Posted on 07/22/2016 9:40:02 AM PDT by Kaslin
Ted Cruz essentially gave a career-ending speech at the GOP convention on Wednesday night.
Cruz's speech was a slap in the face to GOP nominee Donald Trump. "Vote your conscience" is a wonderful-sounding phrase. But we all know what he meant: Don't vote for Donald Trump.
I was in the convention hall and the crowd's reaction was unbelievable. It started out as a few hands waving in the air and some booing, and then it just grew and grew throughout the entire convention hall. And then boom! It was absolute bedlam.
I've been to most of the GOP conventions since 1980, and I've never seen anything like it. These people stood on their feet and booed. These are Republicans! They don't do this. They don't know how to stand up and boo. And yet, Cruz so divided them and worked them into such frenzy that it happened.
Cruz tried to pass it off as just the New York delegation acting up. But that is wrong. The whole hall was in an uproar. You couldn't even hear the last two paragraphs of Cruz's speech because the booing had reached such a crescendo.
Cruz left an absolute disaster in his wake when he finished that speech. Everyone was dispirited, as one might expect.
And then came Trump's running mate, Mike Pence. Pence delivered a terrific speech. He touched on all the major themes -- the economy, shaking up Washington and Trump's outsider roots. He talked about how Trump understands that middle-class wage earners have been hurt; they haven't had a raise in 15 years. That's something that Cruz, in all of his years of political experience, still doesn't understand!
Really, within the first 10 minutes of his speech, Mike Pence turned a demoralized, dispirited, depressed, negative convention into an upbeat and united one. He hit all the right notes and had a lot of optimism in his speech. The Cruz disaster, which had left the convention hall spinning just moments before, was suddenly swept away.
The entire hall started applauding Pence. Then they started cheering and got on their feet for Pence. Amazing.
Trump couldn't have made a better choice. Mike Pence single-handedly pulled the convention back together and united attendees with an optimistic message. He gave great support to Donald Trump and the ticket. He basically snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. He turned destruction into positive hope.
I've never seen anything like that.
Ted Cruz will never politically recover from this. His delegation from Texas wanted him to play ball with Trump -- and he wouldn't. He was freelancing in that speech. His political career is over. He's finished.
Donald Trump and Mike Pence are just beginning.
We have to wait and see what Trump does tonight in his speech; it could make or break his presidential campaign. I personally hope that he puts a lot of focus on positive changes for America. I want to see a lot of growth in that speech. I want to hear him talk about lowering taxes and curbing regulations.
But here's what I want to see most of all: a follow-through from what Pence started. One of Pence's messages on Wednesday night was that we -- meaning the ticket -- can turn this nation around. It's an American malaise right now, from the economy, to civil unrest, violence and the threat of terrorism. And that is what Trump must prove to the nation and the world -- that he can turn it around. He's got to convince them.
It's kind of like Ronald Reagan redux. Reagan was able to do this. He proved that he could do the job. That's what Trump needs to do.
That's huge. It's more important than any policy detail.
And that's the spirit Pence invoked on Wednesday night. Let's hope Trump does the same.
Non eligible, not Natural Born Citizen, Cuban-Canadian, Pinocchio Ted attacking Big Donald at CNN freestyle match.
Cruz let his own outsized ambition get the best of him.
He deserves his political banishment.
The Cubanadian was never eligible.
And the Cruz obituaries keep coming in.
Stick a fork in Ted, he’s done.
I’m sure he can line up a nice job at Goldman Sachs.
Pence is the PERFECT mate for Trump!! Mr. Haney didn’t hurt Trump at all.....he DESTROYED HIMSELF, though!!
Great article.
I would only add that Newt did amazing damage control after Ted’s debacle, and removed the stink from the hall so Pence could shine.
And Pence did shine.
Trump knows how to pick ‘em.
He tried the next day to make speeches but the supporters that once were his, turned against him and let him know it...
Texas I think was the most embarrassed by Cruz's actions, and now they have a big decision to make...I would unseat the lying, low life if I lived in Texas...
Why did he even go? And then come out and say it was because Trump smeared his father and wife...the Rubio camp was the one that let that out, and they are the ones that let the picture of Melania out also, and as far as his father, he's nothing but an illegal, lying, fool....married to two women at one time...it's no wonder Ted is the fool he is, look where the seed came from...
Cruz tried to pass it off as just the New York delegation acting up. But that is wrong. The whole hall was in an uproar. You couldn't even hear the last two paragraphs of Cruz's speech because the booing had reached such a crescendo.
St Ted self destrucTED
Kudlow is a good man, I think, but he’s spent too much time with the mini-cons at NR.
I don’t believe “Vote your conscience” meant “vote for Hillary, so much as he wasn’t going to endorse Trump.
Besides, you can’t really take the guy seriously if he’s going to give up his citizenship in Canada to become president
Course ya know Mr. Obammy will have his lackeys at his F.B.I., C.I.A.,I.R.S. etc go after Mr. Trump in any way they can.
Cruz and the conservative “intelligentsia “ are putting their own financial gain and hurt feelings ahead of the country.
You ignorant birther. For your information Ted Cruz's mother was born and raised in Delaware, which makes Ted Cruz a natural born citizen, no matter where he was born.
BTW I did not vote for Ted Cruz in the TN primary election on March 1, and I did not vote for Donald Trump either, but I will vote for him in the general Election on November 8.
I think it was actually a calculated gamble to try and kick off a third party run this year. If he had found support inside the hall, I would bet he was going to try and glom onto another parties ticket. Instead he found no support and completed detonated any chance not only for 2020 but for even retaining his senate seat.
The sad thing is if Cruz had played ball, had stuck to the themes of the party and convention he would have been regarded as magnanimous and probably would have secured a spot in the Admin and possibly the Supreme court.
I believe the public is missing the best point about Cruz’s speech. Tell me a name of any democratic speakers being allowed to speak at their convention historically that was anything but right on the topic for who was getting approved for the job and any of the points that may offer any questions as to their viability. I can save you some time.....none.
By allowing Cruz to speak and say what he wanted, further satisfied me that I belong to the party that displays honesty and integrity by not trying to lie and cheat the public out of their opinions. We throw the whole possibility at our party and give them the best overall choice for their leadership. Our elite people in our party, and they do exist, proved again this year they do not tell our constituents who they are going to vote for. We don’t crown our royalty right up to the end of their acceptance and afterwards. We are still open to suggestions for a better way. The libs tell their people what the way will be and who it will be long before they get there. I’m glad I’m a conservative. Not because of what they were. But because of what they are trying to be........ BETTER!
red
Rush just had a caller and trashed Trump for not cow towing to Cruz. Rush is going to play Trumps interview this morning illustrating how he doesn’t care about Cruz.
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