On Monday, CBS This Morning previewed Senator Ted Cruz’s 2016 presidential bid by proclaiming that he “first grabbed the national spotlight in 2013 when he held the Senate floor for more than 21 hours and helped shut down much of the government all in protest of President Obama's health care law.”
Reporter Chip Reid introduced the network’s coverage of Cruz’s presidential announcement by playing up the Republican criticism of the Tea Party senator and noted how his 21 hour filibuster “earned the 44-year-old conservative firebrand animosity from the Republican mainstream including the title “wacko bird” from 2008 GOP nominee John McCain.”
The CBS reporter did mention Cruz’s unique biography, including being the son of Cuban dissidents, before Chip Reid immediately jumped back to hyping the dissatisfaction many Republicans have with him:
He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012 where he's been a thorn in the side of mainstream Republicans. At a conservative summit near Washington earlier this year Cruz urged voters to look closely at his potential GOP rivals.
Reid concluded the network’s coverage of Cruz’s announcement by stressing that the Republican candidate will be looking to appeal to the most conservative wing of the Republican Party:
Cruz is expected to run a very conservative campaign aimed at Tea Party supporters and Christian conservatives, which is why he's making his announcement here at Liberty University which calls itself the largest Christian university in the world.
See relevant transcript below.
CBS This Morning
March 23, 2015
CHARLIE ROSE: The 2016 presidential raise is officially under way. The first declared candidate is Republican Ted Cruz. The Texas Senator tweeted overnight “I'm running for president and I hope to earn your support.” He attached a campaign video targeting young voters.
TED CRUZ: It's going to take a new generation of courageous conservatives to help make America great again, and I'm ready to stand with you to lead the fight.
NORAH O’DONNELL: Cruz will formally launch his campaign this morning at a rally in Lynchburg, Virginia. Chip Reid is there. Chip, good morning.
CHIP REID: Well, good morning. Ted Cruz has been sending signals for months that he intends to run for president. Later this morning here at Liberty University he'll explain why. He is the first major Republican in what is expected to become a very crowded field.
CRUZ: I intend to speak in support of defunding ObamaCare until I am no longer able to stand.
REID: First term Senator Ted Cruz first grabbed the national spotlight in 2013 when he held the Senate floor for more than 21 hours and helped shut down much of the government all in protest of President Obama's health care law. It earned the 44-year-old conservative firebrand animosity from the Republican mainstream including the title “whackco bird” from 2008 GOP nominee John McCain.
CRUZ: If standing for liberty and if standing for the constitution make you a whacko bird, then I'm a very, very proud whacko bird.
REID: The son of a Cuban dissident, Cruz was born to an American mother while his parents were working in Canada but he renounced his Canadian citizenship in 2013. A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, Cruz served as a lawyer in the George W. Bush administration and as Texas SolicitorGeneral.
He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012 where he's been a thorn in the side of mainstream Republicans. At a conservative summit near Washington earlier this year Cruz urged voters to look closely at his potential GOP rivals.
CRUZ: Now every one of them will say you betcha who diddly I am as conservative as all get out. So I would encourage all of them men and women gathered here today, demand action, not talk.
REID: In the coming weeks Cruz will likely be followed into the race by Senate colleagues Rand Paul and Marco Rubio as well as presumptive 2016 front-runner Jeb Bush. Political analyst Larry Sabato says Cruz is seeking attention by being first.
LARRY SABATO: He has been well down in this very large Republican pack, so he's trying to do something unusual and dramatic in order to boost his ratings.
REID: Cruz is expected to run a very conservative campaign aimed at Tea Party supporters and Christian conservatives, which is why he's making his announcement here at Liberty University which calls itself the largest Christian university in the world. Charlie?
ROSE: Chip thanks.
