WOW! POLITICAL SUICIDE! TED CRUZ REFUSES TO ENDORSE TRUMP – CROWD BOOS HIM OFF STAGE

[oldmomster]

Liz Mair and Make America Awesome, a totally unaffiliated PAC, started it. Not "Cruzpac".

The truth matters.

Yes, I see that - my mistake.

[Right_in_Virginia]

And Let me take this opportunity to pay a compliment, RIV. Your contributions and behavior throughout has been exemplary. Measured, calm, and with understanding and insight. Consider me one of your biggest fans.

Thank you @aligncare   You know I have always been one of yours.   

[Poser]

You would prefer that Ted Cruz tell you to vote for them?

No. He should have kept his mouth shut and used his position in the senate to advance his political positions. That would have gone a long way to bolster his chances in the future. No one is asking Ted, or Kasich or Lindsay Graham to compromise their beliefs. Just show some class and realize that they are not the nominee and as members of the party, they should not oppose the election of the party's candidate.

Trump is  not Satan. He may or may not make a good President, but he will be a lot better than Hillary. He can only do  that if he gets elected.

[Bigun]

Problem is that most in the auditorium last night didn't see it that way, which is why he's trying to explain himself this morning to the Texas delegation.  When you have to explain what you just said, you have problems.  What he did last night was to solidify his standing with the right wing, but make a lot of enemies.  Not a good thing to do when planning his 2020 presidential aspirations.  It wouldn't have taken much to ask for unity against Hillary, but he just couldn't do that.  It hasn't ended his political career, just made his job much tougher.

Ted knew how much immediate blowback he was going to get  and said what needed saying anyway! He is a TRUE patriot and will be remembered as such in the long run!

[driftdiver]

Kasich at least did not go out in front of the crowd and try to exploit the opportunity of the national media spotlight to promote himself.  This was Cruz at his elf-serving worst.  I was a Cruz supporter and have yet to support Trump.  But I am intentionally not trying to rain on the Trump parade, as Cruz has done.

Cruz's real sin last night was remind everyone he would be a better President then Trump.

That's why the Trump team got their undies all twisted.

[WAC]

I suggest that is the election appears close, that you bite the bullet and vote straight R. The disposition of the supreme court makes the choice obvious for me. Even a bad President can create long-term problems with his SCOTUS choices. Just look at Obama's choices.

Yes...

 Cruz said as much this morning....."From the 'top' all the way down to dog-catcher"......when he spoke to the Delegates from Texas regarding this election.

[skeeter]

No. He should have kept his mouth shut and used his position in the senate to advance his political positions. That would have gone a long way to bolster his chances in the future. No one is asking Ted, or Kasich or Lindsay Graham to compromise their beliefs. Just show some class and realize that they are not the nominee and as members of the party, they should not oppose the election of the party's candidate.

Trump is  not Satan. He may or may not make a good President, but he will be a lot better than Hillary. He can only do  that if he gets elected.

Cruz opposed no one. He said we should vote our conscious. Vote for someone we can trust. Do you seriously think he was endorsing Hillary?

Honestly I do not know why Trump fans choose to interpret his comments the way they do.

Or maybe I do know why.

[chae]

@oldmomster


I'm making the point that if you are going to get up on your high horse about pledges, you need to acknowledge that Donny boy has broken more than his fair share.  And also that he said in March point-blank that he wouldn't honor this "support the nominee" pledge if he didn't win.

[Right_in_Virginia]

You would prefer that Ted Cruz tell you to vote for ?

   Ah, the whole purpose of a political convention is to tell people in your party who to vote for.   

[Silver Pines]

No. He should have kept his mouth shut and used his position in the senate to advance his political positions. That would have gone a long way to bolster his chances in the future. No one is asking Ted, or Kasich or Lindsay Graham to compromise their beliefs. Just show some class and realize that they are not the nominee and as members of the party, they should not oppose the election of the party's candidate.

Trump is  not Satan. He may or may not make a good President, but he will be a lot better than Hillary. He can only do  that if he gets elected.

But he won't shut up, nor should he.  He said this morning he'll keep speaking the truth. 

[Henry Noel]

He encouraged people to to get out and vote for their families, vote for candidates they trust, and vote their conscious. And Trump fans are enraged.

Whats wrong with this picture.

It's because in order to vote for Trump you've got to park your conscience in the long-term lot.

[HoustonSam]

There's nothing special about voting your conscience. All people do. That's why politics is so passionate, unpredictable, volatile. Where I vote the curtain closes behind me. Then it's just me, the ballot and my conscience. Real private like. Is it done a special way where you come from?

Quite well-stated, everyone always votes their own conscience, there is nothing special about it.  Stated differently, there is nothing offensive about encouragement to do so.  And yet the pro-Trump camp is in high dudgeon about precisely this unobjectionable, even mundane, encouragement.  Why?

[Smokin Joe]

I'm not so sure all supporters of Trump are mad.......rather they are disappointed that Cruz had the opportunity to unite the party and many wanted to hear that directly.....instead Cruz rode the edge of the party divisions by not endorsing Trump.......and with that continues to "campaign" and set the "standards" of what he has determined are the touch stones for voting. throughout this morning in speaking with the Texan Delegates and answering their questions......

So it's understandable certainly that some are angry.......they aren't looking to 2020 but to this very election.

From the end of Cruz' speech:

The case we have to make to the American people, the case each person in this room has to make to the American people is to commit to each of them that we will defend freedom, and be faithful to the Constitution. 

We will unite the party; we will unite the country by standing together for shared values by standing for liberty. God bless each and every one of you, and God bless the United States of America.

http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/transcript-ted-cruz-convention-speech

[Mechanicos]

Maybe a Trump supporter can explain something.

Cruz didn't say a single negative word about Trump.

In fact, he opened his speech with a congratulatory message to him.

Cruz encouraged people to vote their consciences, up and down the ticket.

What are y'all so mad about?

Because in the speech Cruz gave to the convention to load in the teleprompter at the end was a part about the need to defeat Clinton and the phrase "we must support the Trump-Pence ticket." Not an endorsement but a call to unify and support the ticket. This is why even Cruz's delegates there were booing him, his own donors wanted to attack him and hes getting slammed on his face book and twitter.

All the talk of values and conscious was the same lawyer speak for "do not vote Trump" just like it was during the anti Trump operation.

[thackney]

No. He should have kept his mouth shut and used his position in the senate to advance his political positions. That would have gone a long way to bolster his chances in the future. No one is asking Ted, or Kasich or Lindsay Graham to compromise their beliefs. Just show some class and realize that they are not the nominee and as members of the party, they should not oppose the election of the party's candidate.

Trump is  not Satan. He may or may not make a good President, but he will be a lot better than Hillary. He can only do  that if he gets elected.

Interesting that you think requesting people to "vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom, and to be faithful to the constitution" is in opposition to voting for Trump.  I did not read it that way.

[WAC]

Ted knew how much immediate blowback he was going to get  and said what needed saying anyway! He is a TRUE patriot and will be remembered as such in the long run!

Of course he knew and why he had the meeting set up this morning with the Texas Delegates.....he rode the media hype all night into today....as Fox covered that meeting...... This gave him opportunity to carry on his 2020 campaign......while at the same time clarifying that voters should vote "Top to bottom" to prevent this nation from falling even further.

[sinkspur]

Trump's Convention is falling apart because he's a terrible dealmaker and got rolled by Ted Cruz

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php?topic=216795.new#new

[skeeter]

Because in the speech Cruz gave to the convention to load in the teleprompter at the end was a part about the need to defeat Clinton and the phrase "we must support the Trump-Pence ticket." Not an endorsement but a call to unify and support the ticket. This is why even Cruz's delegates there were booing him, his own donors wanted to attack him and hes getting slammed on his face book and twitter.

All the talk of values and conscious was the same lawyer speak for "do not vote Trump" just like it was during the anti Trump operation.

Your charge is ridiculous on its face. It sounds like childish crap straight out of the Trump campaign.

[sinkspur]

Because in the speech Cruz gave to the convention to load in the teleprompter at the end was a part about the need to defeat Clinton and the phrase "we must support the Trump-Pence ticket." Not an endorsement but a call to unify and support the ticket. This is why even Cruz's delegates there were booing him, his own donors wanted to attack him and hes getting slammed on his face book and twitter.

All the talk of values and conscious was the same lawyer speak for "do not vote Trump" just like it was during the anti Trump operation.

The bolded above WAS NOT in the speech Cruz submitted to the RNC at 8:20 last night.   You're prevaricating.

[oldmomster]

@oldmomster


I'm making the point that if you are going to get up on your high horse about pledges, you need to acknowledge that Donny boy has broken more than his fair share.  And also that he said in March point-blank that he wouldn't honor this "support the nominee" pledge if he didn't win.

as did the other two!!!  Notice Kasich is not getting flamed today - at least he didn't take up space and time, then not throw his support in.  Cruz should have given his speech elsewhere if he was not going to support the party candidate.

[sinkspur]

Pet peeve:  It's "conscience." 

I presume you're all "conscious."

[truth_seeker]

I think you have hit the nail on the head here. If Trump wins, Cruz and Kasich's presidential chances are over forever and their chances for other high office are diminished. If Trump loses, Cruz and Kasich will be blamed and the result will be the same.

The smart thing would have been to urge others to vote strait R or say nothing at all. In my opinion, Cruz and Kasich have both ended their presidential chances forever.

Pence, Walker, Rubio, Perry and probably others as well, will look classy by comparison to sore-losers Cruz, Kasich and don't forget JebBush.

Cruz pitched to the faction that I call "Narrow But Loud," not a path to victory on a national scale.

His unappealing persona does not portend to making that faction bigger. Very poor political judgment, over and over.

[Smokin Joe]

Kasich at least did not go out in front of the crowd and try to exploit the opportunity of the national media spotlight to promote himself.  This was Cruz at his elf-serving worst.  I was a Cruz supporter and have yet to support Trump.  But I am intentionally not trying to rain on the Trump parade, as Cruz has done.

Where, specifically, did Cruz 'rain on Trump's parade'?
Where did Cruz make this about himself?
He congratulated Trump, then gave a speech.

Here's a link to the transcript, to make it easier for you to point out the part:
http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/transcript-ted-cruz-convention-speech

[bilo]

Kasich at least did not go out in front of the crowd and try to exploit the opportunity of the national media spotlight to promote himself.  This was Cruz at his elf-serving worst.  I was a Cruz supporter and have yet to support Trump.  But I am intentionally not trying to rain on the Trump parade, as Cruz has done.

The rain on the Trump parade was orchestrated by the Trump people. Trump had a copy of the speech 2 hrs before it was given. He knew what was going to be said and then at just the "right time" Trump shows up and the NY delegation starts yelling. Trump gets to pretend he's the injured party and Sen Cruz is so "bad" for not bowing down to him, or honoring a pledge neither party said they would.

Trump is probably going to lose because he doesn't have the capacity to make his opponents allies. His base instinct is to dominate and make everyone subservient to hm. There is a group within the Pub party that will not surrender their values and in the end they will never support someone who insists that they do.

[skeeter]

It's because in order to vote for Trump you've got to park your conscience in the long-term lot.

Aerated my coffee.