Young New Hampshire crowd cheers Ted Cruz support for Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu

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"The crowd erupted in applause after Cruz declared his steadfast support for Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu."
 
3/28/15, "The Disrupter? Ted Cruz Lays Out ‘Grassroots Guerrilla’ Strategy for College Audience," Breitbart, A. Marlow, Nashua, N.H.

Fri., 3/27/15, Nashua, NH

"With a speech peppered with pop culture references, Texas Senator Ted Cruz brought a crowd of college students to their feet on three occasions Friday night at the New England Freedom Conference.

The first 2016 presidential candidate is the most prominent conservative speaking at the free enterprise-themed weekend hosted by conservative activist organization Young America’s Foundation.

Cruz, who paid homage to Ronald Reagan and Ron Paul for their ability to connect with young audiences, tailored his speech to the youthful crowd.

Of the 200+ in attendance at the Radisson Hotel Nashua, most were students. The 44-year-old Texan presented himself as relentlessly positive in the face of intense and often nasty opposition. In his introduction, Reagan Ranch director Andrew Coffin compared the onslaught of attacks waged against Cruz to what Ronald Reagan endured.

Cruz laughed off the negativity. “Reagan dealt with things with a smile,” he said....

At times the speech veered to serious political topics:

The junior Texas Senator criticized the Democrats for the rapid rise in the national debt—he noted that it has gone up $8 trillion since his six-year-old daughter was born—as well as the beleaguered jobs market and staggering student loans for young people....

He went on to describe the Obama administration as the “most antagonist administration to Israel” in the history of the USA. The crowd erupted in applause after Cruz declared his steadfast support for Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Several shots at the GOP political establishment were well received by the conference-goers.  

“Republicans in Washington D.C. have accepted Obamacare as a permanent feature,” he declared to a smattering of moans. Cruz cited Republicans in particular as being unwilling to change polices and strategies that could jeopardize their own job security.

The 2016 hopeful described himself as a disrupter: an agent whose modus operandi is to question accepted norms and upset the natural order of things.

The Hispanic American of Cuban descent made it clear that he hopes to establish an identity as an upbeat conservative, steadfast in his principles, often at odds with the Republican Party, and using a playbook patented by Democrats.

With the clarion call “change the rules in Washington” neatly summing up his extensive remarks, Sen. Ted Cruz generated an enthusiastic response from the Young America’s Foundation New England Freedom Conference audience.

The conference continues Saturday with a full day of speakers and is live-streamed at Breitbart.com."

Image by Breitbart. Via Free Rep.

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Republican road to 2016 White House may run through Israel. Ted Cruz mention of Israel drew roaring, standing ovation from Evangelical Christians. Importance of Israel as election issue can only grow as US government treatment of the nation worsens-Keith Koffler, Reuters blog

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3/16/15, "The Republican road to the White House runs through Israel," Reuters blogs, Keith Koffler

"As Senator Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) announced on Monday that he is running for president, his Virginia audience cheered. He dropped applause line after applause line on some 10,000 students at Liberty University, which bills itself as the largest Christian university in the world....

There was applause throughout. But one line prompted the students to erupt into a roaring, 30-second, standing ovation:

"Instead of a president who boycotts Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, imagine a president who stands unapologetically with the nation of Israel."

It brought down the house.

There can be little doubt. Evangelical Christian voters, a key component of the Republican Party base, are wild about Israel. They are also furious about what they see as President Barack Obama’s rough treatment of the current custodian of the Holy Land, Netanyahu....

Evangelicals might also view Israel as a reliable steward of the Holy Land. Israel has maintained many Christian sites and keeps the areas accessible to visitors. Should Islamic extremists — such as Islamic State, which is busy destroying historical artifacts — ever seize control of a Palestinian state, results for sacred Christian sites could be catastrophic.

But support on the American right for Israel may also have to do with an attitude toward Islam informed by national security concerns. Pew found in a June 2014 survey that 72 percent of those describing themselves as “steadfast conservatives” believe the Islamic religion is “more likely than others to encourage violence,” compared to just 13 percent of liberals.

Traditionally, backing for Israel has been viewed as a lure for Jewish votes. That will still be true during the 2016 presidential cycle, particularly in the general election. This has long bolstered the Democratic Party, however. With Republican candidates advocating strong support for Israel, they could cause many Jewish voters to defect to the GOP, and undermine the Democratic nominee.

Jewish voters in Florida, which Obama won in 2012, counted for 5 percent of the state’s vote. Given the extreme tightness of the presidential contests there, a shift of Jewish voters to the Republican camp could turn the state from blue to red — and possibly deliver its Electoral College votes, too.

Jewish voters in swing states like Virginia, Pennsylvania, and to a lesser extent, Ohio could also have an impact. But more than half of all Jews in the United States live in New York, California and New Jersey, states that are solidly in the Democratic camp. The importance of the Jewish vote is lower than it used to be when those states were in play for Republicans....

If relations with Israel continue to deteriorate and Obama moves to “re-assess” Washington’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian question, the importance of Israel as an election issue to those with an emotional attachment to the nation will only grow.

And a Republican could ride that wave of emotion straight to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue."

"Keith Koffler is the editor of the website White House Dossier and the morning news tip sheet REDLINE." Above image, Ted Cruz, 9/25/13, leaving Senate chamber after ObamaCare marathon, Reuters


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Overthrow of US by its political class continues in 2015 via weapon of choice, 'unaccompanied minors,' pouring across southern border. American citizens aren't asked, we're told 'we have to be prepared' for more 'kids' who somehow walk thousands of miles alone

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3/27/15, "DHS Secretary: 'Thousands' of Unaccompanied Children Still Crossing Into U.S.," CNS News, Susan Jones

"Unaccompanied children crossing the southern border into the United States still number in the thousands, probably the tens of thousands, even though the percentages are lower, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told Congress on Thursday. 

"For the kids, unaccompanied kids, it's running about 40 percent lower," Johnson said. "I hope it stays that way, but we have to be prepared in the event it doesn't."...

(Rep.) Cuellar rounded the number of unaccompanied children expected to enter the U.S. this year to "30,000 individuals, or maybe less than 30,000. It's still a lot," the congressman noted....

Cuellar asked Johnson if those numbers include "family units" as well.

"No, that's a different number," Johnson said....

Johnson testified Thursday before the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security."

Unaccompanied minors, AP

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Commenter to above article at CNS observes this is NOT immigration, it's an invasion:

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"Deborah Oscarson • 4 hours ago. 

This is NOT immigration, this is an invasion!!! And these children  aren't just crossing over on their own!! It is time for mass deportations of the "children", those who brought them here and those who are housing them!!!! If a business KNOWINGLY hires illegals, shut them down!!! Charge the governments of where these "children" are coming from for their deportation and DEMAND that our elected officials uphold OUR rules of law!!! Illegal immigration is criminal and must be stopped!!!"
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Comment: 30,000 children walk thousands of miles from El Salvador or Honduras to Texas on their own? Not a single US elected official cares that this couldn't possibly be true or even tries to come up with a better lie. If you have no southern border, you're not a country. There's no reason to have a military since you have no country to defend. "Unaccompanied minors" ("kids") from violent cultures are forced into the environment of defenseless American children. Plenty of American families may have wanted to have more kids of their own but didn't because they couldn't afford to. Now, they're forced in effect to have more kids they can't afford. The US has been overthrown.
 


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Companies quit China natural gas exploration, prices and policies mandated by Communist China gov., complex geology made it difficult for companies to survive

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3/27/15, "Here’s Why Royal Dutch Shell And BP plc (ADR) Are Cutting Investments In China," bidnessetc.com

"The 50% plummet in crude oil price since June 2014 is forcing energy companies to cut back on their investments in China. With the fall in oil price, profit margins for these companies have fallen sharply, offering lower rates of return. The cost of production in China is considered to be high, plus the country is geologically riskier compared to other countries.

The North Dakota region has become the shale oil hub in recent years. Energy companies began using hydraulic fracturing techniques which allowed them to drill deeper into the surface and extract more oil. After gaining success in the US, energy companies started to explore other options of shale oil.

Royal Dutch Shell plc (ADR) (NYSE:RDS.A) invested substantial amounts in China. The oil giant went on to develop numerous businesses involving production and selling of oil products. The company also signed a production sharing contract with PetroChina Company Limited (ADR) (NYSE:PTR).

This was during the time when crude oil price was above $100 per barrel. Energy companies during this period rushed to China to make investments in the region. Shell’s former CEO Peter Voser in 2013 claimed gas development to be a top priority in the country.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, China has the world’s largest technically recoverable shale gas reserves and with the natural gas demand rising in the area, the country aimed on shifting its dependence to natural gas from coal.

However, Shell faced numerous challenges in the area. The geology surrounding the Chinese shale reserves is very complicated. The companies lack data on the area, which leads to higher costs of shale oil production. Other problems that energy companies face are the shale prices set by the government. This prevents the companies from making adequate profits and discourages investment
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According to the Wall Street Journal, one of the energy experts of China, Zhongmin Wang, said that China’s two largest oil companies have made losses amounting to $1 billion on shale through 2013 due to the government policies. In addition, most of the shale areas have higher population densities making it difficult to operate in them.

With the recent challenges faced by the company in terms of lower crude price and costly production, Shell was forced to cut back on its investment activity in the country. According to the Wall Street Journal, Shell now aims on selling its Chinese lubricant brand of business along with its operations. 

In addition, the company has sold the joint venture with PetroChina in Australia which involved exporting liquefied natural gas.

In addition to Shell, many other energy companies have also sold operations in China. One of them is BP plc (ADR) (NYSE:BP). The company is yet face a penalty for its 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill and its Russian operations are also hurt due to the US sanctions. With the falling crude oil price, the London-based oil major is finding it difficult to survive in China. As the Wall Street Journal reports, the British oil major has announced to withdraw from three exploratory blocks in the South China Sea, writing off $100 million in exploration costs.

Hess Corp. (NYSE:HES) is also planning to quit a deal that it signed with PetroChina for shale oil exploration. Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NBL) and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:APC) have decided to sell operations in China."

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3/26/15, "Oil Producers Sound Retreat From China," Wall St. Journal," Brian Spegele, Beijing

"Shell, others slash investments in country amid falling prices, shaking China’s energy ambitions."

"Global oil companies are unwinding some big bets they made on China."...(subscription)
..
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In August 2014, China cut shale gas expectations:

8/7/2014, "China finds shale gas challenging, halves 2020 output target," Reuters

"China has halved the quantum of shale gas it expects to produce by 2020 after early exploration efforts to unlock the unconventional fuel proved challenging, according to an industry website and a government source.

China, believed to hold the world's largest technically recoverable shale resources, is hoping to replicate the shale boom that has transformed the energy landscape of the United States. 

About four years of early evaluations and drilling have so far yielded one large find - Fuling field - in the most prospective gas province of southwest Sichuan, but experts say the Fuling success is hard to repeat due to complex geology and high cost of production....

The revision, which is pending government finalization, would be negative for oil service sector companies that were hoping to cash in on the major drilling activity needed to reach the earlier target.

"This is clearly negative for sentiment for some of the China oil service sector firms such as Anton Oilfield ," said Scott Darling, head of Asia Oil and Gas research of JPMorgan in Hong Kong. "This admission on shale gas reflects the challenges facing China’s natural gas market."...

The government's efforts, led by the Ministry of Land and Resources, to open up the shale gas sector to independent players have had small success, as the blocks the ministry has to offer are of poorer quality and would entail hefty exploration costs.

Attempts by international firms to participate in the shale gas development have not been wholly fruitful either, with Royal Dutch Shell and Hess Corp the only foreign firms that have landed production sharing contracts, while most of them, including Exxon Mobil and BP, have barely progressed beyond the preliminary stage of studying the blocks." 



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Gallup poll, 74% of Republicans with college degree say idea of man caused global warming is exaggerated, 5 year survey, March 2010-March 2015, 6000 interviews

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3/26/15, "College-Educated Republicans Most Skeptical of Global Warming," Gallup, by Frank Newport and Andrew Dugan

"Republicans with higher levels of education are more likely than those in their parties with less education to say that the seriousness of global warming is "generally exaggerated." By contrast, Democrats with some college or more are less likely than those with less education to believe the seriousness of global warming is exaggerated.

Seventy-four percent of Republicans with a college degree say it is exaggerated, compared with 57% of those with high school education or less saying the same. Democrats are much less likely in general to say that the seriousness of global warming is exaggerated, but those a college degree (15%) are significantly less likely to say this than those with a high school education or less (27%).

The relationship between education and views of global warming among independents is generally similar to that shown among Republicans.

These opposing trends by party suggest that higher levels of education reinforce core partisan positions; in this case, Republicans' strong tendency to question or deny global warming and Democrats' inclination to affirm it. The trends also suggest that partisanship rather than education is a main lens through which Americans view global warming and its effects, particularly for those who claim allegiance to one of the two major political parties.

These results come from an aggregation of more than 6,000 interviews conducted as part of Gallup's annual Environmental Poll conducted each March from 2010 to 2015. Over that time, Americans' views about the seriousness of global warming have been steady: 43% on average have said it was generally exaggerated, 24% generally correct and 31% have said it was generally underestimated. Longer term, though, Republicans' and Democrats' views about global warming have increasingly diverged.

Educated Republicans Less Likely to Worry About, Believe in Global Warming

The tendency for Republicans with college education to be skeptical of global warming is evident in other Gallup trends
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For example, although Republicans tend to be much less likely to worry about global warming than others, Republicans with a college degree are even less likely to worry about global warming "a great deal" than their fellow Republicans. Republicans with more education are also about half as likely as those with a high school education or less to say global warming will pose a serious threat in their lifetime, more likely to say that global warming's effects will never occur, and more likely to say that global warming is caused by natural changes in the environment rather than by human activity.

The relationship between education and views on global warming among Democrats is in the opposite direction: The most educated Democrats are slightly more likely than less educated Democrats to worry about global warming and to believe it will be a threat in their lifetime. Highly educated Democrats are also much less likely to believe that global warming is the result of natural changes rather than caused by humans. Very few Democrats, regardless of education, say the effects of global warming will never happen....

 

Given the scientific nature of global warming, it is not surprising that Americans' understanding and interpretation of its effects could be related to their education levels. Among Republicans and Democrats, education levels have opposite effects, with higher educational attainment linked to more doubt about global warming among Republicans but a greater sense of its reality among Democrats.

In other words, education appears to harden the partisan battle lines, rather than build common bridges. College graduates who are Republicans are actually more likely than college graduates who are Democrats to say they understand a great deal about the issue, but well-educated Republicans find this understanding leads them in a different direction than it does Democrats....

Education does not mitigate the partisan divide in beliefs about global warming but instead strengthens it.

Survey Methods

Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted in March of each year between 2010-2015, with an aggregated random sample of 6,154 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.

Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 50% cellphone respondents and 50% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods."

Ted Cruz for President raised $2 million in first 3 days of campaign, nearly 10,000 online donations were $99 or less-USA Today

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3/27/15, "Ted Cruz raises $2 million for White House bid," USA Today, Fredreka Schouten

"Sen. Ted Cruz, the first major Republican candidate to declare his White House candidacy, raised $2 million during the first three days of his presidential campaign — as his team deployed a mix of complex social-media strategy and behavioral analytics to reach and sway potential donors.

Hours before his announcement speech Monday in Lynchburg, Va., Cruz tweeted the news that he was running for president. That day, he had 5.7 million interactions on Facebook. So far, nearly two-thirds of his fundraising haul has flowed in through the Internet, aided behind the scenes by a team of data scientists who closely monitor social media and digital traffic to determine who's reading their messages, who's sharing them and who's clicking through to his website and taking action.

The communication is two-way. Relying on marketing techniques common in the world of commerce, Cruz's team has tailored its web advertising to reach seven different "psychographic" clusters — groups of people with similar attitudes, personalities and interests. It has crafted 17 different advertising messages to reach those potential donors.

For instance, pro-gun "traditionalists" saw online banner ads with a grandfather and grandson heading out to hunt, while another targeted people concerned about personal safety with an image of a home break-in. Another talked about "bringing ... faith in God back to America" to attract religious conservatives. They all directed people to visit www.tedcruz.org....

The Cruz rollout is the latest sign that the world of data analytics is fast taking root in American politics — as candidates race to build out a digital strategy for a contest that will require each party's nominee to raise at least $1 billion.

Increasingly, political campaigns are "targeting people based on their hopes, dreams, worries, fears and motivation," said Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center. However, all the data-crunching in the world would not succeed without Cruz also having a message and persona that appeals to some voters, she said.

"If this were all about high-altitude baking techniques, nothing would come of it," Rutledge said. "He's managed to tap into the underdog archetype."...

Building a network of small donors will be crucial for Cruz, a Senate firebrand who has trailed behind other likely GOP contenders, including former Florida governor Jeb Bush, in early polling. Small donors can be tapped repeatedly for contributions until they hit the $2,700 maximum contribution for the primary election.

Cruz's decision to announce first allowed him to dominate political coverage for several days and quickly attract small donors. Nearly 10,000 of Cruz's online donations came in amounts of $99 or smaller, according to figures released by his campaign."...chart from USA Today, via Free Rep.

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Conservative Democrat NY State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. invites Ted Cruz to South Bronx to meet its grassroots army of Black and Hispanic Evangelical Christians 'who have been ignored by every Presidential candidate'-NY Observer

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3/26/15, "Ruben Diaz Sr. Wants Ted Cruz to Visit the South Bronx," NY Observer, by Jillian Jorgensen

"Forget New Hampshire, or Iowa, or Lynchburg, Virginia, where Republican Senator Ted Cruz kicked off his presidential campaign. State Senator Ruben Diaz wants Mr. Cruz to come stump in the South Bronx.

“Imagine Ted Cruz traveling to the Bronx where there is a grassroots army of Black and Hispanic Evangelical Christians who are just like him—and who have been ignored by every Presidential candidate,” Mr. Diaz wrote today in one of his periodic e-mail blasts to constituents. “Imagine Ted Cruz coming to the South Bronx where there are many of Hispanic Evangelical Churches that are willing to stand together for liberty—to encourage us and let us know that he is one of us.”

Mr. Diaz, a conservative Democrat and pastor who has previously endorsed Republican candidates (including failed gubernatorial contender Rob Astorino), said he is “extending an invitation” for Mr. Cruz to join the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization for its Annual Ministers Banquet on April 18, and “bring with him the gift of hope.”

Mr. Cruz announced his presidential bid at Liberty University in Lynchburg, a Christian university founded by televangelist Rev. Jerry Falwell. In his speech, he asked people to “Imagine millions of courageous conservatives rising up,” a theme Mr. Diaz borrowed in his “What You Should Know” missive.

“Imagine Ted Cruz coming to the South Bronx where there are many of Hispanic Evangelical Churches that are willing to stand together for liberty—to encourage us and let us know that he is one of us,” Mr. Diaz wrote. “Imagine Ted Cruz being willing to break another rule and come to the South Bronx to show his respect for our Black and Hispanic communities, and also to break bread with our Evangelical leaders.”

In addition to his socially conservative views, the flamboyant Mr. Diaz is also known for his penchant for cowboy hats—which would perhaps help Mr. Cruz, who represents Texas, feel more at home in the South Bronx.

Mr. Diaz’s son, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., had a bit of a spat with Mr. Cruz when the Texan knocked the Bronx while discussing immigration.

Like many GOP presidential contenders, Mr. Cruz may not pull a ton of votes from New York City, but he is looking to the Big Apple to raise cash—he met with Sheldon Adelson among others in November. He also has not been shy about reaching out to religious groups: on that November trip, he spoke at Mort Klein’s Zionist Organization of America dinner." via Free Republic




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95% of first million in donations to Ted Cruz for President came in amounts of $250 or less. Two thirds were under $100-US News

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3/25/15, "Ted Cruz's Rollout Breaks the Rules, Scores a Quick Million," usnews.com, David Catanese

"Cruz raised $1 million in just over the first 24 hours. Data analysts were crucial to maximizing return."

"Ted Cruz's entire decision of whether to jump-start his presidential candidacy at the end of a fundraising quarter hinged on the ability to raise $1 million in the first week. 

The Texas senator ended up hitting that milestone in just over a day. 

Donations to Ted Cruz's campaign during his presidential announcement.

Fueled by a team of 10 data scientists who are tasked with conducting real-time analysis of prospective supporters, the reach of and return on Cruz's rollout has already exceeded the initial expectations of even the campaign's top advisers. 

While initial media reports detailed Cruz raising $500,000 on the first day, the candidate actually reached the $1 million marker near 2:30 A.M. Tuesday, just past the first crucial 24 hours since the campaign's launch on Twitter midnight Monday. 

An avalanche of small dollar donations goosed the top line, according to data provided exclusively to U.S. News by the Cruz campaign. 

Two-thirds of Cruz's initial contributions were under $100. Checks of less than $250 amounted to 95 percent of Cruz's rush to his first million.

Texas, unsurprisingly, was his top donor state, followed by California, Florida and Virginia.

 
 
Donations to Ted Cruz's presidential campaign, by location. 
The darker the color, the higher the concentration of donors.

But it wasn't only about shaking the money tree.

Because they were to be first to turn the ignition key on a 2016 candidacy, Cruz's political brain trust also sought to expand the scope of its rollout, beyond the customary single day flurry of media coverage. His advisors mapped out a carefully planned succession of events designed to build on each other and churn over a week's span of time.

On Saturday, word began to float out to reporters about an "important speech" Cruz would deliver on Monday at Liberty University. By Saturday night, Cruz's hometown newspaper, The Houston Chronicle, had nailed down the scoop: Monday morning was go-time. 

But first, the tweets. 

At 8:05 PM Sunday night, Cruz placed word on Twitter that "around midnight there will be some news you won't want to miss." Four hours and four minutes later, just after midnight Monday, he tweeted, "I'm running for President and I hope to earn your support!" 

The tweet was viewed 1.1 million times and the ensuing Facebook post scored more than 800,000 views and reached 2.6 million....

Following the Liberty University announcement, which dominated most of cable news Monday and showed Cruz basking before a youthful, exuberant audience, the candidate hopped on a plane not to Iowa or New Hampshire -- but New York. In addition to a fundraising event there, he did Sean Hannity's radio show as well as sat for the full-hour on his Fox News Channel primetime television program. 

The next morning, even as Cruz was headed to NBC's Today Show for the first joint interview with his wife, Heidi, he still made the front pages of most of the major daily newspapers in Iowa and New Hampshire. 

The outset of the Cruz endeavor is demonstrating how crucial analytics will be in building on his initial success. When Cruz sat for an interview with Fox's Megyn Kelly on Tuesday night, he pulled in 952 donors who contributed $70,486 as a result of the appearance, according to Cruz's data crunchers. 

The 10 staffers who hold PhDs in behavioral science or analytics monitored the profiles of those hitting the website during the Kelly interview and quickly redirected social media and Internet-based ad campaigns to maximize the output of their potential targets."...
 
Charts above from US News via Free Rep.

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Imagine January 2017. Above kindly provided by a Free Republic commenter.





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