Victoria Coates is a foreign policy advisor for Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign and author of David’s Sling: A History of Democracy in Ten Works of Art. She joined the Federalist Radio hour to discuss her research as an art historian, as well as the challenges that lie ahead for Ted Cruz’s relationships with foreign leaders.
She described how art relates to democracy and the societies that chose to commemorate that free system. “[The Parthenon] is the embodiment of democracy and what’s so poignant about it though is of course it was destroyed in relatively modern times, so what we have is a shell of the Parthenon,” she said.
Coates said of the recent conflict between Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio on foreign policy, that Cruz’s view of the world is emerging and showing how he would address these problems and opportunities as President. “If anyone can look at Ted Cruz’s history and consider him an anti-semite or an isolationist then you’re simply not looking at the actual record,” he said.
Later in the hour, Coates explored the issues that would face a potential President Cruz taking office in January 2017 and how his administration would approach them. “[Cruz] believes very strongly that the best way to promote democracy is through the example of America. That America is the aspiration,” she said. “That has to be our great contribution. And that’s how you bring people along with you rather than forcing your values on them.”
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