Cruz blocks Trump from locking up the nomination with 1237 before the convention. At some point Cruz realizes that the GOPe isn't going to give him the nomination. That's when Trump gives him a call offering the VP slot if Cruz unites with Trump to stop the GOPe.
To prevent this the GOPe will string Cruz along as long as possible. Trump will have to act fast, and Cruz will have to be ready to make a deal or they both lose everything.
>> Cruz blocks Trump from locking up the nomination with 1237 before the convention.
Check.
>> At some point Cruz realizes that the GOPe isn’t going to give him the nomination.
There is no shadowy GOP-E involved; there are delegates voting.
Trump has no motivation to offer anything to Cruz on the first ballot; he may win all the marbles on ballot #1. Game over.
If Trump doesn’t win on the first ballot (note that Cruz can’t because of bound delegates), then the shoe is on the other foot. Cruz has no motivation to negotiate with Trump because he has everything to gain on ballot #2 (and nothing, really, to lose).
HOWEVER...
I’ll grant that depending on what the 2nd ballot looks like, at that point they may have reason to negotiate. The nature of that negotiation is anyone’s guess. When you think about it, this is WHY they have a convention, with multiple ballots and progressively unbound delegates.
>> That’s when Trump gives him a call offering the VP slot if Cruz unites with Trump to stop the GOPe.
... or even the other way around, depending on how ballot #2 goes.
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Putting aside the friendly rivalry for a moment — this is going to be a darned interesting convention no matter how it turns out! One like I haven’t seen my whole life, and I’ll bet you haven’t either.
Unless Trump gets to 1237 before it starts, that is. Then it’ll be dull. :-)
FRegards