Mike was an interesting choice for Donald, who in some ways has proved himself to be a more moderate Republican.
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As Cruz continued speaking, it became clear to the crowd that his endorsement for Trump would be less likely.
He arrived at the convention hall as Cruz was getting started, and numerous TV channels cut to Trump walking in behind the scenes.
“When you pull back the curtain, it was just Donald Trump with nothing to offer to the American people”, Clinton said during a speech in Las Vegas. Cruz finished second to Trump in the crowded Republican primary campaign and congratulated the GOP nominee on his victory.
Interrupted by chants of “Trump, Trump, Trump”, Cruz paused and said with a smile, “I appreciate the enthusiasm of the NY delegation”.
Trump and his children were seated in the audience, keeping blank stares amid the whole scuffle. “Then he said, ‘Please don’t stay home”. She doesn’t know yet whether she will support Trump, but Pence helps. He earned the nomination of the party, he signed the pledge, he’s out there fighting the fight, Ted is not. “Until now he’s done it all by himself, against all odds. But this week with this united party, he’s got backup!”
And the only candidate who will do that, Gingrich reasoned, is Donald Trump. He’s the genuine article. “He’s a doer in a game usually reserved for talkers”, the vice presidential nominee continued. “And when Donald Trump does his talking, he doesn’t tiptoe around the thousand new rules of political correctness”. He’s his own man, distinctly American. “So much so that I am told by a source, who was in a donor suite, when Ted Cruz walked in after he said his speech, the people were so angry at Cruz that they were calling him a disgrace to his face”, reporter Dana Bash said.
During the hotly contested primary battle, Cruz and other Republican contenders had vowed to support the eventual nominee, so many had expected him to endorse Trump. By the end of the speech, with the crowd chanting that Cruz should endorse Trump, Trump was seen inside the area, and the cameras cut to him again as he waved to the crowd and gave a thumbs-up.
“I’m a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order”, Pence said, to applause from the convention floor.
But as has been the case with the myriad other speakers at the convention, Pence riled up the crowd by mentioning Clinton.
The next speaker was Cruz. “Ted Cruz said you can vote your conscience for anyone who can uphold the Constitution”.
It appears the Trump ticket made progress, though, Wednesday night.
Pence derided Clinton for what he said was an incompetent and dishonest response to the attacks in Benghazi.
Trump did get a boost from Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, one of the 16 Republicans whose White House dreams were vanquished during the primary.
Walker told Republicans who are on the fence about supporting Trump that the party can’t wait four more years.
The remarkable scenes overshadowed the speech by Indiana Governor Mike Pence, who was formally nominated for vice-president. “I’m convinced America is going to come back too”.
Later, Pence said that America is on a “rendezvous with destiny”, and that he and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump are exclusively qualified to rejuvenate the nation.
Marco Rubio also spoke, with Rubio offering a video message to delegates.
Trump’s son, Eric, also addressed the convention.
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Cruz first set the crowd off when he urged them to “vote your conscience”.
