BETWEEN THE LINES
MEDIA HATCHET JOB ON CRUZ
Exclusive: Joseph Farah shares 'classic example' of distortion by top news outlets
What did you think about Ted Cruz’s answer to a “moderate” supporter in a closed-door meeting about whether fighting same-sex marriage would be among his top three priorities if he is elected president?
Were you among those who was disappointed by Cruz’s response?
I am not.
In fact, after reading the word-for-word transcript of the exchange, it seems to me, Cruz was 100 percent right.
It was a classic example of media distortion. There simply was no story there. It was made up. It was a hatchet job by media outlets like the New York Times and Politico. And I just hope opponents of same-sex marriage are never fooled by this kind of intentional manipulation of the truth by media activists out to bring down principled candidates like Ted Cruz with absolute falsehoods.
I’m also disappointed that at least one other Republican presidential candidate fell for the baseless attack by attempting to position himself as more opposed to same-sex marriage than Cruz.
Here’s the transcript of the back-and-forth so you can make up your own mind with the facts:
DONOR: “Can I ask you a question? So, I’m a big supporter. And the only issue I really disagree with you about is gay marriage. And I’m curious: Given all the problems that the country’s facing – like ISIS, the growth of government – how big a priority is fighting gay marriage going to be to a Cruz administration?”
SEN. TED CRUZ: “My view on gay marriage is that I’m a constitutionalist and marriage is a question for the states. And so I think if someone wants to change the marriage laws of their state, the way to do so is convince your fellow citizens – and change them democratically, rather than five unelected judges … Being a constitutionalist is integral to my approach to every other issue. So that I’m very devoted to.”
DONOR: “So would you say it’s like a top-three priority for you – fighting gay marriage?”
CRUZ: “No. I would say defending the Constitution is a top priority. And that cuts across the whole spectrum – whether it’s defending [the] First Amendment, defending religious liberty, stopping courts from making public policy issues that are left to the people … I also think the 10th Amendment of the Constitution cuts across a whole lot of issues and can bring people together. People of New York may well resolve the marriage question differently than the people of Florida or Texas or Ohio. … That’s why we have 50 states – to allow a diversity of views. And so that is a core commitment.”
Do you see anything alarming about Cruz’s answer now?
In context, Cruz’s answer is great. He has consistently opposed the Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage ruling, which changed the very definition of marriage in the United States, as unconstitutional, which it was.
He knows the only way to change that decision is to overrule it in Congress or change the make-up of the Supreme Court.
In other words, this entire exchange was a non-story. There was nothing new.
It was one word in his response that got all the attention – the word “no.” That word was extraneous at best in a verbal response. Cruz was suggesting the donor was simply asking the wrong question. It would likely have been the same answer if I, a same-sex marriage opponent, had asked the question. He wasn’t flip-flopping. He wasn’t telling the questioner what he wanted to hear. He wasn’t changing his story or soft-pedaling his previous opposition to the ruling.
That’s not what Ted Cruz does.
Sadly, though, this is an example of the way underhanded activists in the media deliberately go after candidates and misrepresent the viewpoints and even the actual words spoken by people they don’t like. It has happened to me plenty of times.
Even Americans who may not turn to the New York Times and Politico and the rest of the so-called “mainstream media” for their news are affected by this kind of reporting because they never bother to go back and look at the facts themselves.
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2015/12/media-hatchet-job-on-cruz/#yvgQVlcHI7g0Q8xc.99
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