Ted Cruz lashes himself to Bernie Sanders, makes odd remark about America lying on her back

On Tuesday night in Philadelphia, Sen. Ted Cruz shrugged off his looming defeat in New York's Republican primary, taking a look instead at the bigger picture. The 2016 campaign has taught us a lot about America, "and it has nothing to do with a politician winning his home state tonight," Cruz said, in a dismissive nod to Donald Trump. America is making a choice, and "the media will say it is about choosing a president, but it really isn't," he added. It's a choice between the old way of fixing America and a new path. And then he made this awkward remark about how "America has always been best when she is lying down with her back on the mat."

This was a scripted speech, remember. Cruz also compared himself to Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. "This is the year of the outsider," the U.S. senator for Texas said. "I'm an outsider. Bernie Sanders is an outsider. Both with the same diagnosis, but both with very different paths to healing. Millions of Americans have chosen one of these outsiders. Our campaigns don't find our fuel in bundlers and special interests, but rather directly from the people," especially the "wide-eyed youth of any age." That might be news to the outside groups who have raised $53 million for Cruz, including 12 different super PACs. Watch Cruz channel Sanders, Ronald Reagan, and President Obama below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.