states that the paper did not un-endorse Senator Cruz but were merely being critical of him.  It should be noted that when I asked Ms. Flores-Paniagua if the paper would endorse Senator Cruz if the election were being held today, she chose not to respond to the question.

My suggestion to readers would be to read The Chronicle’s editorial and decide for yourself. While it remains difficult for me to view the writing as anything other than precisely how I have characterized the editorial, please read it with the knowledge that the newspaper does not view the editorial as an un-endorsement.
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