The Internet Goes Berserk: Why People's Heads Are Exploding Over Ted Cruz's Speech Announcing His Candidacy

There’s something interesting going on online. Just go to Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ and search for “Ted Cruz,” “#TedCruz2016” or “Ted Cruz candidate.” Do you notice something?

That’s right, people’s heads are truly exploding.

Many conservative activists are celebrating Cruz’s official announcement that he’ll run for president. They believe he’s just what they and the rest of America need: a principled, small-government conservative who sticks to his guns no matter what.

Sen. @TedCruz officially announced his candidacy for president at Liberty University. http://t.co/KvAEjCBYwg pic.twitter.com/IFtplByPcv

— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 23, 2015

Popular radio talk show host Mark “The Great One” Levin’s also impressed:

Ted Cruz’s terrific speech today – must watch! http://t.co/mdTbmWzHz8

— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) March 23, 2015

One conservative hero praises another: this tweet basically says it all.

And there’s more — much more:

I was so encouraged to see students of @LibertyU give @SenTedCruz a standing ovation when he vowed to stand w/Israel. http://t.co/iBbYS6udFi

— Joel C. Rosenberg (@JoelCRosenberg) March 23, 2015

Cruz truly touched a chord with conservative voters:

Listening 2 Ted Cruz speak (w/o a TelePrompter) at Liberty University about God, Our Constitution & his Love of America is so refreshing!

— Amy Mek (@AmyMek) March 23, 2015

See also this tweet:

@tedcruz45 @hollyrn2 @Toth_4_Texas @tomborelli @RepStaceNelson May God Bless you & yours. The country needs a Constitutional Conservative!

— Barbara W (@sassybarbara12) March 23, 2015

And this one:

@tedcruz45 @tomborelli @Toth_4_Texas @RepStaceNelson beautiful family-will bring diginty back to the WH

— Zep (@mightyones1968) March 23, 2015

Twitter also seems to be hit by all kinds of (pro-Cruz) memes, most of them focusing on his status as an outsider and rebel:

Those memes aren’t only extremely popular on Twitter, but also on Facebook, where pro-Cruz groups are exploding; they’re literally adding hundreds if not thousands of people today, who are all happy to show their support for Cruz:

Glenn Beck’s followers on Facebook are also thrilled, both with Cruz’s speech and his candidacy:

Meanwhile, progressives have a slightly different take on Cruz’s upcoming announcement. They go all in, some by making jokes at his expense:

Hooray! Ted Cruz is the first major name on the list of morons I can’t WAIT to not vote for… #2016shitshow #cantwait #wheresmypopcorn

— Chelsea Anarchy (@chelseasuddon) March 23, 2015

Note that they’re not explaining why his political views are wrong — they just attack him personally:

#TedCruz for president is the best joke of the year

— Bassem Masri (@bassem_masri) March 23, 2015

There are also those who are going all-out birther on Cruz:

long form birth certificate please RT @tedcruz: I’m running for President and I hope to earn your support! pic.twitter.com/nDprGc4lya

— Ofay Mayo (@blunted215) March 23, 2015

In fact, birtherism is more popular than ever:

i can’t wait to see republicans try to explain throwing support behind canadian ted cruz yet demanding to see obama’s birth certificate.

— crissle (@crissles) March 23, 2015

Some even pull out the racist and birther cards at the same time:

I’m sure any day now @realDonaldTrump will be asking to see @tedcruz‘s birth certificate. JK LOL he’s white! #OhCanada

— Danny Zuker (@DannyZuker) March 22, 2015

See this one, too:

Donald Trump: “Wait, Ted Cruz isn’t white? Maybe I want to see that birth certificate…” pic.twitter.com/S1OJdWskWr

— teresa lo (@teresalo_tweets) March 23, 2015

It’s the same on Facebook:

CNN’s followers are extremely dismissive and even aggressive:

And:

The last ones (but I could go on and on):

Now, it’s perfectly clear why conservative Twitter and Facebook users are so happy. They rightfully believe that he’s one of them and that he could very well be Ronald Reagan’s real successor.

But why are leftists’ heads exploding as well? I’ve got no doubt I know the answer: they fear him. Tremendously even. He is everything they oppose: a true, small-government conservative. And that’s not all; he’s also articulate, has a spine, and is highly educated. On top of all that, he’s one of the few Republican politicians who are able to energize the conservative base. That’s the same group of voters who stayed home in 2012 and 2008, thereby handing the presidency to Obama.

That’s why they’ve started to ridicule and humiliate him, and they’ll undoubtedly continue doing so in the days, weeks and months ahead. It comes straight out of Saul Alinsky’s playbook: “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.”

So, what do you think? Why are progressives responding so aggressively to Ted Cruz’s  announcement? Am I right, do they fear him? Another question: what do you think of Cruz? Many conservative icons have already endorsed him (Michelle Malkin and Glenn Beck among others). Are you as excited as they are?