I have the perfect solution. All along Cruz has been my first choice, Trump second, but we need Trump & Cruz to come together somehow to beat off the establishment that is hell bent on picking our candidate and ignoring the voters.
Most likely, Trump has already promised Christie the Atty General spot. Cruz will never leave his Senate seat to be his VP, but I have no doubt he would accept Tump picking him as his Supreme Court candidate to replace Scalia. I would be very happy with this outcome and I think most conservatives would support it. It’s a win-win!
The added benefit is our Texas Governor, Gregg Abbott, would pick a true conservative to finish Cruz’s Senate term. Thoughts?
The short answer is Trump doesn't need Cruz. Trump has, and will continue to draw conservatives (like me) to him as he marches forward. He doesn't need to embrace Ted Cruz to make this happen. Just check out the Free Republic 2016 Caucus (updated daily) to see how this has happened over the past 30 days.
Frankly, as a very successful businessman, Trump has learned to trust his own instincts. He is the consumate counter-puncher ...just ask Marco Rubio (I'm purposely leaving out the word "Little" with which Trump effectively branded him). Christie figured this out early and has proven (over a short period of time) that he can be trusted to be a Team Trump player. He has probably set himself up for a very influential position; AG if I had to guess. Interestingly, you have not seen Trump's team announced, as he has deferred to his ability to surround himself with the best people AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
Contrast that with Cruz, who today announces his team ...quite prematurely. It says to me that he cannot muster enough support on his own merits, so maybe I'll vote for him based on others. It reminds me of when I was voting for John McCain because he had selected Sarah Palin. Since that election (lost badly) McCain has probably been the worst sitting Senator in the Senate ...and this from a resident of Arizona, who is also a Viet Nam veteran.
No, the ball is completely in Cruz' court to do the right thing ...now while he still has some value. Think I'm wrong? How much stock does Rubio have now? How much more would he have had, had he accepted where he was and bowed out gracefully several weeks ago?
Yesterday, on another thread, I compared this to the TV game show, "Deal or No Deal," so popular a few years ago. When the game begins you have a chance to make $1,000,000 (i.e. the Presidency), but with each selected case (state primary) you risk devaluing you chances. The offers to get out usually begin pretty high, but come down substantially with each high value case squandered. The really smart people picked the highest value time to get out (usually proven when they hypothetically picked the next case). Ted, there are only a very few cases (state primaries you are likely to win) left. Indeed, this might be your best (and possibly, only) chance to make a deal.
I don’t blame Cruz for the Justice Roberts I may be wrong but I seem to remember Roberts had almost universal support in the conservative world. I do remember Bush being praised for the choice because the pick was bullet proof, Democrats didn’t really lay a glove on him.
As far as Cruz for SC ... I doubt he could be confirmed without the president spending enormous political capital. Not saying he isn’t qualified, just that how many SC justices have been confirmed after running for president as a rock ribbed religious conservative.
I find it funny that Cruz likes to slam Trump for running on peoples fears. I think he does exactly that by using the Bible as his crutch. Don’t think for a minute that he’s not trying to tell you that if you don’t support him, you are not a good Christian, because that seems to be the basis for his whole campaign.
It’s fear and it sells !!
If worse comes to worse, I would rather Trump and Cruz patch up their wounds and Cruz be chosen as V P. I believe if Cruz were asked, and his supporters pleaded with him to do it, he would do it for the good of the country. I remember in the first debate Trump made reference to “Ted helped me” it was a glossed over quick statement but it struck me and I have always remembered it. I believe Cruz would be valuable to Trump. I still want Cruz as Prez. But I can’t always get what I want. Rarely, actually! LOL
“I would be very happy with this outcome and I think most conservatives would support it. It’s a win-win!”
I agree! I would even support Cruz dropping out now if Trump would let Cruz advise him on SC nominees.