“For those of you who don’t know me, which is most of you, I grew up on the front row of the American dream”, Pence said, telling the crowd of his upbringing in southern Indiana.
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“It’s change vs. status quo”, Pence said.
Cruz mentioned Trump’s name only once during his speech, and that was to say, “I congratulate Donald Trump on winning the nomination last night”. They were hoping for an endorsement from Ted Cruz and instead they got snubbed. By supporting Trump too closely, Cruz risks alienating numerous conservative supporters he gained the past year on the campaign trail, many of whom feel Trump’s stands on issue are not conservative enough, he said.
But overall, while his speech likely will be overshadowed by U.S. Sen.
Pence, 57, served in the U.S. House from 2001 to 2013 before being elected in governor.
“Our party is coming together and we are unifying behind our nominee”, he said.
Alluding to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ run against presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Cruz said “something powerful” is happening in both parties in an overwhelming rejection of big government. “We play to win – that’s why I joined this campaign in a heartbeat”.
Tonight’s theme: making America first again.
Trump, who will address the convention Thursday night, cheered on the night’s proceedings via Twitter.
It was a long way to come for a man who calls himself “a small town boy from southern IN”. Unlike the celebrity businessman, Pence is an experienced politician, favorite of conservatives and ally of party leaders. He considers abortion murder and says the national debt is out of control.
Campaign officials see Pence’s address as an important opportunity to reassure lingering doubts about Trump.
I imagined Cruz thinking, “Unity?”
Unfortunately for him, his star turn came amid the rolling chaos of the Trump campaign.
“It is clearly a platform that is pro-working people, pro jobs”, he said.
In his speech shortly after Cruz, Newt Gingrich sought to play peacemaker.
Some members of Trump’s family, his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, and some supporters were on hand to greet him.
“They will put our safety first, and they will defend America first”, he said. But this was all personal, and perhaps Cruz never really got over it. I’ll show you unity, you orange-faced punk.
“Is this going to be a Ted Cruz saying, “Thank you to all my delegates, and by the way, I hate Hillary Clinton”?” said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.
“He has to be true to who he is, his own persona”, Fleischer said of Pence.
The booing was so intense the Trump campaign encouraged its many staffers on the convention floor to try to calm the delegates down, said a Trump aide speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal campaign discussions. “He stands before you with the most primary votes of any candidate in history”. Some of the delegates in 1976 said they wish they had nominated Reagan after hearing him speak. But everything she’s learned since has been positive. But as for this fall’s election, he said conservatives will be judging Trump by his actions.
Mike Pence, who is now the vice presidential candidate, was introduced to a roaring crowd by United States House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan.
Pence called Trump the genuine article. He didn’t endorse Trump – even in broad terms – for a reason.
Democrats and the media can’t figure him out, Pence added.
Oh, I forgot. They also like to celebrate by waving their guns in the air and whispering “Poverty makes me feel safe”.
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Controversy over Melania Trump’s Monday evening speech continued to hang over the convention.
