“This has always been the philosophy at the Trump organisation”. In his acceptance speech, Trump painted a picture of an America sliding deeper into poverty, violence and corruption.
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“Our convention occurs at a moment of crisis for our nation”, Trump’s speech text reads.
Third, it looked like a Trump family – or a Trump Enterprises – party.
“I say these words to you tonight”, he said at the end of a 74-minute stem-winder.
Amid the staging and hagiography for the nominee, quadrennial political conventions are a time when the parties take stock of themselves.
But, naturally, politics crept in Thursday, with supporters and foes castigating the Texas Republican. Cruz’s speech was pure red meat, and his base is the tea partiers, not Washington insiders.
Ralph Winnie, an alternate delegate for the state of Hawaii, told Xinhua that Trump needs to get over 90 percent of the Republican vote. But speaking off the cuff comes with its own risks, particularly with Trump trying to show a general-election audience he can be trusted with the presidency. He also will come up for reelection to the Senate in 2018. The evening began with testimonials from an array of speakers ranging from former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkington to the Rev. Mark Burns, an African-American pastor from Easley, S.C., who led the crowd in a chant of “All lives matter!” “If you love Trump, you saw it as a betrayal”. “How odd”, I thought. “He literally gets booed off the stage, which I think the room spoke for itself”, Eric Trump said. Boos turned to cheers again as Cruz walked off stage just as Trump appeared elsewhere in the arena.
“This isn’t just a team sport”. “This is about principles and ideals”.
Yet the NY billionaire has often spoken effusively about his friendships with gay people while avoiding anti-gay rhetoric that many other GOP candidates have embraced.
“I’m not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and who attack my father”, said Cruz, adding he refuses to act like a “servile puppy”.
Preceding Mr Trump’s speech, his daughter Ivanka introduced him.
Cruz did not back down from his non-endorsement Thursday, telling his home-state delegation he won’t vote for Clinton, but making no promise to endorse Trump.
Pro-Trump delegates were furious with him. The senator took a series of pointed questions. I’ll be talking about many different things.
“That’s right”, a woman said.
But it’s noticeable that the objection to Mr Trump in Cleveland is definitely not because of some of the more contentious things he has said about Muslims or Mexicans or women.
But that did little to appease them. Bold and principled it may be, but after hours of reflection, I still can’t see how this does anything but hurt him.
The nominee himself didn’t seem too bothered.
Cruz was still one of the most talked about topics on social media, capturing attention ahead of Trump’s big speech.
Ingraham said Trump told friends and advisers that he was happy with the way the political drama had unfolded.
“Her bad instincts and her bad judgment, something pointed out by Bernie Sanders, are what caused so numerous disasters unfolding today”, he said.
But nothing could assuage Trump’s loyal NY supporters. But the Trump and Cruz feud is personal.
“Cruz used very bad judgment”.
“This seems to have divided some of us”, he said, looking unenthused on the convention floor Thursday night, a Cruz pin on his blue polo shirt. “He understood what the responsibilities are of somebody in his position, and he didn’t meet them”.
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