News Round-Up: March 16, 2019

Some news items you might have missed:

• Finally, a public bathroom sign (above) that makes sense.

• The Advocate takes a look at newly-announced presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke's history on LGBTQ issues.

• GOP Sen. Ted Cruz has been fined $35,000 for failing to disclose $1 million in campaign funds.

• Michael Jackson fans are suing his alleged victims for taking part in the recent HBO documentary Leaving Neverland for sullying the memory of the pop star.

• Having surpassed over 65,000 donors, out White House hopeful Pete Buttigieg has qualified for the 2020 Democratic presidential debates.

• Indie singer/songwriter/producer Lauv (nominated for “Best New Pop Artist at the 2019 iHeart Radio Music Awards) drops his stripped-down video of hit single “i’m so tired…” with Troye Sivan.

Lauv said on the stripped performance, “Troye and I went to Henson Recording Studios to make this acoustic version of ‘i’m so tired...’ and we ended up including the infamous bridge. Also, Troye is an angel...go check it out and enjoy."

Troye added, “I’ve had the insane joy of playing this song live now for the last few weeks and have never felt a ground swell like this for a song I’m on before. So excited to put out this acoustic version of ‘i’m so tired...’ with Lauv!"

Anti-Ted Cruz Ad Uses Donald Trump Sound Bites

We all knew this was coming. I'm just surprised it took this long.

A new anti-Ted Cruz ad from Progressive Change Committee (not affiliated with Beto O'Rourke campaign) uses images of Sen. Ted Cruz and sound bites from Donald Trump to describe the Texas Republican:

“I must tell you something about Ted Cruz. I have never, never met someone who lies more than Ted Cruz.

One of the great liars of all time. That’s why we call him ‘Lyin’ Ted.’

Lyin’ Ted! He holds the Bible high, and then he lies.

Ted Cruz, he’s taken so much money from so many different people, and he’s totally controlled.

He’s a nasty guy, nobody likes him, nobody in Congress likes him.

Cruz is not a truthful person.

Cruz is the most dishonest guy I think I’ve ever met in politics.”

(h/t JoeMyGod)

Trump On Ted Cruz: "He's Not 'Lyin Ted' Anymore - He's 'Beautiful Ted!'"

Donald Trump says that he and Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz have buried the animosity of the 2016 Republican primary as he heads to Texas today.

"He's not 'Lyin Ted' anymore; he's 'Beautiful Ted!'"

Trump is traveling to Texas to hold a massive get-out-the-vote rally for Cruz in the final days of a closer-than-expected race against Democrat Rep. Beto O’Rourke.

Watch below.

WATCH: President Trump on his evolved relationship with Sen. Cruz: "He's not Lyin' Ted anymore, he's Beautiful Ted." pic.twitter.com/nThXaBL1Kq

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 22, 2018

Houston Chronicle Endorses Democrat Rep. Beto O'Rourke Over Sen. Ted Cruz

Sen. Ted Cruz (L) and Rep. Beto O'Rourke (R)

The editorial board of the Houston Chronicle, the hometown newspaper of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, has endorsed his Democratic opponent, Rep. Beto O'Rourke.

With eyes clear but certainly not starry, we enthusiastically endorse Beto O’Rourke for U.S. Senate. The West Texas congressman’s command of issues that matter to this state, his unaffected eloquence and his eagerness to reach out to all Texans make him one of the most impressive candidates this editorial board has encountered in many years.

Despite the long odds he faces – pollster nonpareil Nate Silver gives O’Rourke a 20 percent chance of winning – a “Beto” victory would be good for Texas, not only because of his skills, both personal and political, but also because of the manifest inadequacies of the man he would replace.

Ted Cruz — a candidate the Chronicle endorsed in 2012, by the way — is the junior senator from Texas in name only. Exhibiting little interest in addressing the needs of his fellow Texans during his six years in office, he has kept his eyes on a higher prize.

He’s been running for president since he took the oath of office — more likely since he picked up his class schedule as a 15-year-old ninth-grader at Houston’s Second Baptist High School more than three decades ago. For Cruz, public office is a private quest; the needs of his constituents are secondary.

RealClearPolitics' average of polls shows Cruz ahead of O'Rourke by 7 points.

Texas: Rep. Beto O'Rourke Raises A Record $38 Million For Senate Race

Sen. Ted Cruz (L) and Rep. Beto O'Rourke (R)

Democratic senatorial candidate Rep. Beto O'Rourke has raised more than three times the amount of incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz for the upcoming midterm elections.

From The Texas Tribune:

U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, raised $38.1 million for his U.S. Senate campaign in the third quarter, a new record for the largest fundraising quarter ever in a U.S. Senate race, according to his campaign.

The haul more than tripled Republican incumbent Ted Cruz’s fundraising for the past three months, which Cruz has said was over $12 million. O’Rourke has consistently raised more than Cruz in the race, but this is the widest gap yet.

The $38.1 million is by far the largest amount raised in a quarter by a Senate candidate, surpassing Republican Rick Lazio’s record of $22 million in 2000 for his bid against Democrat Hillary Clinton in New York.

Cruz currently averages a 7 point lead in the polls according to RealClearPolitics.

And according to the most recent Texas Senate Quinnipiac poll, Cruz leads O’Rourke, 54%-45%.

Plus, Cruz's favorability is +8 (52-44) while O'Rourke has a divided 45%-47% (-2) favorability rating.

Although, I see RCP doesn't list this new poll from Reuters/IPSOS that shows O'Rourke leading by 2 points.

Could the tide turn at just the right time?

Billboards In Texas To Showcase Anti-Cruz Trump Tweet

The race for Ted Cruz's U.S. Senate seat keeps getting more and more heated as polls show Cruz in almost a dead heat with Democratic challenger, Rep. Beto O’Rourke.

Texas hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate in three decades.

Last week it was reported that an activist group is raising money to place anti-Cruz billboards in the state quoting a 2016 Donald Trump tweet which claimed Cruz was "all talk, no action."

Trump has now announced that he would be holding a “major rally” for Cruz in Texas next month.

Several recent polls have shown Cruz and O’Rourke in a dead heat, though the deep-red state has not elected a Democrat to the Senate in three decades.

In related news, possible 2020 presidential challenger Michael Avenatti says he will hold a competing "resistance rally" in Texas at the same time as the Cruz/Trump event.

I am excited to announce that I will be leading a large resistance rally in Texas at the exact same time of Trump’s (details tba). All groups are welcome to join. We must fight fire with fire and we must send a message that we will fight to make America America again. #Basta

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) September 2, 2018

News Round-Up: April 19, 2018

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Sometimes it's a good idea to look back - as fitness athlete Pierre Vuala (above) makes abundantly clear. #TBT

• The woman who launched a homophobic attack on two female soldiers is now banned from the restaurant where the incident took place, and she's lost her part-time gig teaching at a local college.

• This gay Canadian man thought losing 70 pounds would bring him joy. Turns out, not so much.

• The cast of the upcoming Broadway revival of Boys In The Band donned pink triangle t-shirts in honor of The AIDS Memorial.

. . “Our entire cast of THE BOYS IN THE BAND are so moved and inspired by these stories of the beautiful men and women that we lost to the plague during those dark years. . Thank you for bringing them to life once more on your beautiful Instagram @theaidsmemorial.” — by Matt Bomer @mattbomer . #whatisrememberedlives #theaidsmemorial #aidsmemorial #endaids #boysintheband @theaidsmemorialtshirt .

A post shared by THE A I D S M E M O R I A L (@theaidsmemorial) on Apr 17, 2018 at 4:41pm PDT

• The first Quinnipiac University poll for this year's race for Sen. Ted Cruz's seat in the U.S. Senate is in a statistical dead heat with Rep. Beto O’Rourke (Texas), his Democratic challenger, only 3 points behind Cruz 47%/44%. O'Rourke has raised $6.7 million compared to Cruz's $3.2 million in campaign donations.

• Lobbyists at the anti-LGBT organizations the Heritage Foundation and Family Research Council were secretly involved in drafting the Trump administration's policy banning transgender military service members. And now those same folks are hopping mad because their communications have been subpoenaed which could reveal to the world their hateful statements.

• Fraternity brothers at a joint-hosted Phi Gamma Delta and Kappa Sigma Xi-Lambda off-campus party last Friday broke the leg of a gay man in an alleged homophobic attack. Watch the report below.

Good Times: Ted Cruz Likes A Porn Tweet

The Twitterverse is all "atwitter" about Republican Sen. Ted Cruz this morning as several intrepid readers noticed that the junior senator from Texas "Liked" a pornographic tweet.

While Cruz's communications director issued a statement saying the "Like" had been deleted, there was no explanation as to why it appeared in the first place.

Let's face it - the simple reason would be that Cruz saw the tweet and actually did like it.

It's all quite funny especially in light of Cruz's holier than thou religious statements in the past, as well as his involvement in a 2007 court case in Texas about banning the use of sex toys.

Acting as solicitor general for the state of Texas, he defended the state ban on so-called "marital aids" writing, "There is no substantive due process right to stimulate one’s genitals for non-medical purposes unrelated to procreation or outside of an interpersonal relationship."

That statement struck a lot of folks' funny bones, particularly his former college roommate who apparently remembers Cruz enjoying some personal "stimulation" back in the day.

Ted Cruz thinks people don't have a right to "stimulate their genitals." I was his college roommate. This would be a new belief of his.

— Craig Mazin (@clmazin) April 13, 2016

Now imagine Ted Cruz is doing this four feet below you in the bottom bunk bed.

Yes, my misery very much appreciates your company.

— Craig Mazin (@clmazin) September 12, 2017

In any case, we all now await the certain denial from Cruz that he actually had anything to do with the porno post today. Of course he'll say he was hacked.

In the meantime, the Twitterverse had fun:

Satan- WHY ARE YOU UP AT 2AM!?!?!

Steve Bannon- OMG! Ted Cruz just liked one of my videos on Twitter.

— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) September 12, 2017

Honestly the only thing that could've made the Ted Cruz thing funnier is if it were Mike Pence liking gay porn.

— (((OhNoSheTwitnt))) (@OhNoSheTwitnt) September 12, 2017

Me waiting for Ted Cruz's inevitable statement that his Twitter was hacked pic.twitter.com/QVkpizbS47

— Justin (@DTPJustin) September 12, 2017

The Ted Cruz the media doesn't want you to see on 9/11 pic.twitter.com/x4cLYjdsvW

— rickandmorty (@rickandmorty101) September 12, 2017

Who knew that the sequel to Covfefe would star Ted Cruz?!

— Tommy Campbell (@MrTommyCampbell) September 12, 2017

Ted Cruz is such a jerk-off.

— Donald J. Drumpf (@RealDonalDrumpf) September 12, 2017

Don't let the Ted Cruz porn story distract you from the fact that he is somehow younger than Jennifer Lopez.

— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) September 12, 2017

UPDATE - Sen. Ted Cruz told addressed the issue with reporters on Capitol Hill this morning:

“This is not how I envisioned waking up this morning. There are a number of people on the team that have access to the account and it appears that someone inadvertently hit the like button. And when we discovered the post, which I was I guess an hour or two later, we pulled it down. We’re dealing with it internally, but it was a mistake, it was not malicious conduct."

News Round-Up: October 9, 2016

Noah Galvin of The Real O'Neals

Some news stories you may have missed:

• The Real O'Neals star, out actor Noah Galvin, says he was "dumb and unkind" to troll Colton Haynes' coming out.

• Hollywood icon Warren Beatty says his transgender son, Stephen, is "his hero."

• A major Latino polling company says Hillary Clinton could win the largest share of Hispanic voters in recorded history.

• For the first time ever, a major presidential candidate - Democrat Hillary Clinton - has penned an op-ed for an LGBT newspaper addressing LGBT equality.

• Awesomeness! British researchers think they may be on track to cure HIV.

• Sen. Ted Cruz is mad that NBC didn't share Donald Trump's "Grab'em by the p***y" tape earlier so he could have been the Republican nominee.

Ted Cruz Endorses Donald Trump For President

Donald Trump (L) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R)

Writing on his Facebook page today, Sen. Ted Cruz - who came in second for the Republican presidential nomination - announced he will be voting for GOP candidate Donald Trump for president on November 8.

You'll recall that Cruz has said in recent months that Trump is a "sniveling coward" and that he could never imagine see himself endorsing Trump.

Cruz cites possible Supreme Court nominations as his number one reason for endorsing the devil Trump.

From his Facebook page:

This election is unlike any other in our nation’s history. Like many other voters, I have struggled to determine the right course of action in this general election.

In Cleveland, I urged voters, “please, don’t stay home in November. Stand, and speak, and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket whom you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution.”

After many months of careful consideration, of prayer and searching my own conscience, I have decided that on Election Day, I will vote for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump.

I’ve made this decision for two reasons. First, last year, I promised to support the Republican nominee. And I intend to keep my word.

Second, even though I have had areas of significant disagreement with our nominee, by any measure Hillary Clinton is wholly unacceptable — that’s why I have always been #NeverHillary.

You can read the full text at the link. But, you get the picture.

The timing is interesting in that recently the RNC and Trump have mentioned "sanctions" against future runs for the White House for any of this year's GOP wanna-be's who don't support Trump.

Hillary Clinton's campaign responded to the endorsement by retweeting a post from Cruz this past spring urging Trump to release his tax returns.

Ted Cruz Torpedoes GOP Convention - Refuses To Endorse Donald Trump

Stealing the spotlight from Donald Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, and son Eric Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz refused to endorse the Republican nominee as he spoke at this year's Republican National Convention.

Cruz only mentioned Trump's name once - to say "congratulations" - and then went on to deliver a self-serving speech clearly calculated to undercut his party's nominee.

From ABC News:

“I want to congratulate Donald Trump on winning the nomination last night,” the Texas senator said, addressing the Cleveland gathering on its third evening. “And like each of you, I want to see the principles that our party believes prevail in November.”

And then Cruz, whose primary battle with Trump turned increasingly bitter when the billionaire businessman attacked Cruz’s wife and his father, pivoted to this: “Conventions are times of excitement. But given the events of the last few weeks, I hope you’ll allow me a moment to talk to you about what’s really at stake.”

When delegates from New York loudly urged Cruz from the convention floor to “say it” — referring to endorsing Trump — the Texas senator only responded: “I appreciate the enthusiasm of the New York delegation.” Cruz then exited to loud booing from the crowd.

Speaking to the Texas Republican delegation this morning, Cruz explained he was not going to "come like a servile puppy dog and say, ‘thank you very much for maligning my wife and maligning my father.’”

In the aftermath of the debacle, Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort told CNN, "Trump made the offer to speak without any conditions. He thought Sen. Cruz might be a little more politically smart." That doesn't sound like The Donald is a very good deal maker, does it?

Afterwards, Trump tweeted that he knew ahead of time about Cruz's intentions but "let him speak anyway."

Wow, Ted Cruz got booed off the stage, didn't honor the pledge! I saw his speech two hours early but let him speak anyway. No big deal!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2016

Liberal Redneck Rejoices On News Of Ted Cruz Dropping Out Of Race For White House

Ted Cruz dropped out of the race and "Liberal Redneck" Trae Crowder is plum tickled by it.

Ted Cruz Drops Out Of Republican Race For Presidential Nomination

Sen. Ted Cruz

After a crushing defeat in the Indiana Republican primary, Sen. Ted Cruz has announced he is suspending his campaign for the presidency.

From Huffington Post:

“Tonight, I’m sorry to say that path has been foreclosed,” Cruz said in a speech Tuesday night in Indianapolis, “but the voters chose another path.”

“We are suspending our campaign,” he added.

As Trump barreled toward the 1,237 delegates required to win, Cruz’s campaign in recent weeks resorted to increasingly desperate measures, mounting a last-ditch effort to win the Indiana primary, one of the only remaining primary states that gave Cruz a chance of winning. But Indiana turned out to be the final nail in the coffin — Trump won handily in the Hoosier State, including among social conservatives, a demographic that in theory favored Cruz.

To reinvigorate his campaign, Cruz last week named former presidential candidate and Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina as his running mate, even though candidates typically do not name their running mate until they have amassed enough delegates for the nomination.

Donald Trump: Lyin' Ted Is Becoming "More And More Unhinged"

During an interview with "Fox & Friends" this morning, Donald Trump took some swings at opponent Ted Cruz which included parroting a recent National Enquirer article citing Cruz's father, Rafael Cruz, linking him to President John F. Kennedy's assassin.

This was, predictably, followed by Cruz responding to the accusation:

"This man is a pathological liar. He doesn't know the difference between truth and lies," Cruz said at a press conference. "He lies — practically every word that comes out of his mouth."

At various points, he called Trump a "narcissist" and "serial philanderer" and said "morality doesn't exist" for him.

Cruz also responded at length to the Republican presidential frontrunner's suggestion earlier in the day that Cruz's father, Rafael Cruz, was somehow linked to Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin of President John F. Kennedy.

The Texas senator mocked Trump's suggestions, going on a sarcastic riff to lump in Trump with famous conspiracy theorists.

"Yes, my dad killed JFK. He's secretly Elvis. And Jimmy Hoffa is buried in his backyard," Cruz said.

And, of course, The Donald wasn't about to let Cruz have the last word. Said Trump:

Ted Cruz is a desperate candidate trying to save his failing campaign. It is no surprise he has resorted to his usual tactics of over-the-top rhetoric that nobody believes.

Over the last week, I have watched Lyin’ Ted become more and more unhinged as he is unable to react under the pressure and stress of losing, in all cases by landslides, the last six primary elections --- in fact, coming in last place in all but one of them.

Today’s ridiculous outburst only proves what I have been saying for a long time, that Ted Cruz does not have the temperament to be President of the United States.

File this under #InfightingIsFun

Needless to say, all eyes are on the primary in Indiana tonight as pundits and pols are watching to see if Trump can score a decisive victory in an attempt to shut out Cruz from any delegates.

Attack Ad: Ted Cruz Says Donald Trump Is The Real Liar

Sen. Ted Cruz slaps back at billionaire Donald Trump about The Donald's campaign attacks on Cruz.

Cruz goes on to say the Trumpster is the real liar and "phony."

#infighting

Ted Cruz Continues Making Anti-Trans "Bathroom Bills" Part Of Campaign Talking Points

Even though the right-wing myths about what happens have been debunked many times (as recently as last week by FOX News anchor Chris Wallace), Ted Cruz continues to hammer home his fear-mongering about the consequences of transgender “bathroom bills” and according to the NYT, the strategy is working for him, at least in Indiana.

Stephen Colbert On Fiorina's Singing: “It’s like Disney gave the wicked stepmother her own song"

I haven't written yet about Ted Cruz's rather gutsy move to announce a running-mate before he actually becomes the Republican presidential nominee.

Mainly because I didn't really know what to make of it. Or what to make of Carly Fiorina's rather creepy singing to Ted's children at the announcement.

Stephen Colbert just about nails it though.

From Towleroad:

“I’m still reeling from the news out of the Ted Cruz campaign. First, that there is still a Ted Cruz campaign….second, that he named a running mate yesterday. That is bold.”

Colbert applauded Cruz’s “huevos rancheros” for choosing a running mate so early in the game, and then proceeded to liken it to the captain of the Titanic announcing a “vice captain” as the ship is going down.

But Colbert saved the most glee to mock Fiorina’s “lullaby” for Cruz’s children: “It’s like Disney gave the wicked stepmother her own song.”

John Boehner: Ted Cruz Is "Lucifer In The Flesh"

“Lucifer in the flesh. I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life.” - former Speaker of the House John Boehner expressing his opinion of GOP White House hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz Goes After Donald Trump's Opposition To HB2

Following quickly on the heels of Donald Trump telling NBC News that he opposes North Carolina's anti-LGBT hate law HB2, Sen. Ted Cruz rushed out this attack ad using the same, tired false "attack of the transgender women" narrative we've seen far too often.

Text of the spot:

“Should a grown man pretending to be a woman be allowed to use the women’s restroom? The same restroom used by your daughter? And your wife? Donald Trump thinks so. It’s not appropriate and it’s not safe. It’s PC nonsense that’s destroying America. Donald Trump won’t take on the PC police. He’s one of them.”

GMA: Ted Cruz Side-Steps Question On Same-Sex Marriage

GOP White House hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz was asked a question this morning on Good Morning America by a gay Republican businessman concerned about so-called "religious freedom" laws and Cruz's support for a constitutional amendment to overturn same-sex marriage in the United States.

It will come as no surprise that Cruz stealthily side-stepped what the gentleman was asking and instead talks on how "religious freedom" in the Constitution "protects everybody."

Even though hosts Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos circle back to the center of the question, Cruz never really addresses the issue.

The moment feels like everyone is being a bit "polite" - the question gets posed but no one really goes to the heart of the matter. Watch below from ABC: