Did the media "attack" Cruz's kids? What do you think about how Cruz utilized his children in the commercial?

I don’t consider it an “attack” so much as a cheap shot and just one more example of this ugly “no boundaries” political cycle, which has engulfed the media (especially social media) and the candidates and their supporters. As far Cruz using his kids, wouldn’t you if you were running for office and as unliked as he is? The use of family members and pets is S.O.P. in politics.

@Pachy I would not use my kids to make fun of, or criticize another candidate. Not ever. I would probably use them to demonstrate I’m a family girl, and to show that part of my life.

It’s not really that he was “using” them, it’s that they’re being taught to say such things. I hate it whenever I see children involved in political things. Their minds aren’t developed enough for that kind of stuff, so the information is all fed to them. It reminds me of when I was a kid and always acting self-righteous about the BIble and Jesus. If I knew any better back then, I’d’ve slapped myself in the face.

@Pachy What does S.O.P. mean? Grumpyfish is upset.

“They attacked my children.” -Ted Cruz

Yeah? Well you’re attacking their minds.

@dxs, it stands for Standard Operating Procedure.

@JLeslie, I surely didn’t mean to imply that criticizing or making fun of other candidates’ kids is ever okay. Of course it’s not. I only meant that the practice of showing off a candidate’s family members in campaign advertising and on the stump is a traditional political tactic, intended to enhance his or her image as a decent, ordinary, family-loving person.

I haven’t seen the cartoon, but I agree with leaving people’s families out of sleazy commentary on a sleazy profession. Now the problem is that it can be well argued that Cruz put the kids’ heads on the block when he cast them in that uncharacteristically witty story time clip. But even this is no excuse for deriding little kids carrying out political tasks at the behest of their parents.

@Pachy I don’t think I explained myself well. I don’t agree with publishing that cartoon. What I stated to you above was not about that. It was a statement that I would never use my kids in a video to make fun or criticize another candidate. His children are elementary age. It reminds me of 6 year old picketing in front of an abortion clinic with a dead baby on a sign and kid crying as he screams at women to please don’t go in and kill a baby. The parents work the kid up into a tizzy. Forget that I am pro-choice, if I was pro-life I wouldn’t want my young child involved in the movement to the point that they are so upset and afraid.

Cruz is teaching his kids it’s ok to be sarcastic, mean, and hateful. What if those kids bring up something about a schoolmate, so mistake they made and tease the child about it? They are too young to really understand the difference.

These aren’t 16 year old teens, they are very young.

Cruz is teaching his kids it’s ok to be sarcastic, mean, and hateful.

That is offensive, and his commercial deserves criticism.

He’s like the Republicans who dishonestly cried that opposition to the Iraq war was “attacking our troops.”

Typo: should be “some mistake” not so mistake.

Cruz’s response was to send out an “emergency” million dollar fund-raising appeal. He’s continuing to use his children to further his campaign.

What an absolutely dreadful advertisement. How could anyone bear to vote for someone who allowed themselves to be advertised in this way. I admit that sometimes here political ads can be somewhat “cheesy” but that is simply dreadful. Imagine those poor children when they are older looking back at that ad, total cringe material.

@Adagio I thought about that too. The children looking back on it. Yuck.

I think having the daughter read part of the Hillary story is not okay. I think that must actually be a turn-off for some parents who might otherwise be supporters. He’s teaching his kids to be nasty to other people. Who does that?

The cartoon is also not okay. Seriously, just don’t make fun of kids as a cheap political joke. I’m glad it was retracted.