Ted Cruz on Wednesday night when he refused to endorse Trump effectively ended all pretense that Republicans were uniting behind their nominee.
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The Boy Scouts of America prepared for the opening of the third day.
The gulf between Pence’s hearty embrace of Trump and Cruz’s reluctance was emblematic of the turmoil still roiling the GOP. “What we know about the Trump family is that they’re a very close family, they work together, they play together, they vacation together, they’re very tight….”
Ivanka has already been speaking out on behalf of her father ahead of her speech.
“I don’t know what the future’s going to hold; I don’t know what’s going to happen”, Cruz said.
Trump’s campaign had hoped that by the convention’s end, voters would look past the gathering’s rough start, including the plagiarism charge involving Melania Trump’s opening address. “And like each of you, I want to see the principles that our party believes prevail in November”, he noted. “There are still a lot of people at the convention and within the party who are not sure where he’s going to stand”.
When The New York Times asked the candidate about the prospect of a Russian attack on North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies in the Baltic States, Trump said he would authorize help only after deciding whether those countries “have fulfilled their obligations to us”.
Delegates to the convention said they expect Mrs. Trump to get a warm reception.
“In an wonderful campaign field of 17 talented, dynamic candidates, we beat 15 of those candidates”, Cruz said. Clinton has been a target of many speakers at the Republican gathering; on Tuesday evening, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie spurred the audience to chant “lock her up” as he mock-prosecuted the former secretary of state for supposed crimes including civil wars and unrest in Libya, Nigeria and Syria.
The whole convention has been building up to Trump. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine emerged as the leading contender, according to two Democrats familiar with the selection process, with an announcement expected as early as Friday. Up two levels, in a seat across the convention hall from the speakers’ platform, an enraged female Trump supporter stood and pointed and yelled: “Say it, say it, say it”.
This was not how the convention was meant to go.
Trump’s primary rival Ted Cruz threw the convention into chaos by provocatively telling delegates to “vote your conscience” in November. It was a surreal moment given how carefully scripted political conventions normally are, and served as a fresh reminder that Trump events rarely go by the rules.
Cruz didn’t totally slam the door on supporting Trump, however.
A speech writer for Melania Trump has apologised for passages she included in a speech to the RNC.
Ted Cruz couldn’t even make it through thanking his own supporters without being overshadowed by Donald Trump. “We will make America great again”. In an interview with CNN, she described an outspoken but measured man who was an attentive father and thoughtful mentor.
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“The time for fighting each other is over”.
