While innocently grilling some pork, Ted Cruz was ambushed by lesbian activist Ellen Page, who tried to shame him for not supporting homosexual marriage.  But instead of Cruz being shamed, it was Page who was tongue-tied while Cruz turned the tables on her.

Page claimed that a florist who refused to serve a homosexual wedding was bigoted, but Cruz turned her attention to the Middle East, and asked her why liberals were "completely silent" about the execution of gays, and why Obama is turning over 100 billion dollars to Iran when they are hanging homosexuals.  When Page claimed that Christians in Jamaica were discriminating against homosexuals, Cruz turned to her and essentially said, "Are you really equating a florist refusing to work a gay wedding with the execution of homosexuals by ISIS?"  He added that it was not morally equivalent, and that "murder is murder is murder."

When Cruz was later asked about his conversation about "discrimination," Cruz corrected the questioner, saying the conversation was about religious liberty.  He said that just as a Muslim imam could not be forced to marry a Christian couple in a Christian ceremony, Christian florists or bakers should not be required to participate in homosexual weddings that are against their religious beliefs.

This was a stunning performance, even more so considering that it was a surprise attack.  Cruz was calm and cool and collected.  He quickly turned the attack back on the attacker, making her look like a hypocrite for not caring about homosexuals executed in the Middle East.  He turned a discussion about "discrimination" into one of religious liberty.

This is the kind of candidate we need: someone who is not just a conservative, but an articulate conservative, who can turn the tables on attackers and challenge assumptions of questions.  This is the kind of candidate who could be president and easily handle the most hostile questions from the liberal media, turning them back on the questioners.

Can you imagine what Jeb Bush would have done in Cruz's place?  He probably would have hung his head, spoken in mumbled tones, and said something apologetically. 

Can you imagine what Scott Walker would have done?  He would have said something vague, and then the next day his spokesman would have had to "clarify" or correct whatever he said.

Now, Donald Trump could have been as  forceful...if we knew what his position on this issue was.  All we know, for  now, is his most current position on illegal immigration.

Ted Cruz, a former solicitor general of Texas, is a master debater and has a solid conservative record.  Even with 16 other candidates, I'm not seeing much that's better than that.

This article was produced by NewsMachete.com, the conservative news site.