A lot of people on the left are all fired up about Ted Cruz’s remarks yesterday.
Ted Cruz got a prime speaking slot at Donald Trump’s Republican National Convention on Wednesday, but he came and went from the stage without endorsing the party’s newly minted nominee.
The Texas senator not only failed to endorse Trump at any point during his 23-minute remarks, he also encouraged Republicans to “vote their conscience.”
And they’re trying to make hay of it. Thing is, Trump knew what Cruz was going to say
And he let him say it. Cruz spent this morning hotly defending himself.
“When I stood on that debate stage…I raised my hand and I raised my hand enthusiastically with full intention [to honor the pledge],” Cruz said. “I’ll tell you the day that pledge was abrogated was the day this became personal — I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father.”
OK, I get that. I thought it was stupid of Trump to thump Cruz’s wife and father. I also thought it was stupid for Trump to demean Cruz (Lyin’ Ted) and Marco Rubio (Little Marco) because they would have been useful allies in the general election.
Then again, Cruz called Trump a “pathological liar.”
This was not going to end well. And it hasn’t, especially for Cruz. It was said that Cruz has his eye on 2020 with the thought that Trump will lose in November:
Going into tomorrow night’s speech, Cruz undoubtedly has Ronald Reagan’s 1976 convention speech in mind. Though Reagan narrowly lost the nomination to Gerald Ford that year, his speech succeeded in convincing the delegates gathered in Kansas City that they had chosen the wrong man. (Paul Manafort, now Trump’s campaign chairman, was at the time a young operative instrumental in wrangling delegates on Ford’s behalf.) But Reagan endorsed Ford.
It’s a bold move. Nonetheless, Cruz is here in Cleveland, unlike many of other 2016 candidates. Marco Rubio will address the convention by video conference. John Kasich is in a state of open warfare with the Trump campaign. The Texas senator’s decision to attend and speak without endorsing the Republican nominee appears to be aimed at straddling the Republican establishment he has so gleefully bashed and the conservative base that elected him.
I suspect Trump had a pretty good idea of the reception Cruz would get and simply let him meet it. That’s not working out so well for Cruz. Cruz was booed out of the Convention and his wife was escorted out. He’s facing a major backlash today. People will not forget this. If Cruz did not want to endorse Trump- fine- but he would have far better off staying away. Now he looks like a fool.
Cruz hanged himself politically yesterday. All Trump did was furnish the rope. Trump won fair and square. He is the choice of GOP voters. That’s it. It’s time to rally together or you look like a Hillary supporter.
I think Trump knew what was going to happen.
Bye, Ted.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.