[Brookhaven]

Yea, this is the part I don’t understand.

Cruz, because of his youth, was perfectly positioned to ride Trump’s coattails into the 2020 nomination (should Trump lose) or the 2024 election (as Trump’s heir apparent).

He could have sewn up the VP nomination this go round, which would have set himself up for the future.

Instead, he’s doing the self-destruct thing.

Had Cruz been president during WWII, rather than ally with Russia to beat Germany, he would have told the the Russians where to shove it, because they weren’t with us at the beginning of the war.

It’s like the guy can’ see the bigger, long term picture.

[Carthego delenda est]

“Yea, this is the part I don’t understand.
Cruz, because of his youth, was perfectly positioned to ride Trump’s coattails into the 2020 nomination (should Trump lose) or the 2024 election (as Trump’s heir apparent).”

Absolutely. I think many of us were hoping that would happen. But we dodged a bullet, big time.

[AustinBill]

Certainly that was the obvious strategy many of us expected him to take. Cruz could have more-or-less inherited the presidency in 8 years simply by taking the longer view and serving as Trump's VP. After elevating a freshman senator to the Oval Office last time, he should have realized that there was zero chance the country would do that again. 2016 simply wasn't his time, and at his young age time was on his side.

The fact that he didn't choose this path either shows that he's incapable of strategic thinking and planning (a fatal flaw in any potential president) or perhaps he really does know that the questions of his constitutional eligibility for the office are more than just campaign rhetoric. In either case they don't bode well for any sort of national political future for him.

[reaganaut]

//Instead, he’s doing the self-destruct thing.//

And claim ‘principals’ when it is really hubris