Here, I think, is your Trump connection to the National Enquirer Cruz story - guess/conspiracy theory

[underpants]

2 years ago I was playing softball in a work league. I had the unfortunate experience of listening to a horrible talk radio host named Andy Dean on the way home from games. Hey, I listen to that crap so I know what nonsense is coming next.

Andy Dean was on "The Apprentice" and after he got FIRED Trump hired him to run Trump Productions LLC. The only FIRED contestant re-hired.
Wikipedia

A truly horrible show that was made worse by his regular Monday (or Wednesday) night guest Mike Walker - The Editor of The National Enquirer. Mostly it was Mike Walker talking about himself over the host. The show was cancelled shortly after I had the misfortune of listening to it.

The story stunk of a Trump plant from the beginning. I think the connection is in this "tree".

[MADem]

1. I think the connection is his PR flack, who used to work for Cruz. nt

[underpants]

2. Yes but manipulating the press is all about connections

20 years ago considering the NE as anywhere near the press would seem ridiculous but....we've seen what our press is like.

A story like this can't start even at Fox OR even their variety of news ops (Breitbart parlayed ACORN & Weiner into being a stable source for them) but not this. This is low low low level and the NE is the best place to start. The key, IMHO, is the number of eyes that see this standing in line at the grocery store.

[MADem]

3. NE gained cred w/2 words: Bruno Magli.

They found the piece that no one else could.

Then they gained more cred with 2 more words: Rielle Hunter.

They pay for material, but they do vet it. And they'll nail their sources to the wall if they pay out and the information is found to be bogus--they make sources sign contracts before cash changes hands.

They operate similar to the press in other countries--it's certainly a bit "low rent" as they say, but they are at least as accurate as these Nose In The Air bullshitters at, say, the NYT!

If someone "confesses" or there's other material that comes forward (pictures, say) then count on this making the leap to the mainstream press in a hurry--like John Edwards' baby in the hotel room!