I think the Washington Post is the first MSM outlet to cover this story.<\/p>\n
David Weigel writes<\/a>: OSHKOSH, Wis. \u2013 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) blamed \u201cDonald Trump and his henchmen\u201d for planting a National Enquirer story that accused him of extramarital affairs. Vehemently denying the story as \u201cgarbage\u201d and \u201ccomplete and utter lies,\u201d the Republican presidential hopeful took his longest step yet toward refusing to back Trump if he won the party\u2019s nomination…<\/p>\n On Friday, after a crowded rally at a parking cone factory here, and after attacking Trump from the stage for his tweets, Cruz himself brought up the Enquirer’s story that accused the senator of having had five mistresses \u2013 a subject some of the reporters covering him were loath to even raise. \u201cIt became clear as the campaign went on that Donald was a whole lot of sizzle without any substance,\u201d said Cruz. \u201cWhen he\u2019s scared, when he\u2019s losing, his first and natural resort is to go to sleaze and to go to slime.\u201d<\/p>\n That was how Cruz introduced the subject of the Enquirer story, which alleged that the candidate had carried out affairs with five women \u2013 women who bloggers and political activists were starting to \u201cidentify\u201d as prominent political pundits. The story had bubbled up on social media, with the hashtag #TedCruzSexScandal appearing in tweets that asked reporters to follow the story.<\/p>\n The Post has not been able to confirm any of the allegations made by the Enquirer…<\/p>\n hen Cruz opened the floor to questions, each was about the allegations. First, addressing the inevitable \u201cpledge\u201d to back Trump if he won, Cruz said that he didn\u2019t \u201cmake a habit\u201d of supporting people who smeared his family. Then a local reporter seemed to irritate Cruz by asking if both he and Trump were \u201cchildish\u201d and degrading the tone of the campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cSir, let\u2019s be clear,\u201d said Cruz. \u201cOne person has been childish, and that\u2019s been Donald Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m watching it every day,\u201d said the reporter. \u201cBoth of you are going back and forth with this childish stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSir, I understand that the media the game wants to play is when Donald attacks my family to say that everyone is guilty,\u201d said Cruz. \u201cI have never attacked Donald\u2019s family. I do not intend to. Indeed, when Donald sent a second tweet attacking my wife, I responded by saying \u2018Donald, real men don\u2019t attack women. Your wife is lovely.\u2019 So not only did I not attack his wife, I praised his wife. Heidi is the love of my life. I\u2019m sorry, sir, if you believe that defending your wife and defending your family is childish. But it is not.\u201d<\/p>\n Cruz tried to wrestle the subject back to Trump\u2019s refusal to debate him, accusing him of \u201chiding in Trump Tower\u201d instead of campaigning in Wisconsin. (Indeed, on March 29, Trump will make his first public appearance of any kind since his March 21 speech to the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee.)<\/p>\n \u201cHe sits in Trump Tower and sends tweets late at night,\u201d said Cruz. \u201cWe need a president who is fighting for the people of America and not battling his personal demons on Twitter.\u201d<\/p>\n Cruz turned and left the news conference, ignoring a shouted question that seemed to say everything about what Trump had done to the campaign\u2019s tone.<\/p>\n \u201cSenator Cruz, have you been faithful to your wife?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I think the Washington Post is the first MSM outlet to cover this story. David Weigel writes: OSHKOSH, Wis. \u2013 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) blamed \u201cDonald Trump and his henchmen\u201d for planting a National Enquirer story that accused him of … Continue reading