--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let me say something at the outset. The…" description: "\"Let me say something at the outset. The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don't trust the media. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ted-cruz-487_american-people_let-me-say-something-at-the-outset-the-q_1251177.jpg" --- # Let me say something at the outset. The questions that… ![“Let me say something at the outset. The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don't trust the media. This is not a cage match. And, you look at the questions - "Donald Trump, are you a comic-book villain?" "Ben Carson, can you do math?" "John…” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ted-cruz-487_american-people_let-me-say-something-at-the-outset-the-q_1251177.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ted-cruz-487_american-people_let-me-say-something-at-the-outset-the-q_1251177.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ted-cruz-487_american-people_let-me-say-something-at-the-outset-the-q_1251177.jpg) > “Let me say something at the outset. The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don't trust the media. This is not a cage match. And, you look at the questions - "Donald Trump, are you a comic-book villain?" "Ben Carson, can you do math?" "John Kasich, will you insult two people over here?" "Marco Rubio, why don't you resign?" "Jeb Bush, why have your numbers fallen?" How about talking about the substantive issues the people care about?” [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker criticizes the debate for focusing on sensational, personal attacks rather than substantive policy issues, reflecting public distrust of media framing. **In simple terms:** Debates focus on drama over policy, eroding trust. Key Takeaway Shift focus to real issues. Themes politics media trust debate public opinion Mood frustrated critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - campaign events - news coverage - public forums - political interviews Key Concepts media framing public trust political discourse Questions to Reflect On - What issues matter most to voters? - How can media prioritize substance? A Different Perspective Sensational questions can attract viewers but distract from solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comic book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic-book/) [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Villain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villain/) ## Related quotes > [Donald Trump lied about criticizing Mark Zuckerberg.Ben Carson lied about Mannatech.Carli Fiorina lied about the size of the tax code.Marco Rubio flatly refused to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/donald-trump-lied-about-criticizing-mark-zuckerberg-ben-carson-lied/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [I think Steve King is absolutely wrong and I just hope that we can try to reach higher ground, because when you are spewing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-king/i-think-steve-king-is-absolutely-wrong-and-i-just-hope-that-we-can/) [Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/) > [ There are kind of four people up at the top, \[Donald\] Trump,\[Marco\] Rubio,\[Ted\] Cruz,\[Ben\] Carson, and then there's me and about three governors. I'm… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/there-are-kind-of-four-people-up-at-the-top-donald-trump-marco-rubio/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [ I'm a maniac, and everyone on this stage is stupid, fat and ugly. And Ben \[Carson\] you're a terrible surgeon. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-m-a-maniac-and-everyone-on-this-stage-is-stupid-fat-and-ugly-and/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Ben Carson seems pretty proud that he knows how big the Medicare budget is. All that money goes to the private sector, but Carson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/ben-carson-seems-pretty-proud-that-he-knows-how-big-the-medicare/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Three things Marco taught me today race through my mind: boys will lie to your face just to have sex with you, don't trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/three-things-marco-taught-me-today-race-through-my-mind-boys-will-lie/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [He has attempted to muddy the waters, but I think anyone that watched the battle that we had - you know, there was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/he-has-attempted-to-muddy-the-waters-but-i-think-anyone-that-watched/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ One of the problems with Marco's \[Rubio\] foreign policy is he has far too often supported Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama undermining governments in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/one-of-the-problems-with-marco-s-rubio-foreign-policy-is-he-has-far/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ Marco \[Rubio\] has more of an allegiance to Chuck Schumer and to the liberals than he does to conservative policy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/marco-rubio-has-more-of-an-allegiance-to-chuck-schumer-and-to-the/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I was then and am now very much a happy warrior, very much joyful. Not engaging in character attacks myself, just putting out, "Here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-then-and-am-now-very-much-a-happy-warrior-very-much-joyful-not/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I'm not going to impugn anyone's integrity. I'm not going to attack their character. And, in fact, I will happily praise both Donald Trump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-m-not-going-to-impugn-anyone-s-integrity-i-m-not-going-to-attack/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ I introduced bill saying we need more security, we need more scrutiny. Once again, Marco \[Rubio\] opposed this. So Marco can't have it both… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-introduced-bill-saying-we-need-more-security-we-need-more-scrutiny/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ I will sing their praises, I'll sing Donald's \[Trump\] praises and Marco's \[Rubio\] praises and everybody else's praises. But I'm going to keep the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-will-sing-their-praises-i-ll-sing-donald-s-trump-praises-and-marco/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Marco Rubio was fighting to grant amnesty and not to secure the border, I was fighting to secure the border. And this also goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/marco-rubio-was-fighting-to-grant-amnesty-and-not-to-secure-the/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ On his \[Marco Rubio\] Gang of Eight bill, he would have liberalized immigration, but he did not - and he steadfastly opposed any new… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/on-his-marco-rubio-gang-of-eight-bill-he-would-have-liberalized/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) ## More by Ted Cruz > [I was born in Cuba. At the age of 14 years of age I was involved in a revolution. We were suffering from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-born-in-cuba-at-the-age-of-14-years-of-age-i-was-involved-in-a/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I get that the media wants us to play theater critics and critique every other proposal. What I'm focusing on are my own policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-get-that-the-media-wants-us-to-play-theater-critics-and-critique/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [We need to remain a nation that doesn't just welcome but that celebrates legal immigrants who come here seeking to pursue the American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-remain-a-nation-that-doesn-t-just-welcome-but-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Donald Trump threatened to file a defamation suit against me for running a TV ad that consisted only entirely of his own words on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-threatened-to-file-a-defamation-suit-against-me-for/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The immigrant experience of all of us is what makes us Americans, because we value in our DNA liberty and opportunity above all else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-immigrant-experience-of-all-of-us-is-what-makes-us-americans/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The First Amendment exists to protect our religious liberty--to ensure that all Americans are able to seek out worship God with all our hearts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-first-amendment-exists-to-protect-our-religious-liberty-to-ensure/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [It is my hope that all of the Republicans who recognize that nominating a candidate who agrees with Hillary Clinton on a host of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/it-is-my-hope-that-all-of-the-republicans-who-recognize-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The Senate Majority Leader has the unilateral ability to stand up and say, 'If you defy Congress, if you defy the Constitution, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-senate-majority-leader-has-the-unilateral-ability-to-stand-up-and/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [You can't get to a balanced budget and begin to pay down debt and thus create jobs in this country if you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/you-can-t-get-to-a-balanced-budget-and-begin-to-pay-down-debt-and/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [That's what actually caused me to run for office is, you know, my family story, the experience of growing up in a family where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/that-s-what-actually-caused-me-to-run-for-office-is-you-know-my/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [When you subpoena one pastor, you subpoena every pastor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/when-you-subpoena-one-pastor-you-subpoena-every-pastor/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [One of the things we've seen here is how easy it is for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to get distracted from dealing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/one-of-the-things-we-ve-seen-here-is-how-easy-it-is-for-barack-obama/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Imagine a legal immigration system that welcomes and celebrates those who come to achieve the American dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/imagine-a-legal-immigration-system-that-welcomes-and-celebrates-those/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The court follows elite opinion, not public opinion. And Democratic leaders in Congress and Republican leaders in Congress follow elite opinion as well. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-court-follows-elite-opinion-not-public-opinion-and-democratic/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) [Explore all 523 Ted Cruz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) ## More American people quotes > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-as-much-as-government-can-do-and-must-do-it-is-ultimately-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Given a choice between two bald political candidates, the American people will vote for the less bald of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gold/given-a-choice-between-two-bald-political-candidates-the-american/) Victor Gold > [When the American people saw the LA riots and crowds of Blacks cheering O.J. Simpson (who was acquitted by the almost all Black jury),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/when-the-american-people-saw-the-la-riots-and-crowds-of-blacks/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [In any event, it is one thing to assert, then or now, that the Iraq war was ill-advised. It is quite another to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-silberman/in-any-event-it-is-one-thing-to-assert-then-or-now-that-the-iraq-war/) [Laurence Silberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-silberman/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Probably the greatest single obstacle to the progress and happiness of the American people lies in the willingness of so many men to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/probably-the-greatest-single-obstacle-to-the-progress-and-happiness/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [If a financial institution has business operations in the United States, hires people in the United States, if they are clogged with illiquid assets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/if-a-financial-institution-has-business-operations-in-the-united/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [The American people reject the idea of giving Washington a blank check to increase the debt limit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-roby/the-american-people-reject-the-idea-of-giving-washington-a-blank/) [Martha Roby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-roby/) > [The coronavirus has yet again exposed the strong contrast between President Trump - who is working ardently for the American people - and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/the-coronavirus-has-yet-again-exposed-the-strong-contrast-between/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [The American people demand results, not rhetoric, especially when it comes to national security issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-hayworth/the-american-people-demand-results-not-rhetoric-especially-when-it/) [J. D. Hayworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-hayworth/) > [Hillary Clinton truly is sincere, but she has to connect more with the American people in terms of what she believes in and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/hillary-clinton-truly-is-sincere-but-she-has-to-connect-more-with-the/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) [Browse all 2,233 American people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let me say something at the outset. The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don't trust the media. This is not a cage match. And, you look at the questions - \"Donald Trump, are you a comic-book villain?\" \"Ben Carson, can you do math?\" \"John Kasich, will you insult two people over here?\" \"Marco Rubio, why don't you resign?\" \"Jeb Bush, why have your numbers fallen?\" How about talking about the substantive issues the people care about?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ted Cruz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/let-me-say-something-at-the-outset-the-questions-that-have-been-asked/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American people" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/let-me-say-something-at-the-outset-the-questions-that-have-been-asked/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ted-cruz-487_american-people_let-me-say-something-at-the-outset-the-q_1251177.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ted-cruz-487_american-people_let-me-say-something-at-the-outset-the-q_1251177.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ted-cruz-487_american-people_let-me-say-something-at-the-outset-the-q_1251177.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let me say something at the outset. 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