In the first two questions he’s gotten in the sixth Republican presidential debate, Ted Cruz has shown off what could be called his technical debating skills or what could be called his ability to change the subject to something more favorable to himself.
Cruz first got a question about jobs and growth … and used his time mostly to lament that President Obama’s State of the Union hadn’t been all about the American sailors taken by Iran. To hear Cruz talk, you’d think those sailors are on their knees before the ayatollahs right this minute, instead of having been released early Wednesday.
Second question for Cruz: That undisclosed six-figure loan from Goldman-Sachs.
Cruz, of course, turned this into an extended attack on the New York Times. First, he recited virtually everything negative the Times has written about him in recent weeks, including opinion pieces. Conclusion? The Times piece was “really stunning hit piece.” As for the loan? Eh, a paperwork error. Nothing more.
Say this for Cruz. He really is good at talking about what he wants to talk about, without apology.