I May Never Like Ted Cruz But...

I may never like Ted Cruz but I love this:

Ted Cruz Stirs Convention Fury in Pointed Snub of Donald Trump

By PATRICK HEALY and JONATHAN MARTIN  JULY 20, 2016

CLEVELAND — The Republican convention erupted into tumult on Wednesday night as the bitter primary battle between Donald J. Trump and Senator Ted Cruz reignited unexpectedly, crushing hopes that the party could project unity.

In the most electric moment of the convention, boos and jeers broke out as it became clear that Mr. Cruz — in a prime-time address from center stage — was not going to endorse Mr. Trump. It was a pointed snub on the eve of Mr. Trump’s formal acceptance speech.

As hundreds of delegates chanted “Vote for Trump!” and “Say it!” Mr. Cruz tried to dismiss the outburst as “enthusiasm of the New York delegation” — only to have Mr. Trump himself suddenly appear in the back of the convention hall. Virtually every head in the room seemed to turn from Mr. Cruz to Mr. Trump, who was stone-faced and clearly angry as he egged on delegates by pumping his fist.

Mr. Cruz was all but drowned out as he asked for God’s blessing on the country and left the stage, while security personnel escorted his wife, Heidi, out of the hall. One delegate yelled “Goldman Sachs!” at her — a reference to the company that has employed her, a job that Mr. Trump attacked during the primaries.

A short while later, Mr. Cruz faced insults as he made his way down a corridor — one woman yelled “Traitor!” When he tried to enter the convention suite of the Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, he was turned away.

OK, that was pretty brassy. And the next day, nothing has changed:

CLEVELAND — Facing jeers even from many of his own constituents, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas on Thursday defended his non-endorsement of Donald J. Trump, talking down hecklers at a fractious breakfast forum the morning after his performance onstage upended the Republican National Convention.

In an extraordinary display of party division — at a typically staid Texas state delegation breakfast that is intended to exemplify convention-week harmony — Mr. Cruz strained to manage the vitriol directed his way, stressing that he had not said a cross word about Mr. Trump.

“I addressed the convention because Donald Trump asked me to,” he said. “And when Donald Trump asked me to, he didn’t ask me to endorse.”

“We don’t just put on red jerseys and blue jerseys,” he added. “This is about principles and ideals.”

...

When attendees pointed out Mr. Cruz’s past pledge to support the eventual Republican nominee, Mr. Cruz suggested that any agreement was “abrogated” when Mr. Trump attacked the senator’s family.

“I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father,” he said, adding that he was not a “servile puppy dog.”

A man in the back hollered at the stage: “You’ve got to get over it. This is politics.”

“No, this is not politics,” Mr. Cruz said sharply. “I will tell the truth.”

At this point he has made his bed and needs to lie in it, probably while enduring a beating. But good for him.

DOWN HILL FROM HERE: This is the part of the speech (a speech I heartily recommend, by the way) where delegates saw Cruz coming into the homestretch without having uttered the magic words:

And, so can we. We deserve leaders who stand for principle, who unite us all behind shared values, who cast aside anger for love. That is the standard we should expect from everybody. And, to those listening, please don't stay home in November.  

If you love our country, and love our children as much as you do, stand, and speak, and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom, and to be faithful to the constitution.  

I appreciate the enthusiasm of the New York delegation.  

And I will tell you that it is love of freedom that has allowed millions to achieve their dreams. Like my mom, the first in her family to go to college, and my dad, who's here tonight, who fled prison and torture in Cuba. Coming to Texas with just $100 dollars sewn into his underwear.  

And it is over that I hope will bring comfort to a grieving nine- year-old girl in Dallas, and God willing, propel her to move forward, and dream, and soar, and make her daddy proud. We must make the most of our moments, to fight for freedom, to protect our God given rights, even if those with whom we don't agree so that when we are old and grey, and when our work is done, and when we give those we love one final kiss goodbye we will be able to say freedom matters and I was part of something beautiful.  

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.  

SINCE YOU ASKED: Here is an excerpt from Reagan's 'Did he or didn't he?' sorta-endorsement speech for Ford at the 1976 convention:

This is our challenge and this is why we’re here in this hall tonight. Better than we’ve ever done before, we’ve got to quit talking to each other and about each other and go out and communicate to the world that we may be fewer in numbers than we’ve ever been but we carry the message they’re waiting for. We must go forth from here united, determined and what a great general said a few years ago is true: “There is no substitute for victory.” Mr. President.

Times columnist Tom Wicker lauded Reagan's unification effort:

THREADING THE NEEDLE MORE CAREFULLY:

Here is a transcript of Marco Rubio's pre-recorded address to the convention. After some Hillary-bashing, the close:

Hillary Clinton does not have the honesty, the courage or the independence to be the president we need for the next four years after the president we've had for the past eight. But unlike Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump is committed to cut taxes, curb spending and get our national debt under control. Unlike Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump takes seriously the threats from Islamic radicals and is committed to rebuilding our military. And unlike Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, he is committed to appointing constitutionalist judges, who will respect the proper role of the judiciary.

After a long and spirited primary, the time for fighting each other is over. It's time to come together and fight for a new direction for America.

It's time to win in November.

Ahh, whatever. Trump has small hands, too, and Little Marco should have said so.

 

Comments

[Flod]

Ted was out-maneuvered by DT

[Joan]

The thing I keep thinking is what we teach our children from the very first time they meet defeat: Don't be a sore loser. Be a good sport. Don't look back, look forward. These sentiments are pounded into most "winner's" psyche. Sometimes they don't have to be pounded, of course.

Cruz doesn't have to 'accept' defeat, I don't think competitive people do, but competitive people have to learn to live with it, and go forward.

I hated it last night, especially when he said that about voting 'up and down' the ballot. It seemed to have a second meaning, because of his smirk.

Anyway, that's my take.

[glasater]

Didn't know about the part Trump was in the back..stone faced. Good for Trump!

Stick a fork in Ted. He's toast.

[Pagar a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

Has Cruz sold out to Clinton? What is he thinking ? IMO, if Clinton wins there will never be 2020 election in the United States of America, she will have destroyed America.

[Theo]

I stand with our genial host. I don't think that Cruz will sway many people to vote differently than they would have, but I say he did right to stand for his principles and not get caught up in the moment.

[buccaneer morgan]

like Gove across the pond, and red queen will make sure he doesn't have a chair when the music stops in 2018.

[Buckeye]

Which principles?

The self-serving one?

The poor loser one?

Or the "once a prick, always a prick" one?

[Miss Marple 2]

If he had principles, Theo, then he shouldn't have accepted the invitation to speak.

I am still waiting to see if the rumors of him submitting a different speech to the RNC are true.

However, as Don Jr. said this morning, Cruz did manage to unify most people by making everyone upset at Cruz.

[Stephanie]

Never a Trump fan...

http://insider.foxnews.com/2016/07/21/krauthammer-cruzs-rnc-speech-longest-suicide-note-political-history

[Michael (fpa Patriot4Freedom)]

(At the risk of probably drawing the enmity of most everyone left here, I would like to point out the following)

About the "Pledge of Support" . . .

Trump said on March 29, during a townhall in Wisconsin on CNN, that he was withdrawing his pledge to support the Republican nominee.

He repeated it several times - unequivocally - when questioned about it and asked to confirm his position. Trump said that "he (Cruz) doesn't have to support me - I'm not asking for his support."

Given that renunciation by Trump, there is no reason for anyone to demand that Cruz *had* to pledge his support to Trump. Trump would not have given his support to Cruz, if it turned out that Cruz won the primary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKVCHuhIZ40

I was a big Cruz supporter, and I still believe Cruz would be a far, far better president than Trump could ever be.

But . . . I wish Cruz had endorsed Trump, *if* he was going to speak at the convention.

I did notice he called for everyone to come out and vote in November and not to "sit at home." That cannot be construed as asking for a vote for Hil-LIAR-y or some third party. He was speaking to Repubs, for heaven's sake.
And asking Repubs to vote for the candidate who supports freedom and the Constitution *should be* considered as asking for a vote for Trump, just without using his name.

I am voting for Trump - absolutely, without any question, but without any enthusiasm - because I *know* he will do less damage to America than Hil-LIAR-y will.

But I am not happy with the damage this election has done to the body politic of the Republican/conservative movement.

[DebinNC]

If part of Cruz's "principles" included a last minute switcheroo of the speech he submitted to the RNC two hrs. earlier, I hope he's treated like a leper for the foreseeable future.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--But good for him.--

So, if I sign a contract and in the interim of performing he insults my wife I have the right to breach?

I have the right to confront him about it and I may very well have an obligation to knock the marmoset off his head if he refuses to apologize, but unless he breaches the agreement I have no right to breach it.

[buccaneer morgan]

actually no, you have to spell out the instruction of they'll vote for bluntman or the constitution party or even red queen,

[Captain Hate on the iPhone]

When attendees pointed out Mr. Cruz’s past pledge to support the eventual Republican nominee, Mr. Cruz suggested that any agreement was “abrogated” when Mr. Trump attacked the senator’s family.

Self serving mealy mouthed crap. So much for a principled alternative to the GOPe.

[James D]

But I am not happy with the damage this election has done to the body politic of the Republican/conservative movement.

I'm not, either. But I think 99.9% of the blame for it falls squarely on one side, and it's not the side of Trump or his supporters.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--About the "Pledge of Support" . . .

Trump said on March 29, during a townhall in Wisconsin on CNN, that he was withdrawing his pledge to support the Republican nominee.--

IIRC, wasn't that after Kasich and Cruz had backpedaled previously on "the pledge"?
If not, I'm happy to be corrected.

[Buckeye]

P4F

I understand your lack of enthusiasm for Trump. I share some of it.

I saw nothing principled about Cruz's performance last night. Guy keeps trying to come off like he has a corner on the "moral high ground" market and then undercuts it with his behavior.

[sidwhite]

Replies I posted on the last thread.

JMH
Like most, I picked up the RNC info either from a comment on a board like this or FNC, but the party distinguished that every candidate had to sign this in order to get the RNC voter data. The premise made sense to me. Candidates all probably had good home state data but not so much from other states. Valuable data for Valuable endorsement is a contract as far as I can tell.

Regarding Pledge and Promise, I have just heard both terms tossed around and wanted to cover all bases. To me the difference in this case is insignificant. Just wanted to point out that the difference between agreement among candidates and the agreement with the RNC.

Frito
This former Ted guy fails to see how a statement on election day meets any definition of "endorse the candidate".

HRC appointing SC justices is way too important for the game Ted seems to be playing.

Posted by: sidwhite | July 21, 2016 at 12:30 PM

[Theo]

My understanding of the facts are that Trump invited Cruz to speak and Cruz told Trump in advance that he was NOT going to endorse him.

So I guess Trump either gambled that Cruz would endorse him or did not care. I know that our friend RG will argue that this was a brilliant multi dimensional chess move by Trump because, well, everything is.

I do think that Iggy has a decent counter argument. It is one thing to refuse to endorse based on principles -- for which I cheer Cruz -- but it is something else to have promised to endorse the nominee whoever it happened to be (including Trump) and not do it. He should not have made the pledge and should be dinged for having done so and not honored it.

[buccaneer morgan]

he did a very good impression of malcolm trumbull knifing tony abbott, as tim blair has apprised us of those circumstances,

[Frau Beate Uhse]

"The [MSM coverage of the] Republican convention erupted into tumult orgiastic and orgasmic frenzy which lasted longer than four hours on Wednesday night as the bitter primary battle between Donald J. Trump and Senator Ted Cruz reignited unexpectedly, crushing hopes that the party could project unity."
FIFY, NYT Journolisters

[Miss Marple 2]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-21/the-strange-politics-of-peter-thiel-trump-s-most-unlikely-supporter

[squaredance]

Speaking of aliens.

(now it is all becoming clear to me...)

[buccaneer morgan]

well he's an iconoclast, a lot like trump, doomberg can't figure that out,

[Theo]

I doubt that Cruz' non-endorsement makes a difference in November. Cruz is not that influential and even if he had made a tepid endorsement (who could have expected more than that?) the notion that the party is united behind Trump is clearly false. I do not see who the voter out there is who would reason "I would vote for Trump if Cruz had endorsed him, but since he didn't I am staying home (or voting Hillary)."

[henry]

narciso, it let the bloomies run their R = troglodyte hackery in a new direction.

[JM Hanes]

Michael:

"Vote your conscience" is a veritable NeverTrump theme song, so it seems entirely fair to construe it is asking folks not to vote for Trump, even if not actively soliciting votes for Hillary. Hence the need to remind folks of down ticket races, so the folks who abstain from the presidential vote won't just stay home.

[Miss Marple 2]

If you ask me, Trump didn't cause as much damage as he revealed the damage already done to the "conservative brand."

Exactly what principles do Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney embrace? Smaller government? Holding Obama accountable?

What do Bill Kristol and Stephen Hayes have for principles? Hayes is gullible (thought that the Arab Spring was a democracy movement) and Kristol supported Colin Powell before he backed John McCain in 2008.

It looks to me like they don't want Rodney Dangerfield at school because he talks in a Queens accent and uses too much gold in his properties.

Those aren't principles. That is snobbery.

[squaredance]

The real story of last night is Pence. Can he seal the deal in the sing states in the Mid West?

[daddy]

Is anyone here interested in going to the Rio Olympics?

I wouldn't go if they paid me.

[Michael (fpa Patriot4Freedom)]

Buckeye - As I said, I think Cruz should *not* have appeared if he wasn't willing to endorse Trump.

You are right, what he did was not principled, it was just payback for Trump's personal attacks on Cruz himself, his wife, and his father.

[RattlerGator]

(from the prior thread)

My word is my bond. :)
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | July 21, 2016 at 12:15 PM

Ah, yes. The phrase that just won't go away. The phrase that is now an anchor around the neck of Ted Cruz no matter how many hairs are split or partial memories are tossed around.

And for those still doubting just how much Trump is viciously shaping the battlefield -- that phrase works particularly well against Hillary . . . doesn't it?

I mean, she blatantly lied to the country over and over about her server, about Benghazi, etc.

Crooked Hillary.

Lying Crooked Hillary.

Word is bond?

[Porchlight]

Yes JMH, after much discussion with neverTrumpers, "vote your conscience" and "up and down the ticket" is a clear endorsement of voting the R downticket and leaving the top blank or voting third party. That's how it's being understood by neverTrumpers if you look around the web.

Conscience. It is to laugh.

[Porchlight]

I wouldn't go if they paid me.

Me neither, daddy.

[DebinNC]

Is it possible Cruz is taken aback by the backlash? Did he not anticipate the negative reaction and factor in the likely effect on his loved ones? What he did doesn't make sense to me, since he knew the vindictive satisfaction would be fleeting but the repercussions wouldn't.

[Porchlight]

Around the web today:

[Buckeye]

You are right, what he did was not principled, it was just payback for Trump's personal attacks on Cruz himself, his wife, and his father.

Roger that.

In the process, the thing he mostly managed to do was hurt himself.

Trouble with slitting throats is that the razor knife is really sharp, if you're not careful you're likely to hurt yourself.

[Stephanie]

Flashback:

Cruz showed his true colors by telling people Carson dropped out of the race !!!

Funny how that gets lost in the memory of time.

[derwill]

Trump does have a knack for causing certain people to expose themselves for who they really are. Personally, I feel we're much better off knowing the ugly truth about these "principled true conservatives." I have now placed them in the enemy camp where they belong.

Cruz lost me after the Chicago riot that forced Trump to cancel his appearance, when he sided with the rioters rather than defending the First Amendment. That's when I realized his championship of the Constitution was nothing more than a political schtick to garner for himself national recognition that he could then use to catapult himself into a run for higher office. Unfortunately, this revelation occurred after I had already voted for him in the primary, but that is the last vote he will ever receive from me. From here out when it comes to Cruz, I will be voting my conscience.

[I R A Darth Aggie]

Didn't know about the part Trump was in the back..stone faced. Good for Trump!

That's the same Trump that linked Ted's dad to JFK's assassination?

That Trump? he made things personal, and I don't blame Ted in the least. It would have been better had he not gone to the convention and said nothing.

[Michael (fpa Patriot4Freedom)]

Iggy - I know 'Jeb!' had backpedaled on "the pledge" by that date, but Cruz had not. Not sure about Kasich, but I think he might have by then.

Cruz had been saying that it would be difficult for him to endorse Trump if Trump continued to attack him and his family. I think that might have been a warning to Trump, in Cruz's mind - but it clearly had no effect, as Trump continued the personal attacks.

[buccaneer morgan]

again he misses the point, it's not about trump, he behaved sadly like mcturtle and eddie munster, and to be blunt, who sold out phil haney, and talked cair as a partner organization,

[Momto2]

Wow - I was on the wrong thread. Reposting:

Well, well....Cruz is supposed to come to Ga. on Fri. to campaign for Mike Crane (for Senate). That should be interesting!

Today, Mike Crane is probably trying to figure out if anyone would notice if he just ‘forgot’ to pick Cruz up at the airport.”

http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2016/07/21/ted-cruzs-rnc-snub-adds-spice-to-tomorrows-georgia-visit/

[Momto2]

(another repost - sorry)

daddy - that is encouraging news. I'm going to keep praying for a BIG "gully washer" as we say in the south.

Glad you're prepared for the worst but we're all praying for the best, of course!

[cheerleader]

Joan

About it having a second meaning. I just read a post ten minutes ago that said "Vote your conscience" is a #nevertrump motto.

[Porchlight]

It would have been better had he not gone to the convention and said nothing.

You are correct.

However, this is Ted we're talking about.

[JM Hanes]

sidwhite:

It makes sense to me as well. The RNC provides a lot of support, both financial and logistical, to candidates, which is part of why I think it's a good idea to contribute to their efforts, not just support the individual candidates you like. The logistical stuff, data sharing, on the ground networking etc. can be hard to come by, even if a candidate is doing ok on the funding raising end. A number of people here have suggested that politicians don't owe the party anything, but it seems to me that that is literally untrue. Of course, I'm not saying they owe the party everything, either.

In any case, I 'm interested in what the concrete details of any candidate/RNC agreements might be, but am too lazy to google the info up, myself!

[squaredance]

MM: I was just going to write something similar.

It is goign about that the last few decades of the CInservative movement" was :just to abstract" for the average voter. I do not really believe that, and in any event I understand why they had to build intellectual resources to combat the wonkery of the Left, particularity during and after the Reagan Years.

I think that the average vote who just got to the point where they felt that it was just so much blather and sloganeering. The question that keeps coming up is "just what are you 'conserving'"?

[glasater]

The Big news on CNBC is Trump supposedly saying he would NOT support NATO partners if they hadn't paid the 2% into its funding.

[Buckeye]

daddy, spent a lot od time in Rio between 2007 and 2010. Lots of really memorable experiences: lunch poolside at the Copocabana, Esch's (best cigar bar/Cuban restaurant anywhere) and Ipanema Beach (best eye candy anywhere).

However, traveling by car we always used the same driver, an Argentine who packed heat and knew how to use it.

Anything less would be foolish.

[Miss Marple 2]

Oh, look. Ben Howe wants you to give him money to make a movie trashing Trump.

I am telling you guys, if EVER the phrase "follow the money" applied, it's to these NeverTrump pundits, consultants, and think tanks!

https://www.gofundme.com/TheSociopath

[DebinNC]

Cruz is supposed to come to Ga. on Fri. to campaign for Mike Crane (for Senate)

Is Johnny Isakson retiring? Never heard of Mike Crane.

[Captain Hate]

Tammy Bruce: I misjudged Ted Cruz.

[buccaneer morgan]

it's like he looks into a mirror,

http://twitchy.com/jessem-34/2013/07/04/redstate-editor-ben-howe-apologizes-for-mishandling-photoshopped-sarah-palin-image/

yes, mauve state, the revenant, the whigs (I don't think they call themselves federalists in good conscience, anymore)

[derwill]

And I don't for a minute believe that Cruz did what he did because of Trump's insults to his wife and father. His messianic conviction is such that he would sell the souls of both Heidi and his dad to the devil if he thought it would get him the Oval Office. I just think it didn't occur to him that a large number (if not most) of those voters who supported him in the primaries had long ago moved on. He thought he was solidifying that vote for a run in 2020, and instead the backlash will probably destroy whatever chance he did have of winning a higher office. It will be interesting to see if he even survives a primary challenge the next time he runs for the Senate.

[cheerleader]

Cruz's problem is that he's book smart but not street smart.

[anonamom]

Theo, what principles exactly is Cruz standing for??

And exactly what frickin' planet do you all live on?

Dammit, we are talking about two, maybe three SC judges that will be there for twenty or thirty years!

GROW UP! This is about keeping the Ds OUT OF THE WH.
(that was for Gus)

BTW--Cruz was my guy once Walker dropped out.
Now, I hope he falls into an open sewer.
Though I guess he already did last night, didn't he?

[daddy]

Rush's take in Hour 1 is that Ted was gambling that Trump will lose and that in 2020 Cruz will be viewed like Winston Churchill when folks remember his principled stand against Trump, and that will get Cruz elected then. Rush thinks that is a miscalculation because Ted is not Winston Churchill, and is not viewed with anything like the emotional attachment folks had to Churchill.

[buccaneer morgan]

when an raf base isn't considered safe,

http://news.sky.com/story/raf-knife-threat-treated-as-attempted-abduction-10508206

[sbw]

Trump was in the back..stone faced

Doesn’t he always look stone-faced?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Today, Mike Crane is probably trying to figure out if anyone would notice if he just ‘forgot’ to pick Cruz up at the airport.”--

Heh. That's funny.

[Momto2]

Oops - I meant Congress DebinNC - 3rd District - he's in a run-off with a former mayor. A very close race and both are fairly conservative .

[Momto2]

Many of the same grass-roots people who campaigned for Cruz are campaigning for Mike Crane. I imagine he is cringing today as it's a close race and he didn't really need anything controversial to happen. Early voting is in full swing. AND his opponent is already this morning using the Cruz/Crane connection in an attempt to capitalize on people's anger.

[buccaneer morgan]

and there's another incident in sydney, maybe that watch commander will do the same thing as mons place,

[Captain Hate]

Tammy Bruce: Heidi Cruz is at least as political as Ted and would probably be better at running for office (she has met them and thinks it's great they are a team).

[cheerleader]

He was given nine minutes to speak and he went way over time.

[buccaneer morgan]

it seems the crazy is being transmitted by rabid wallabies,

[Art in Newport]

.. He was given nine minutes to speak and he went way over time ..

What? You mean Cruz had nine minutes at the convention?

[Michael (fpa Patriot4Freedom)]

JM Hanes - (re: your 12:46 P.M.)

I don't know about you, but I cringed when I heard Cruz use that line about "vote your conscience."
That was the exclamation point, when I became convinced that he wasn't going to endorse Trump.

Time will tell if Ted's 'tin ear' and lack of political instincts have doomed his chances for higher office. I don't know about Texas politics, but I wouldn't be surprised if he is done for as a presidential candidate.

P.S.: Sorry for the delay in responding to your post :(

[buccaneer morgan]

we missed the blithering idiot's profundities,

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/cnsnewscom-staff/obama-world-has-never-been-less-violent

[buccaneer morgan]

fwiw, this is why moore was acting like slurms mckenzie,

http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/polls/arg-24947

[cheerleader]

At the convention the speakers were each given an allotted amount of time, and I read that Ted's was allotted nine minutes, but he spoke for over twenty minutes

At least they didn't use a hook.

[lyle]

If Hilligula wins, who in the [redacTED] world with even a couple of firing synapses thinks the country will vote her out in '20? The infamous "fundamental transformation" will be complete. The melding of media/tech/progtard/academia/skynet/Pokemon will reach a singularity.

Maybe I should go for a walk in this gorgeous weather while listening to some Beethoven to clear my head.

[Beasts of England]

For those wondering if Ted's fundraising email this morning was to service campaign debt - he has zero debt and $20M cash on hand.

[cheerleader]

He started with the poignant story about the murdered policeman's daughter and managed to somehow get from their to his signature money in the underwear story. The speech was disjointed imo, not great oratory.

[JM Hanes]

derwill:

"Cruz lost me after the Chicago riot that forced Trump to cancel his appearance, when he sided with the rioters rather than defending the First Amendment."

I was unpleasantly surprised by that, too. It seemed to me that he was deliberately trying to advance the Trump=violence meme, at the expense of his principles, and also without regard to whether it might hurt Republicans generally. His current embrace of the victim card, including the husbandly umbrage worn oh-so-so prominantly on his sleeve, is enthusiastic enough to seem more self-serving than sincere to me. The point at which I really began to wonder how effective a President he might actually be, however, was when I saw how badly he bungled the simple logistics & timing of his climate change hearing.

The story here, to me, is less about broken pledges, yada, yada, than about the tin eared, arrogant, ineptitude that probably cost Cruz any hope of making a presidential come back in the future. In addition to Trump supporters, he managed to piss off a lot of his own (former) voters, like me. So, next time around he starts down by how many millions when you add those constituencies together? In fact, it occurs to me that even this time around, he may have just managed to give Trump a majority win, instead of a plurality.

[Art in Newport]

Ok, thanks, Cheerleader

[cheerleader]

JMH,

You said exactly what I've been thinking: "His current embrace of the victim card, including the husbandly umbrage worn oh-so-so prominantly on his sleeve, is enthusiastic enough to seem more self-serving than sincere to me."

[Frau Beate Uhse]

Beasts @1:53 - that's some cash on hand.
Why moar money? Cruz wants to get reelected and buy a fancy speed boat? Maybe take some speech lessons and hire Naomi Wolf?

[Beasts of England]

I'm with you, derwill. When Mr. Constitution couldn't be bothered with a full-throated defense of the freedom of assembly after the Soros Thugs shut down Trump's Chicago rally - yielding to expediency - I knew that I had screwed up in my support of Ted.

[Frau Beate Uhse]

Ted's future was his to lose and he did. I am so disappointed. Scott Walker and Newt Gingrich really pulled through without getting their noses brown.

[lyle]

Why does Karl Rove get a weekly column in the WSJ?

[Beasts of England]

He's piling it on for 2020, Frau. Or Earth-tone suits. lol

(I had almost forgotten about Naomi!)

[Thomas Collins]

My opinion of Cruz is now similar to my opinion of Romney. If Cruz has such disdain for Trump that Cruz couldn't bring himself to endorse Trump, Cruz should have made this clear after Indiana and carried on the fight to the convention, instead of having his people be part of the underhanded coup movement. If Cruz wanted to skewer Trump for Trump's statements about Cruz's wife and father, there was plenty of time to do that before this morning. Sore loser, thy name is Ted.

I don't think the speech will hurt Trump much if at all. But the big winner last night was Pence. If I didn't know better, I'd say Pence paid Cruz off to make Pence look even better as the standard bearer of GOP conservatism on an ongoing basis.

[cheerleader]

Beasts,

That is surprising. With parasitic consultants clinging to him and encouraging him to keep on keeping on, I thought he'd be in major debt.

[lyle]

Speaking of the WSJ, of course they have a front page story regaling Trump's failures. Why not rename it Vote Hilligula Journal? It couldn't be more obvious.

[Theo]

In the meantime, Nate Silver's computer now gives Trump more than a 40% chance of winning, nearly double the chance that he gave him a few weeks ago.

Trump is not more popular than before, but people are really wising up to just how awful Rodham is. This is going to be a clothespin election of epic proportions.

[cheerleader]

Tom,

Going by his financial situation, which Beasts posted, it doesn't seem he was constrained by financial lack, so I wonder why he didn't.

[Buckeye]

Why does Karl Rove get a weekly column in the WSJ?

Presstitution alive and well at the WSJ.

[lyle]

Ohfercryinoutloud, Cornell West things a Hilligula presidency could lead to WWIII, unlike the fascist Trump presidency would. I need a drink...😬

[Stephanie]

Boehner has weighed in...

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/288676-boehner-on-cruz-lucifer-is-back

GACK. SMOD can't come quickly enough.

[cheerleader]

Roger Stone is saying that a thriving new conservative media outlet is going to arise in the wake of Fox going full left.

[lyle]

Clothespin election, you say? My bet is Trump smells better than a drunken, waddling, beefy lesbo.

Apologies to any and all lesbos.

[Captain Hate]

Why does Karl Rove get a weekly column in the WSJ?

Al Hunt, Alexander Cockburn, Thomas Frank...

[Rocco]

Didn't the Cruz Super Pac run an add in Utah with a nude picture of Trumps wife? Cruz can deny he had nothing to do with it but I don't believe that for a second. And if he cared so much about family, why didn't he immediately condemn that add and apologize? No...Cruz fired the first shot against Trump's family and he's a hypocrite. That's the way I see it.

[Theo]

My thoughts:

1. I agree with Rush, Cruz probably acted (in part at least) with an eye towards 2020 and being able to say "I was not part of the Trump debacle of 2020 and stood by conservative principles."

2. I agree with Rush it probably won't work.

3. I agree with TC. I don't think Cruz' speech will have any meaningful impact on the 2016 race. There are not a lot of people waiting for Cruz to tell them how to vote.

[Theo]

OOOps.

The first point should read:

I agree with Rush, Cruz probably acted (in part at least) with an eye towards 2020 and being able to say "I was not part of the Trump debacle of 2016 and stood by conservative principles."

[Thomas Collins]

I would put Cockburn above the others, CH. Cockburn was an old fashioned rock-em sock-em leftist. I enjoyed reading him. I especially enjoyed his skewering of the environmental wackos. Today, I have trouble thinking of a leftist who recognizes that greenism hurts the workers leftists supposedly hold dear.

[cheerleader]

Rocco,

Exactly. Cruz's choirboy act is nauseating.

[lyle]

But they already have William Galston, Capt.