Peterborough, N.H.
Ted Cruz came out against requiring 18-year-old women to register for the Selective Service and the possibility of being drafted into the military. At a campaign event here Sunday afternoon, Cruz responded to some of his rivals, like Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush, who said in Saturday’s debate that women should have to register.
“It was striking that three different people on that stage came out in support of drafting women into combat in the military,” Cruz said. “I didn’t have an opportunity to respond to that particular question. But I have to admit as I was sitting there listening to that conversation, my reaction was, ‘Are you guys nuts?'”
Cruz vowed not to change the current policy as president. “Political correctness is dangerous, and the idea that we would draft our daughters to forcibly bring them into the militarily and put them in close combat I think is wrong. It is immoral, and if I’m president, we ain’t doing it,” he said.
Cruz referred to the fact that while he loves his two daughters and believes they can do anything they want, the government should not force them into a situation where they might see combat with enemies in a war zone.
CNBC anchor John Harwood, who was in attendance, gave a report on Twitter of Cruz’s statement:
Some took this to imply that Cruz was referring to American male soldiers as the “psychopaths,” but that’s not what Cruz said.
“I’m the father of two little girls. I love those girls with all of my heart. They are capable of doing anything their hearts’ desire. But the idea that their government would forcibly put them in a foxhole with a 220-pound psychopath trying to kill them doesn’t make any sense,” Cruz said.
