Anti-Donald Trump protesters at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington expressed more animosity toward Ted Cruz than Trump.
Protesters who gathered outside the Verizon Center during Trump’s speech told the Washington Examiner they viewed Cruz as equally dangerous in comparison to Trump, if not more so.
Webster Griffin Tarpley, who identified himself as “to the left of Bernie Sanders,” said Trump is “the young Mussolini and the middle-aged Hitler.” But, Tarpley said, Cruz espouses a different form of “fascism” that also threatens American society.
“Ted Cruz is actually a slightly different kind of fascist, if you want. A clerical kind of fascist. Clerical, meaning clergy,” Tarpley said. “In other words, the idea that priests or preachers, protestant firebrands or indeed Catholic priests are coming along and dominating a lot of what’s going on.”
Tarpley said he thought Cruz may be less dangerous than Trump simply because the Texas senator had less of a chance of succeeding in a general election.
Others gathered outside Trump’s speech viewed Cruz as the single-biggest threat. One woman, who refused to provide her name, provided unsolicited analysis of the doom facing the country if Cruz succeeds in winning the Republican nomination.
“Trump is bad, Hillary is catastrophic,” the elderly woman said. “And if I have to choose between Hillary and Cruz, I’ll really be up s–t creek. That slimy, pasty-face mongrel, I can’t. Jesus. I could just go into four letter words.”
Ahmed Hussen, another protester carrying a sign reading “Donald Trump has Islamaphobia,” told the Examiner it wasn’t just Trump who scared him, but Cruz too.
“The Republican side scares me,” Hussen said, referring to Trump and Cruz. “This year a little more.”
Several protesters sported memorabilia of the Democratic presidential candidates, including Bernie Sanders pins and signs reading “Love Trumps Hate,” a slogan made popular by Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.
Cruz’s speech received a much warmer reception inside the stadium among those listening to his remarks, where he earned several standing ovations as he promised to “stand unapologetically with the nation of Israel.”
“Weakness is provocative,” Cruz told AIPAC explaining his support for Israel and against Iran. “Appeasement increases the chance of military conflict.”
