Cruz shuns Trump, GOP unity; says 'challenges' may lie ahead

Chicago Tribune ^ | 05/14/2016 | Tribune News Service

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

Ted Cruz on Saturday used his first speech since dropping out of the presidential race not to endorse Donald Trump or urge Republican unity behind him, but to maintain that core conservatives can save America.

Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, countered by deploying a top surrogate who did his best to woo skeptical Texas conservatives. Addressing thousands of cheering delegates at the Texas Republican Convention, many of whom climbed to their feet and waved red-white-and-blue "Thank You Ted!" signs, Cruz repeated some of the same promises from his defunct White House campaign, like abolishing the IRS.

"People ask, 'Are you disappointed?' Of course you're disappointed," Cruz said. But he also insisted he remains optimistic about American conservatism. "That movement is far more important than any one campaign, far more important than one candidate," Cruz said. "We may face some challenges ahead, but I am convinced that movement, the men and women gathered here, will be the remnant, will be the core of the movement pulling this country back from the abyss."

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Those idiots who supported arrogent Cuuz, who needs em?

Any Cruzie diehards genuinely happier or more comfortable with the prospect of having the Butcheress of Benghazi in the Oval Office for the next four (or eight) years than Trump, simply need to own that, full stop, rather than tiresomely whining and sniveling about how unloved they're feeling on behalf of their rejected political messiah right now.

Your vote is your responsibility, and yours alone. Trying to make it someone else's -- for whatever reason -- just ends up making you look like a mug.

Here endeth the lesson.

[angry elephant]

What a disappointment Cruz has turned out to be.

---

I supported Cruz until sometime fall of 2015. But Trump was talking more of my core issues about illegals taking jobs and the cheap labor express pandering.

But now I see that Cruz seems to be certifiably insane.

[Windflier]

Get over it, man. Cruz was finished a long time ago, and for good reason. He’s not even close to what he was cracked up to be.

Signed,
A Former Cruz Supporter

[Theophilus]

Don't be a such a bitter winner. Be gracious like Mr. Trump and surf the landslide. Hillary is the most bloodcurdling, criminal, irritating, loathsome and noxious opponent that Trump could have ever finanaced dreamed of.

You should be in a state of boundless felicity. Make your inaugural ball reservations now.

[Windflier]

Smack!

Thank you. That needed saying.

[stockpirate]

I think Crazy Cruz may actually believe he is anointed by God to be president and save America. He already is delusional.

He can never run for POTUS again and I hope all the Cruzbots are starting to see who he really is below the surface.

[RedWulf]

Man you guys have come a long way. First it was Trump was running to help Hillery, and now Trump put Hillery up to it so he could beat her with ease.

I got into an argument from a Cruz supporter earlier where he claimed that crime is caused by poverty and CA 950$ limit on shop lifting is awesome. If that’s the rank and file of the #NEVERTUMP movement they’re in the wrong party and the term conservative means liberal lately.

[Theophilus]

I'm very happy. Everyone of the paltry handfuls of people that I work and associate with are gleeful with anticipation of the endless colossal entertainment of this general election. We're fired up!

[Beautiful_Gracious_Skies]

Trump has earned 48 delegates without much campaigning in Texas.

[Theophilus]

I think Crazy Cruz may actually believe he is anointed by God to be president and save America.

Well God's not going to do it by making Cruz President this time. Maybe God's sparing Cruz? I don't know.

[Vision Thing]

You should be in a state of boundless felicity.

Despite its liberal leanings, I will always have a boundless affection for the tv show Felicity.

Keri Russell is breathtakingly beautiful.

And the show put JJ Abrams on the map as a director and show runner. He even wrote the show's theme song! Mad skillz!

[mbrfl]

Funny thing is, the first I ever heard about Cruz was in 2012, when Mark Levin started discussing his Senate candidacy on his show. At the time, Cruz was a blank slate as far as I was concerned. Levin made little mention of Cruz’s past when discussing and interviewing him, aside from mentioning that he successfully argued a case in the Supreme Court.

At the time I took Cruz at his word that he was a committed Constitutional, Tea Party Conservative. He talked the talk, but as I think back now, I find it interesting that in his frequent interviews with Mark Levin, his talking points were almost identical to Levin’s, even down to some of the phrases he used. I didn’t think that much about it at the time but it did make an impression.

As I look back on it now, I’m struck by two things. First, Mark Levin’s lack of curiosity about Cruz’s political past, or just as likely, his willful ignorance. Second, is how perfectly in sync Cruz’s messaging was with Levin’s, which now indicates to me, a deliberate strategy on his part, to reinvent himself as a Tea Party Republican. His time spent at Harvard, learning how to effectively present an argument, whether believed or not, served him well.

[faithhopecharity]

I see.
Well, if he wants to be an American he eventually should come around and support the best-available option, choice for our country. IMHO. There’s a time to center on yourself and then there’s a time to be realistic.

Best I can say about him now.
I do hope he comes around....many of the rest of us have had to.... he (presumably) puts his shoes on each morning like the rest of us....and for all his real or imagined good points, I doubt he walks on water very much

[Aria]

OMG...I hadn’t seen that before. LOL She does have a skeptical look on face and she leans away from him a lot.

I truly hope we’ve heard the last of him.

[stockpirate]

I think God spared us, I have met Cruz, he seemed shady to me then and I was a supporter at that point.

[Theophilus]

Woe to the pathetic cruznadians who crap all over the Reagan Democrats.

It's all good, the Reagan Democrats are again in the catbird seat.

You guys are so smart for making a tacit alliance with them. They'll choose the winner again this time just like last time and every time.

[Theophilus]

I think God spared us

His mercy endures for ever and ever.

[ripnbang]

Yes, and he hears “Lyin’ Ted,” many times a day.

[easternsky]

Ping

[Theophilus]

I never claimed to know what Trump's motives are. I think he understands human nature exceedingly well.

He'll most likely perform marvelously as long as he somehow comes to the realization that he is not the maestro!