Friday, July 22, 2016

Your word is your bond as a man

Let this be a simple but very important lesson about life. Do not give out your word lightly. If you break your word you almost always undermined your credibility. Men and women of all types will notice and remember when you break your word. Most will never forget, even over small items. Women in particular lose interest in men who say they are going to do something and then do not do it.

Cruz specifically gave his word here and even worse tied it to his political career. By not endorsing Trump he broke his word, and not only did he break it, he did it when invited to Trump’s party and symbolically peed in the punch bowl when he did it.  This is not honorable. Honorable men do not do this to each other. Even Jeb! had enough sense to stay away and shut up.

If you don’t know the details of an arraignment or you have doubts, don’t give your word. If someone pressures you it’s typically a very bad sign that you may have to break it later. Be a man of honor, don't break your word and don't give it out lightly.


tz said...

Note how Cruz went ballistic when McConnell lied to his face about some amendment to a bill, even taking to the senate floor.

tz said...

For the Cruzbots, is this behavior in any way presidential? Putin and the media would do much worse. Putin said Heidi is ugly so I'm nuking Moscow? Maddox called my father Crazy so I'm siccing the FCC on them?

My thought is America dodged a bullet.

Sean said...

There's an easy way to tell when a politician is lying: their lips are moving.

Part of The Donald's appeal is that he isn't a politician. He's a businessman, and a successful one at that. I expect him to give his word rarely, and to honor it. I also expect him to follow through on his declared intentions.

The Donald has restored a bit of enthusiasm, and perhaps naivete, to me. I think that's his greatest asset in this election. He's giving the people something we didn't know we ever had: faith in our leaders.

Unknown said...

What are you talking about? Cruz kept his promise. In fact, he went out of his way to support Trump as much as he could given Trump's disgusting attacks on Cruz's family. He came to the convention and asked Republicans not to stay home, but to vote their consciences, and vote for the candidates, up and down the line, who would advance freedom. (Those may not be the exact words; I haven't listened to his speech, just seen summaries).

And notice also how in front of the large convention crowd, Cruz didn't ONCE mention Trump's disgusting behavior towards his family, and instead gave the most positive speech he could. It was only in a much smaller gathering later on (the Texas delegation) that he expressed his disgust with Trump's past behavior and refusal to apologize.

No, Cruz did exactly the right thing. I hope Trump will also do the right thing, and extend an apology to Cruz and try to work together with him in the future. But given the behavior Trump has shown so far, I'm not holding my breath.

Laguna Beach Fogey said...

Cruz is incredibly petty. He should be ashamed of himself.

D Cooling said...

That's a link of Mr. Alpha Trump going back on his word as well. In his case he signed a pledge with the RNC chair and then when attacked by the GOP establishment, renounced it, like a wounded gamma male. It was ultimately a good decision, as the Trump kool-aid drinkers like the folks in the commentariat here will vote for him if he went 3rd party, ensuring that the shitlib Hillary would win. Trump's renouncement basically cut off the possibility of a NeverTrump coup at the convention from support. Trump would rather have Hillary win than himself lose, but maybe it was playing chicken. Playing high stakes chicken is alpha, but wanting your side to lose if you're not on top is the very embodiment of gammahood.

What this blogger is doing is putting the cart before the horse. Assigning a negative status of gamma male to Cruz based on the feelz Cruz gives him, rather than motivations and intended consequences of Cruz's actions. It's the internal motivations of someone that defines alpha, beta, etc. status, now how the audience feels about it.

Elocutioner said...

Trump stipulated from day one the pledge was a two way street and the party must treat him fairly. They didn't. He negotiated that and made it public. But most brilliant constitutional lawyer EVAH negotiated the same pledge that Jeb! did. So Trump feels the pledge was broken by the party - "wounded gamma male." Cruz breaks it because "someone counter-attacked when I attacked their family" - totally not a gamma, that's just YOUR feelz.

Cry moar.

tz said...

Trump's point was at that point the party was playing games - not Ted Cruz, the pledge was NOT to the fellow candidates, it was NOT to the person of the nominee, it was to the PARTY.
When the PARTY started cheating, or at least pushing things, Trump made it clear that he was not going to endorse a winner that won only through cheating sponsored by the counter-party to the contract.

Cruz said he violated his vow to the party, not because the party cheated against him or violated the contract, but because he didn't PERSONALLY like the winner.

tz said...

There is no dishonor in rejecting a contract when the other side has shown it is a fraud. In fact, there is less honor in continuing to be a chump.

CarpeOro said...


Incorrect. I made the same point as Vox did over at the Chateau. A man of his word, a man of honor, would have stayed away if he couldn't say anything positive. If this is how you view giving your word, your word is not your bond and is worthless among men of honor.

Unknown said...

Staying away would have been failing to support the nominee to the best of his ability, which is what he promised to do. Despite Trump's disgusting behavior, Cruz still kept his word.

I don't know why my comments are showing up as "Unknown". My name is Robin Munn, but I can't ever seem to make Blogspot record my name. But the "Unknown" comment you were replying to earlier was from me.

VFM #7634 said...


Oh for crap sake. How come idiots like you always forget that it was actually the Cruz campaign that started that in the first place, by mailing racy pics of Melania around Utah? Just like those boneheads who bring up Trump talking about his size, after Rubio first brought it up.

I suppose Trump is to blame for the commie protesters at his rallies too, right?

Unknown said...

The only way you can logically say that Cruz broke his word is if you say that "Vote your conscience" means "Don't vote for Trump". And if you say that, then what does that say about Trump, that voting for him would be violating one's conscience?

Still Robin Munn, and I bet this still shows up as "Unknown".

Orville said...

Cruz was invited to speak to the RNC and then gets up in front of everyone, drop his pants and squat out a steamer. That there is real presidential behavior.

Best Tools For Men

Unknown said...

VFM - Was it the Cruz campaign that mailed around those pictures, or a Cruz supporter? I've heard that accusation, but never seen any proof that it was the Cruz campaign. If it was Cruz's actual campaign and he didn't repudiate it and fire those responsible, then you have a point.

Unknown said...

Didn't see your second comment, or I wouldn't have deleted the sentence that said "I can't hold Trump responsible for what some idiotic supporters of his might do, so I also can't hold Cruz responsible if one of his supporters behaves like an asshole."

(Please note that I am NOT implying that all Trump supporters are idiots, just that some are, and some of them have made headlines. There are some idiots in all groups.)

VFM #7634 said...


Sure. It had nothing to do with the gang of NeverTrump delegates demanding to "vote their conscience" and vote how they wanted rather than how the people who voted in their primary contracted them to do. Absolutely nothing. Gotcha.

Unknown said...

What? That's the first I've heard that the "vote their conscience" line was said in that context. The slogan I kept hearing was "free the delegates".

But I doubt I'll persuade you on this point, so I don't mind dropping it. What I really want to know is if there's evidence that it was actually someone on Cruz's campaign that sent out racy pictures of Trump's wife. Because THAT evidence would persuade me to change my opinion of Cruz. So if you can link me to such evidence -- that it was someone on Cruz's actual campaign that sent those pictures -- I'd be very grateful.

Elocutioner said...

The NeverTrump crowd has been preening about voting their conscience for months now. It is inextricably tied to them this cycle. Saying he technically supported Trump is a transparent word game that fools nobody. He was on stage in front of millions of people and he couldn't utter the words "I support Trump" or "I endorse Trump." He tried to lawyer himself out of saying it and failed.

Now picture bitter Bernie on stage saying "vote your conscience" instead of a clear endorsement of Hillary after being screwed out of the nomination. Nobody would be fooled by it there either.

And the next morning Cruz told the Texas delegation "I am not in the habit of supporting someone who attacks my wife and attacks my father." This was about the same time he sent out a fundraising letter for his 2018 Senate re-election campaign.

Anonymous said...

Cruz is incredibly petty. He should be ashamed of himself.

I don't think he was petty, he's pissed that his wife was insulted which is perfectly valid (Trump has said he messed up when he retweeted that picture.)

What he was was incompetent, unable to turn off the political animatronic mode he goes into when he's talking to an audience, and inappropriate, as one would expect from a mild autiste. He picked the wrong place to exact revenge and now, not only did he not hurt Trump, but he may have mortally wounded himself.

Too bad. He would have made a hell of a troll on the Supreme Court.

D Cooling said...


...take Trump's metaphorical cock out of your mouth, you're not reading clearly as you're eyes are blurry with tears as you deepthroat it. Did I not write that that renouncing the pledge was a good move on Trump's part to play chicken with the party, or possibly a bitch move to 'take his ball and go home'? Depending on you're view of the man, it was a good move or a gamma move. You are a Trump fluffer, so your rational brain is not being used, so you assign it as alpha behavior.

Calling Cruz a gamma for his failure to bend of a take it up the ass for the good of the party when what he actually said was "vote your conscious," is acting like a woman, using emotions over logic.

Elocutioner said...

"is acting like a woman, using emotions over logic."

Cool story. Ignore relevant context when it doesn't fit your point then rationalize that what he REALLY did was the opposite of what we all saw him do. Secret King wins again!

Unknown said...

VFM #7634 -

You were responding to my comments within minutes, but then I ask you for evidence and it's been more than an hour. I hope your radio silence is just because you haven't come back to this thread and seen my request for evidence, and not because you made a false statement and now realized it. If it's the former, then all I need to see is the evidence for your statement that Cruz's actual campaign (and not some random supporter of his that he can't control) was responsible for posting the racy pictures of Trump's wife. If I see evidence, I'll change my mind about Cruz. But if it's the latter, and you made a false statement with no evidence to back it up, I'll ask you for a retraction.

Rabbi B said...

Indulge me to post a few lines from one of my favorite films .... A Man for All Seasons:

ROPER: Sir, come out! Swear to the Act! Take the oath and come out!

MORE: Is this why they let you come?

ROPER: Yes . . . Meg's under oath to persuade you.

MORE: (Coldly) That was silly, Meg. How did you come to do that?

MARGARET: I wanted to!

MORE: You want me to swear to the Act of Succession?

MARGARET: "God more regards the thoughts of the heart than the words of the mouth." Or so you've always told me.

MORE: Yes.

MARGARET: Then say the words of the oath and in your heart think otherwise.

MORE: What is an oath then but words we say to God?

MARGARET: That's very neat.

MORE: Do you mean it isn't true?

MARGARET: No, it's true.

MORE: Then it's a poor argument to call it "neat," Meg. When a man takes an oath, Meg, he's holding his own self in his own hands. Like water. (He cups his hands) And if he opens his fingers then-he needn't hope to find himself again. Some men aren't capable of this, but I'd be loathe to think your father one of them.



It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows . . . L-rd, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly,and works righteousness,and speaks the truth in his heart . . . He who swears to his own hurt and does not change . . ." (cf. Proverbs 20; Psalm 15).

I, for one, am grateful for timeless, Biblical principles as a light that shines in the darkness to guide us on our way. When words are meaningless, what are we?

Audacity17 said...

Cruz was under no obligation to endorse Trump after Trump said in March that the pledge was null and void. Further, Cruz' obligation to honor his father and marital vows to his wife take precedence. Having said that, his wording was too smart by half.

Rabbi B said...

Trump, trumped the pledge? That's your argument?

Maybe Cruz should have thought twice before putting his name to a written pledge that he really didn't support. It would have been better for Cruz to have taken a position and stuck to it, come what may. He could have also expressed his feelings that he does not support Trump or the principles for which he stands, but because I am a man of principle, and I gave my word to support the Republican nominee, even if that nominee were Trump, I will honor my word and endorse Trump as the Republican nominee for president of the United States.

Even if he had stayed home and refused to speak, while issuing a public statement along similar lines, it would have been better for Cruz than to use the venue, where it is expected you will express support for the nominee, to do anything but otherwise. In short, it was, at the very least, a poor strategic move that wasn't ever going to be perceived as anything but a dick move, and a move that may or may not hurt Cruz in the long term. Time will tell.

D Cooling said...


So without a reasoned comeback, you're reduced to retorting that I'm actually actually guilty of what I am aptly noting that you're doing? Further, you're compounding your sophistic ineptitude by assuming my motivations without evidence. What's next, "I am rubber, you are glue" and sticking your tongue out?

VFM #7634 said...


No, it's because you're taking a gamma tack of demanding solid ironclad PROOF before believing anything (which you'd promptly quibble with if it was provided).

You know the backstory. The pics of Melania were distributed by a pro-Cruz Super PAC. When Trump got angry about it, Cruz sanctimoniously replied he had nothing to do with it... but at the same time never repudiated the super PAC's actions. You're demanding PROOF that the super PAC and Cruz weren't at all coordinating, but since I'm not a computer hacker or have inside access to the Cruz campaign, I am unable to do that. Because of that, we have to go by what we can see. And given his refusal to disavow the super PAC's actions and his gamma sanctimoniousness regarding his wife, we can surmise that Cruz definitely tacitly approved distributing Melania's picture, and furthermore, given his known (with PROOF) tendency to lie, that we cannot believe him when he says he had nothing to do with it.

Furthermore, Cruz never reasoned to himself that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't up-front enough about Melania and the super PAC, and that therefore if Trump retweeted a silly little picture dinging his wife -- which was considerably milder than what his own super-PAC did, I might add -- that maybe getting completely (purportedly) butthurt about it wouldn't work in convincing most people to back him and St. Heidi "Goldman Sachs" Cruz over Trump, aside from a fairly small but loud contingent of white-knighting gammas.

I mean, gee, is this so very hard?

Unknown said...

Yes, Cruz should have condemned the super PAC's actions right away. Fair enough; I was unaware of it at the time, but my opinion of him has just gone down. He should have called them out.

But you also need to retract your statement that it was the Cruz campaign that sent out those pictures, because that's false. I'm not demanding proof of the unproveable, I'm just interested in people being careful to speak the truth. If I say something that steps beyond the bounds of truth, I'd hope that others would call me out on it too.

Elocutioner said...

"So without a reasoned comeback,"

A comeback to your empty rhetoric? Your argument was destroyed and you reiterated it wrapped in an insult. Perhaps you should take your oral fixation over to Grindr, that's more your speed.

Unknown said...

... And my opinion of Trump has just gone down as well:

SERIOUSLY? He's doubling down on THAT lie? Again?

I know I shouldn't expect politicians to have the respect for the truth that I try to have (I can't claim that I always live up to my own standards, but I try). But SERIOUSLY?

Amaryllis said...

You know you fucked up when somebody utters the sentiment 'Man, even JEB was smart enough not to do that.'

VFM #7634 said...


Fine. The pro-Cruz Super PAC did it. The Cruz campaign may or may not have approved of it, but there's no evidence it disapproved of it either.

D Cooling said...


It appears that you're incapable of mounting a coherent argument, nor countering my points. I am sorry for you the way I feel sorry for the maid I pay to clean my house, she's earnest alright, but is where she is due to utter lack of potential.

Elocutioner said...
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Elocutioner said...
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Elocutioner said...
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Elocutioner said...

Okay, shortbus:


DURING THE CONVENTION, while still AT the convention, before Trump even accepted the nomination, Cruz was Fundraising for his Senate 2018 re-election. He thinks he's set himself up at the heir apparent for 2020 and wagered his political future on Trump losing.

Ergo, Cruz is a gamma. Thanks for playing.

D Cooling said...


Thanks for playing indeed. I seem to have struck a nerve.

All Trump's team had to do after Cruz said "vote your conscious" was say something pithy, like "if you believe in America, then your conscious can tell you only one thing, vote for Trump." Instead they trash the man and make the entire 3rd night of the convention about Cruz, rather than the nominee. Not smart. Cruz gets the attention he sought by standing on principal. If Trump loses, Cruz can say "I told you so" and he's the presumptive nominee in 2020. If Trump wins, then with Cruz in the Congress, Trump still has to work with him as president, and Cruz is a safe bet to get re-elected in Texas. The Cruz must be the most successful gamma who ever gamma'ed then. Is he a gamma? I dunno, as other's suggested he might be mildly autistic, and that would fit, which in that case your alpha, beta, gamma, omega typology is meaningless to someone who doesn't experience human emotions in the same way you and I.

Trump bullies a guy for months, calls his wife ugly, insinuates that his dad took part in the assassination of JFK, calls him 'Lyin' Ted, and tries to shame him into an endorsement, then gives him a prime time speaking slot when the convention is supposed to spotlight how awesome you are. All that is just poor thinking on the part of the Trump campaign. Then, because his Dem opponent is so weak, and all he has to do between now and November is act normal and he'll win, he triples down on the whacky JFK assassination plot just this morning. Like most of his campaign, it's been sorta a shit show. Still, I will pull the lever for him due to his opponent.

Indeed, the system is designed to work this way, ambition opposing ambition. Take an hour or so to read Federalist 51.

Elocutioner said...


Wow, you're a genius. Hey, did anybody else catch that Newt said exactly that less in his speech less than a minute after Cruz was booed off the stage? It seems your premise may be faulty.

Nobody said gammas can't be successful, but boohoo he was bullied into breaking his word to the party! Trump may be a bully but he played super genius Ted like a fiddle. Not smart.

Jed Mask said...

Well said and well spoken. I "concur". Amen!

~ Sincerely,

Bro. Jed

D Cooling said...

Played Ted like a fiddle? Not really. I listened to Rush yesterday and knew about Newt, but didn't mention it because it still doesn't detract from my point. Newt added it to his speech on the fly....after the Trumpster himself came spontaneously into the arena un-announced and sat there like a cheated on girlfriend catching you at the bar with a fling. Then the next day, like a woman scorned who brings up your every wrong every time you fight, he can't leave well enough alone and move the party past the disagreement in the interests of a greater cause (the presidency) and say "like Newt said." Gamma bitch behavior, no doubt. The guy has diarrhea of the mouth when given the spotlight. Gamma behavior there too. Again, you keep ascribing alpha behavior to Trump because you like the guy so much, when he acts like a thin-skinned little gamma bitch all the time too. Is Trump an alpha? I suppose. I don't see it, but enough people like you fluff for him that you can't deny the evidence.

But by all means, I won't try to dissuade you from your favorable opinion of the Trump. Maybe you're so over the top enamored of him that you're going to volunteer for his campaign and I am less likely to have Hillary as president. I'm looking out for my own best interests here.

D Cooling said...

I come back a few hours later and there's no reply from Elo the Trump-bot. As it is Friday, I have plans and will be to busy to check a blog. You're more than welcome to the last word, have at it kiddo.

Daniel said...

His wife was a photograph of her. Cruz's reaction was classic gamma. He jumped to the conclusion that Trump called her ugly. All he did was retweet her photo. Cruz thinks his wife is ugly, and projected the slur onto his opponent.

Mountain Man said...

Very good advice.

rumpole5 said...

The wife thing was ridiculous. My reaction to the photo of Ms. Trump and question was YES! Moreover, Trump knew his wife's professional past when he married her. That photo was nothing to be ashamed of in Utah or anywhere else. On the other hand, Trump posting the photo of Mrs. Cruz was thin skinned, mean, and petty. That lady was not in the business of selling her looks for profit, so her photos were not fair game.

Trump needs to lay off the petty bucks and stick to his many excellent issues.

rumpole5 said...

Talking about Cruz is a waste of time. He is history. Trump is our nominee and all our eggs are in the Trump basket. I hope to God that Trump does not ruin everything with petty bull hockey.

VFM #7634 said...

Cruz definitely shot himself in the foot, if not the groin.

Ted Cruz's Donald Trump Burn May Have Backfired

There's no "may have" about it. Among Republicans, his favorability rating went from 60% to 33%.

Avraham said...

I should say that when I was at a very hard part of my life and realized that my whole world view was upside down and everyone I had though were my friends turned out to be terrible wicked enemies. I knew then I needed to find one basic principle that I would not violate under any circumstances that would guide me through the chaos. And I found this principle of speaking the truth no matter what was the one thing that could help me.

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