Cruz told a meeting of the Texas delegation Thursday morning that he told Trump that he would not endorse him and that Trump and his campaign knew about the contents of Cruz’s speech in advance.
Advertisement
Cruz actually made it through his entire speech without endorsing the Donald, a dynamic we can’t imagine occurs too often during a national convention primetime slot.
He accepted that he had said on a debate stage earlier in the spring that he would support the Republican nominee whomever it ended up being, but said that he had made a decision to renege on that pledge “the day this became personal”. The first 20 minutes of Cruz’s speech reminded people that conservatives actually believe in certain things like federalism, freedom, and human flourishing. At multiple points the crowd chanted “endorse Trump”.
Commentators left and right have pointed out that Cruz, a man who revels in his “rogue” status in the party, is likely hoping this can be his Ronald-Reagan-in-1976 moment. Cruz also pledged to back the nominee during the campaign when the pledge was aimed more at Trump to keep him from playing dog-in-the-manger if he lost.
Carl Bearden is a leader of the never-Trump effort in Missouri.
Taking the stage shortly after Cruz, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich tried to explain away the senator’s lack of support for the nominee.
“If a convention’s goal is to unite our behind one candidate, Sen”.
The blatant sign of disunity in prime time angered the Trump campaign, with top adviser Paul Manafort saying Cruz “used very bad judgment” and was “not respectful to the invitation by the convention to come and speak”.
He tried out his attack on Democrat Hillary Clinton, saying “Democrats are about to anoint someone who represents everything the country is exhausted of”.
“Donald Trump gets it, he’s the genuine article”.
“Our party now has a nominee”, he started.
It was somewhat dismaying, he said, that apparently some of Donald’s biggest partisan supporters, when they heard him say people should vote for someone they trust and they know will defend the Constitution, they immediately began booing. It’s not even about Hillary Clinton.
Lynne Patton, a longtime Trump employee, spoke movingly about the businessman’s strong family.
“They have this memory of the din here on the floor, as Ted Cruz is trying to close his speech”, King said.
Trump, who will address the convention Thursday night, cheered on the night’s proceedings via Twitter.
Advertisement
Prior to his speech, Eric Trump told CNN that the speech was written “from the heart” and he did not outsource it. “Now I get [what] Donald Trump meant when he called him Lyin’ Ted”.
