In Cleveland, Trump may need Cruz more than Cruz needs him

Austin American-Statesman ^ | Jonathan Tilove

[conservative98]

When Donald Trump collected a few unbound delegates last week, surpassing the 1,237 needed to clinch the Republican nomination for president, expectations that the national convention could be the most dramatic in modern times evaporated.

“Now, it will be the most entertaining,” said Randy Evans, a party-wise man from Georgia, with a nod to the reality TV star’s promise to “put some show biz” into the July convention in Cleveland.

But there remains an important, unscripted drama yet to unfold in the tempestuous relationship between Trump and his chief rival, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

Although Trump will arrive in Cleveland as the victor and Cruz the vanquished, the politics of the moment suggest that Trump needs Cruz — to reassure nervous conservatives — more than Cruz needs Trump, whose defeat in November would fulfill Cruz’s frequent prediction and best serve the 45-year-old Texan’s future presidential ambitions.

“If he does not endorse and Trump loses, Cruz gets to step out on Nov. 9 and say, ‘See what I said,’ ” said Evans, a member of the Republican National Committee’s Rules Committee who, as chairman of the Republican National Lawyers Association, stayed neutral in the race. +In Cleveland, Trump may need Cruz more than Cruz needs him photo Drew Angerer U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks to the media as he returns to his office at the U.S. Capitol on May ... read more

“Cruz is a brilliant strategist, a long-term player. He’s got cards to play, and I fully expect him to play a few of those cards,” Evans said. “I think Cruz’s theme will be to say, `You’re the nominee, but I’m the party. You’re the name on the ballot, but I’m the one who represents, who epitomizes what it means to be a Republican.’”

Cruz ended his campaign May 3 after a bitter defeat in Indiana, dropping out shortly after lashing out at the man who had spent months calling him “Lyin’ Ted.”

“This man is a pathological liar,” Cruz said of Trump. “He doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies. He lies practically every word that comes out of his mouth.” +In Cleveland, Trump may need Cruz more than Cruz needs him photo Nicholas K. Geranios Jennifer Fetters of Bellevue, Wash., works the Ted Cruz booth at the Washington state GOP convention May 19.

Cruz also called Trump “utterly amoral,” adding that “morality does not exist for him.”

“I don’t see how you can take those words back, particularly if part of your appeal is that you’re not a traditional politician, that ‘I tell it like it is,’ ” University of Houston political scientist Richard Murray said. “I can’t see how that would work.”

For many admirers of Cruz, the very thought of endorsing Trump remains repugnant. +In Cleveland, Trump may need Cruz more than Cruz needs him photo Rodger Mallison Delegates cheer as Sen. Ted Cruz speaks at the Republican Party of Texas state convention in Dallas on May 14.

“Cruz should maintain his sterling conservative brand and stay far away from the Trump train and its inevitable wreckage,” said CNN contributor Amanda Carpenter, Cruz’s former communications director in the Senate. “Even if Trump wins the White House, he’ll have done it in a low-down, dirty way that no one with any integrity should be proud to endorse.”

[Innovative]

If Cruz has any decency, he will support Trump. Otherwise Cruz will be digging his own grave. He can go back to Cuba and maybe get a job as a dog catcher there.

[mrsmith]

Horrible analysis.
What few right wing voters Cruz can cost Trump will be more than made up by moderate voters who oppose Cruz. And Cruz’s antipathy will protect Trump from leftist attacks as “too conservative”.

But Cruz knows all this, and the author knows he knows.
This is just agitprop.

Cruz wants and will get a prominent role at the convention and will make the best use of it for the Party- which is also the best use for him and the country.

[deport]

Pure Clickbait from Austin. I fully expect Ted to support the nominee,
that’s what he said he’d do.

*****************

I think Cruz will do that at the end of the convention or shortly afterward. Cruz is
going to the convention to try and get somethings included in the platform as I see it.
Whether he’ll be sucessful I have no idea but I really think that is why he’s not
released his delegates. I know they are basically bound for the first vote but after
I think he’ll announce to support Trump. JMO.

[DoughtyOne]

Trump needs Ted Cruz about as much as he needs colon cancer.

This little diatribe expresses what I see Ted and his supporters being for the party.

“Cruz should maintain his sterling conservative brand and stay far away from the Trump train and its inevitable wreckage,” said CNN contributor Amanda Carpenter, Cruz’s former communications director in the Senate. “Even if Trump wins the White House, he’ll have done it in a low-down, dirty way that no one with any integrity should be proud to endorse.”

Sore Losers.

"...low down dirty way..."

Good freakin grief, what a bunch of a.h.s.

Ted was one of the most disruptive underhanded guys I've seen run for the party nomination.

Every few days, there's more from the guy. If his followers think Ted has a political future, they're not paying attention. He will NEVER get a vote from me, and I'm not the only person who thinks along those lines.

Tead will never win higher office...

Trump will.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Cruz is for his own ambition not for the party. He loves the constitution and should be a Supreme Judge.

Well, either that or a Mountie. Eh?

[Hawthorn]

>> I fully expect Ted to support the nominee, that’s what he said he’d do <<

Sure. He can just say, “I support the nominee,” and then do nothing else other than sit on his hands or go into seclusion.

[DoughtyOne]

Trump has a 40 year career as a real estate magnate worth billions. None the less, the darlings of agitprop can’t take a pass on referencing him as nothing more than a reality TV star.

What pathetic little people.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I’m chortling. Cruz is a loser who will have no influence at the convention if he is even let in the door. At one time Cruz may have had cards to play but he fumbled so badly its over for him. Trump does not need him.

[Tucker39]

Amanda Carpenter sez....
Is Amanda one of the FIVE Cruz playmates that NE pictured a few months ago?

Anyhow......the idea that after all his lying, twisting and misquoting, Cruz retains his “sterling” conservative bona fides, is ROFLMAO ridiculous. The man has become a legend in his own mind.

[MeanWestTexan]

Outside the false echo chamber of free republic, Cruz remains extremely popular with movement conservatives.

They may hold their nose and vote for trump, but he’s on his own financially and door to door.

[conservative98]

Hey, Mark. Why did you say no doubt? This article is hogwash. And when are you going to start backing Trump like you used to?

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3435194/posts

[I-ambush]

That’s absurd. Cruz is 45 years old, and though Trumpsters want to deny it, a much shrewder politician than Trump could ever be. If not for the wall-to-wall coverage of Trump’s every crazy utterance, and decision by the media to ignore Cruz, the outcome would be much different.

[proust]

This article is a weird throwback to that short window of time when some thought Cruz was actually relevant. I’m amazed anyone still thinks that way. Cruz self-immolated like a monk covered in gasoline.

[jospehm20]

Ted Bush is simply pathetic. I hope he loses in 2018.

[Donglalinger]

Lots of pot smoking in Austin,correct?

[batterycommander]

Never trust the opinions out of the socialist republic of Austin.

[HotHunt]

Boy, these people sure do ride "high horses".

And they need to "get down off their high horses", as my mom used to tell me, and back the nominee for the "good of the party" they claim to be for. Otherwise, the GOP risks losing another election to a Marxist democRAT in the fall.

This fight is no longer about Cruz versus Trump. This is now about Trump against the barbarians at the gate clamoring to get in for a third bite at the "Let's see-how-much-more-we-can-destroy-America" apple.

Check your bruised egos at the door, lick your painful wounds and swallow the castor oil. Life's not all about having your way all the time. Let's pull together to beat the Left and win in November.

[The Iceman Cometh]

That’s absurd. Cruz is 45 years old, and though Trumpsters want to deny it, a much shrewder politician than Trump could ever be

It's Cruz's politics and general lack of character that doomed him.

The country doesn't want a 'politician' anymore.

[batterycommander]

Just another G.D. weasel lawyer, twisting the truth.

[Innovative]

““I think Cruz’s theme will be to say, `You’re the nominee, but I’m the party”

Cruz is NOT the party. The people of the party selected Trump, by having voted for him.

Cruz is just an ambitious, egotistical opportunist who doesn’t care about party or country, only himself. He is also stupid — he seems to think he will have another chance, if Hillary gets elected.

Conservatives need to ask themselves, do they really want Cruz as their standard-bearer?