Former Republican U.S. presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz speaks during the third night of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. July 20, 2016. “Great love in the arena!” Trump criticized Cruz’s wife’s looks, accused his father of being involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy and was tied to a tabloid story that accused Cruz of adultery, though it was never confirmed by a reputable source.
Advertisement
Ted Cruz just got done speaking at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. It was an effective speech, but it was overtaken by Cruz, and it puts more pressure on Trump to unify Republicans tonight.
In beginning his remarks today, Cruz said, “I recognize there are some folks here and elsewhere at the convention who are not happy with me”.
“I congratulate Donald Trump on winning the nomination last night”, he said. “Citizens are furious at an establishment that breaks promises and ignores the will of people”, Cruz said. But he said Cruz “didn’t honor” the pledge that Republican primary candidates had made to support the eventual GOP nominee.
Cruz said he had been very clear about his intention to the Trump campaign, even telling Trump he would not endorse him in a conversation before the convention and letting the campaign read his speech hours before it was delivered.
“What I wanted to do last night is lay out the principles I believe we stand for as Republicans”, he went on to say.
“I ran as close as I could get, and I was yelling, ‘Endorse Trump, ‘” Wiegert said Thursday. So I would’ve been shocked had Cruz done that, because there’s too many differences between the two candidates.
Democrat Hillary Clinton, in a tweet, quickly echoed Cruz, saying, “Vote your conscience”.
Trump took to Twitter to attack his fellow Republican, whom he lambasted as “Lyin’ Ted” throughout the primary contest.
“He signed a pledge”, said the governor, one of Trump’s closest advisers. Instead, he told voters to “vote their conscience” and receiving resounding boos from the crowd.
Cruz spoke to the Texas delegation Wednesday and defended his speech.
Advertisement
On Thursday, the convention’s final day, Trump – along with his Jewish daughter, Ivanka – will address the crowd.
