TOTAL BS!
Sen. Ted Cruz has spent a decade trying to put one of the most memorable nicknames of the 2016 presidential campaign behind him.
Now he’s apparently decided to keep it.
The Texas Republican is moving to formally embrace “Lyin’ Ted” as part of his political brand after publicly acknowledging that President Donald Trump’s famous attack was an extraordinarily effective piece of political marketing.
Cruz made the surprising admission during an appearance on Miranda Devine’s “Pod Force One.”
Trump’s nickname worked, Cruz explained, because it went directly after what Cruz considered his biggest political strength: voters believing he meant what he said.
“The Jiu-Jitsu of Trump was to take my greatest strength and make an attack that goes right at it,” Cruz said, calling Trump’s political instincts “genius.”
Apparently, Cruz has now decided that if you can’t beat it, trademark it.
According to people familiar with the senator’s plans, Cruz’s political operation has begun quietly exploring a complete rehabilitation of the “Lyin’ Ted” brand, including campaign merchandise bearing the nickname and a limited-edition coffee mug reading:
LYIN’ TED
Believe Me.
One proposed T-shirt reportedly features Cruz’s face beneath the slogan:
“LYIN’ SINCE 2016.”
Another simply says:
“TRUMP NAMED ME.”
The campaign is even said to be considering a premium line of “Lyin’ Ted” merchandise personally autographed by Cruz, although aides are debating whether the signatures should come with certificates of authenticity.
That presented an obvious problem. “It’s an authenticity certificate from Lyin’ Ted,” one person involved in the discussion reportedly observed. “So we’re still working through that.”
There is also one potentially awkward obstacle.
Nobody appears to know whether Trump considers the nickname his intellectual property.
Cruz’s team is reportedly hoping to resolve that question amicably rather than risk receiving a cease-and-desist letter bearing the presidential seal.
Trump has not indicated whether he would demand royalties.
People close to Cruz believe the president would probably appreciate the gesture.
After all, Cruz himself has now admitted the nickname was brilliant.
Ten years later, “Lyin’ Ted” may finally be coming home.
And this time Ted Cruz is selling the T-shirts.
TOTAL BS is SATIRE: Ted Cruz really did praise Trump’s political effectiveness in branding him “Lyin’ Ted” and called Trump’s instincts “genius.” The trademark effort, merchandise, authenticity-certificate crisis and potential Trump royalty negotiations are TOTAL BS.
For the real BS read this — Mediaite: Ted Cruz credits Trump’s ‘instinctual genius’ for calling him ‘Lyin’ Ted’
