Sometimes these stories just bubble up. I don’t know where they come from or why anyone thinks they are important. But as a blogger it is my duty to the Site Meter to cover them.

Yesterday, the New York Times ran this story: Ted Cruz’s ‘Alliance’ With John Kasich Hits New Low Point:

Four days ago, the star-crossed, state-splitting alliance of Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Gov. John Kasich of Ohio made its debut.

Three-and-a-half days ago, it began to show serious cracks.

And on Thursday, it seems, the arrangement reached its nadir.

Speaking to reporters before a rally with Carly Fiorina, his would-be running mate, Mr. Cruz was asked about the status of the agreement, which stipulated that Mr. Kasich would cede Indiana to Mr. Cruz if Mr. Cruz abandoned plans to campaign in New Mexico and Oregon. (Mr. Kasich instantly complicated matters by urging Indiana voters on Monday to support him, anyway.)

“I recognize that the media is all eager to talk about an alliance. There is no alliance,” Mr. Cruz said. “Kasich and I made a determination where to focus our energies, where to focus our assets, where to focus our resources.”

This is not only not news, it really isn’t even the truth. When this agreement first materialized we posted on it and on the statements by the campaigns. What they clearly agreed to was that Cruz would devote effort to Indiana and Kasich would do the same in Oregon and New Mexico. There was no “alliance” mentioned by either man.

Now both Kasich and Cruz are in the position of denying something that didn’t happen, a breakup in their alliance, because the underlying premise is utter nonsense.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday downplayed the idea of an alliance between himself and Ohio Gov. John Kasich to prevent Republican front-runner Donald Trump from locking up the nomination.

“I recognize that the media is all eager to talk about an alliance. There is no alliance. Kasich and I made a determination where to focus our energies. Where to focus our assets, where to focus our resources,” he said at a news conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
…
Kasich also downplayed the partnership earlier this week.

“I don’t see this as any big deal,” Kasich said at at a Philadelphia diner. “Other than the fact that I’m not going to spend resources in Indiana, he’s not going to spend them in other places. So what? What’s the big deal?”

An “alliance” makes no sense for either man. Putting aside that Kasich is a duplicitous f*** who cannot be trusted and his campaign mananger (who has blocked me on Twitter) is a twit and a moron,

Cruz needs to be as close to Donald Trump as possible in the delegate count to deny Trump a first ballot win and to be a credible second-and-succeeding ballot choice. Kasich needs to have more delegates than Marco Rubio if he’s going to be a viable alternative to Ted Cruz. While there is a tactical advantage to devoting energy to where one will do best, the fact is that is no an alliance. That is not even a marriage of convenience.

Of course, this is not good for the news cycle. What the news cycle needs is something new and hot. Like two candidates entering into an alliance and then screwing one another.

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