But as it drew to a close, and it became apparent that Cruz would not offer the nominee a full-throated endorsement or urge his hundreds of delegates to vote for Trump come November, boos echoed across the arena.
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It was the biggest night so far for the NY real estate mogul’s campaign and final night of the 2016 Republican National Convention held at the Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland in the state of Ohio.
Trump made his entrance with patriotic music playing in the background and a crowd chanting “Trump, Trump” after his eldest daughter, Ivanka, introduced him. “Did anybody ever deny that was the father?”
Ted Cruz’s candidacy may have ended long ago, but his rivalry with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump clearly did not. “I saw exactly what his speech was because when you go up to speak you have to give your speech, you know we don’t want surprises”, Trump said.
Trump’s campaign invited national media to attend Friday’s event while overlooking many OH media outlets. He then proclaimed that “I am your voice” to the American people.
The July 18-22 national online poll found that 41 percent of likely voters supported Clinton, while 38 percent supported Trump. “They said, ‘It’s a boring speech, Mr. Trump, nothing good, nothing bad, he congratulates you on the victory and here’s the speech, ‘” Trump explained.
Trump did not back away from his previous attacks on Cruz’s family Friday.
There were also notable different talking points from speeches made by previously nominated Republican candidates, including protecting the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community and little mention of his faith and religious beliefs.
The speech also deviated from his routine rhetoric in several points. “Nearly 180,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records ordered deported from our country are tonight roaming free to threaten peaceful citizens”, he said in his speech. Friday morning Trump spent about six minutes commenting on the speech, calling Cruz’s decision to alter it after it was submitted for vetting “dishonorable”.
At a convention farewell event in Cleveland with running mate Mike Pence, Trump said he doesn’t want Cruz’s endorsement, blamed the Texas senator for making their wives fair political game, and said he had nothing to do with a conspiracy theory he promoted in the primary, that Cruz’s father had been seen with President John F. Kennedy’s assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald.
But no vice presidential announcement came.
So, as controversy continues to surround Trump’s candidacy and the Republican Party, can the businessman and reality star win the USA presidency?
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“In this election, do the right thing and vote your conscience”. He denounced “15 years of wars in the Middle East”-a rebuke of his party’s last president, George W. Bush-and pledged to help union members, coal miners and other low-wage Americans who have historically supported Democrats”.
