Don Feder of the World Congress of Families greeted Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign announcement at Liberty University by arguing that while “there will never be another” Ronald Reagan, Cruz comes pretty close.
Just like Cruz, Feder said in his column yesterday, Reagan too “alienated the Republican establishment” and had been labeled as “too extreme” and “too flamboyant” by naysayers who believed he had “absolutely no chance of becoming president.”
Feder said that Cruz picked up the baton from Reagan by declaring his bid at Liberty University, citing Reagan’s ties with Liberty-founder Jerry Falwell and his support for the Religious Right movement.
“Ronald Reagan was unique; there will never be another like him,” Feder said. “But like Reagan, Cruz understands the power of an army of passionate idealists — people who aren’t moved by marginal tax rates or the profit margin of the Fortune 500, but by family, faith and freedom.”
Cruz is a throwback to another presidential contender – one who was also “too extreme,” alienated the Republican establishment, was too flamboyant (appeared in Technicolor in a monochrome field) and, the pundits assured us, had absolutely no chance of becoming president.
Much has been made of Cruz’s choice of a venue to launch his presidential campaign – Liberty University (founded by “televangelist” Jerry Falwell, the media elite sneered) – and his faith-based message. “God’s blessing has been on America from the very beginning of this nation, and I believe God isn’t done with America yet.”
Cruz told the students of this Christian university: “I believe in you. I believe in the power of millions of courageous conservatives rising up to reignite the promise of America.”
On August 21, 1980, Ronald Reagan addressed 15,000 conservative Christians in Dallas. As church leaders, “I know you can’t endorse me,” Reagan famously told them. “But I want you to know that I endorse you and what you are doing.” Among them was Jerry Falwell.
Reagan said the Bible held the answers to all of America’s problems of the day and that if we would only return to that “old-time religion,” we could realize the dream of a shining “city on a hill.”
Ronald Reagan was unique; there will never be another like him. But like Reagan, Cruz understands the power of an army of passionate idealists – people who aren’t moved by marginal tax rates or the profit margin of the Fortune 500, but by family, faith and freedom.
