In case you missed it this weekend, the Cruz campaign came under heavy fire after pushing a story suggesting that Marco Rubio dissed the Bible. Cruz comms director Rick Tyler was instrumental in disseminating the story, which turned out to be based on a Rubio misquote.
Blogger Sarah Rumpf has more:
Rubio campaign staffers and other Twitter users quickly pushed back on the story, arguing that the captions on the video were incorrect, and Rubio had said “all the answers are in there” about the Bible, not that there were “not many answers.”
Eric Teetsel, Rubio’s Director of Faith Outreach, was very vocal in criticizing the video and the Cruz campaign’s efforts to promote it, calling it “dirty tactics.” Rubio strategist Joe Pounder attacked Tyler’s posts as “peddling garbage.”
…
Tyler took a swipe at the rival campaign, adding that unlike the Rubio campaign, they correct stories when they get them wrong. However that is not quite accurate. Tyler did delete the posts at some point after finding out the story was not accurate, but did not post any explanation, correction, or apology.
Well, it looks like Cruz decided that he’s had enough:
Ted Cruz announces he has asked for communications director Rick Tyler's resignation.
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) February 22, 2016
Cruz: "This morning, I asked for Rick Tyler's resignation."
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) February 22, 2016
.@tedcruz announces he asked for resignation of campaign spokesman @rickwtyler for RTing false video questioning Rubio's faith
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 22, 2016
Recommended
in addition to RTing the false video, @rickwtyler had posted it on his FB page. his apology post is herehttps://t.co/kDoAGV2JaF
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/JGreenDC/status/701869616797196290
Also, this happened:
Cruz spox Rick Tyler was about to go live on MSNBC when he abruptly left.
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) February 22, 2016
Wow, so Rick Tyler bolted from the MSNBC set when he got the news he was fired…
— Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) February 22, 2016
Wow.
Whoa —> https://t.co/iGnM3BA1Tn
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) February 22, 2016
Wowza https://t.co/YOBqzOe6al
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) February 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/JGreenDC/status/701865841021816832
Well done, if true. https://t.co/5VTsowjRSS
— SFK (@stephenkruiser) February 22, 2016
Tyler's departure is good for the Cruz campaign. Shitty spokesman.
— Thankful Muppet Energy (Sunny) (@sunnyright) February 22, 2016
Cruz sacking spokesman Rick Tyler not a great look but sometimes you gotta know when to cut bait on a guy who burned his credibility too far
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) February 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/Neal_Dewing/status/701870599451254784
Rubio Bible story was unbelievably stupid, but so was witch hunt against @rickwtyler post-apology. To err is human, forgive divine.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) February 22, 2016
I shed no tears for ex-Cruz spox Tyler, as he reaped what he sowed, but still…feel a little bad for him here. Oof. https://t.co/Ggt7RCCR93
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) February 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/Aaron_RS/status/701866168299102208
Parting thoughts from Rumpf, whose reporting no doubt played a major role in Tyler being held to account:
I'm not going to cheer for someone losing their job. I've had that job (on a smaller level). It's stressful. /1 https://t.co/mHHKKviXuC
— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) February 22, 2016
But I've been very clear I don't like the Cruz campaign tactics lately & hope this signals a change in direction /2 https://t.co/mHHKKviXuC
— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) February 22, 2016
There are good reasons many conservatives around the country supported Cruz in 2012, like they had Rubio in 2010. /3
— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) February 22, 2016
As I said, I've been a communications director before. Not on a presidential campaign, but I understand the constant pressure. /4
— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) February 22, 2016
In a social media age, the stakes are higher because everything is quicker. You're not just sending a press release at the end of the day /5
— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) February 22, 2016
Biggest lesson I hope people learn is that every effort should be made to verify stories that sound too good to be true. /6
— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) February 22, 2016
***
Update:
This isn’t over:
Just in — @marcorubio campaign responds to @tedcruz asking for Rick Tyler's resignation: pic.twitter.com/GVGidNBSmE
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) February 22, 2016
Dang.
Pulling no punches. https://t.co/XZdFWoIa5r
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) February 22, 2016
Join the conversation as a VIP Member