Ted Cruz: Donald Trump could "encourage riots" in Cleveland if he doesn't win

CBS News ^ | May 1, 2016 | Emily Schultheis

[COUNTrecount]

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said in an interview airing Sunday that GOP front-runner Donald Trump may encourage riots if he does not win the Republican nomination in Cleveland this summer.

Asked on CBS' "Face the Nation" if he was concerned about the possibility of violence if he were able to "overthrow" Trump with the delegates in Cleveland, Cruz insisted there wouldn't but said that Trump might try to fan the flames.

"No, it won't, although Donald may do everything he can to encourage riots," he said. "You know, overthrow is such a loaded spin word as ... to bring nothing but chuckles."

Gerald Ford and Abraham Lincoln both won their respective nominations despite coming in with fewer votes than their opponents, he added, so it wouldn't be the first time that the candidate who comes out of a convention is the one who didn't win the most votes during the primaries.

"When we arrive in Cleveland, I'm going have a bunch of delegates," he said. "Donald's going have a bunch of delegates. And it's going be a battle to see who can earn the support of a majority of the delegates elected by the people."

[PghBaldy]

Ted has a habit of crossing the line. He chose to mock Carter mere days after his cancer announcement, and Biden days after his son died. He seems to like to use people without concern for how he looks, or who he hurts.

[silverleaf]

This is the real ted cruz who I will NEVER vote for
Ever
He has issues

[Parley Baer]

“As I said, at one time I liked Cruz, now, he is revolting.”

He has come across as a combination of Mr. Haney and Elmer Gantry.

[silverleaf]

It’s called sociopathy or something on the spectrum
His wife has frontline tickets to his show

[ichabod1]

He wasn’t like this when he was running for Senate!

[ichabod1]

More detail: He ran for senate the same way he started this - a dark horse, way in the back, but he gained momentum with rock solid conservative positions, forced a runoff, won the runoff, and killed in the general. He’s still quite conservative, I suppose, except for the foreign entanglements, and unfortunately for him, that has become a deal killer for many.

[Parley Baer]

“Has his “personality” changed over the past few years?”

From a public standpoint, yes. The real Ted Cruz is now being known by a lot more people during this election cycle.

[ldish]

because his advisors are the bushes and he is forever done in their eyes with this sh*t

[EDINVA]

“Trump has already said several times that there will be riots if he is not the nominee.”

That is not “encouraging” riots. It’s stating what would be fact. Don’t twist what Trump said to try to make Cruz sound right.

[ichabod1]

Cruz: The So-called Consistent Conservative.

[jpsb]

Cruz is the point man for #NeverTrump so he will bring the fight to the convention. Rules will be changed before the convention in an attempt to nominate someone other then Trump. All stops will be pulled to stop Trump.

[Parley Baer]

“Cruz is going to take this very hard. I hope his loved ones watch him closely through the next couple of weeks while Cruz decides what to do with the rest of his life.”

That is a good point.

[Tucker39]

What a sleazy, mealy-mouthed projecting bum! He’s hoping SOMEBODY riots about SOMETHING in Cleveland so he can do like he did in Chicago and badmouth Trump.

[napscoordinator]

I am sending money to whoever primaries him in Texas in 2018. I will send the limit too. Cruz must be taken out of the senate. He clearly has psychological problems.

[Parley Baer]

“Trump has already said several times that there will be riots if he is not the nominee. Nothing new here.”

Trump never said he would personally encourage riots. Big difference.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

He was elected in Texas by acting like someone he is not...

You mean like....a US citizen?

[Kickass Conservative]

Is this the same guy I sent Money to last Year?

WTH happened? Where are his Advisors?

He has bought into the Media spin, hook, line and sinker.

As a former Cruzer (now leaning Trump) I am more than disappointed.

Hearing stuff like this makes me feel like I’m leaning so much I might fall over.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Doesn't Carly Fiorina have any self-respect?

I don't know, but she does have an extra half million bucks.

[ichabod1]

Many of us didn’t want to elect David Dewhurst, an unabashed squish moderate in the mold of a Kasich perhaps. Decent guy, too liberal for Texas.

[mkjessup]

I'll tell you fine people one thing, I am getting damned sick and tired of the remaining, diehard fanatical CruzBots wailing and whining about how everyone else here has to kiss their ass, give them milk and cookies, and read them Green Eggs & Ham or other bedtime stories to sooth their bruised widdle feelings, if we are to even HOPE to have them voting AGAINST Hillary Rotten Criminal in the Fall.

They chose poorly. THIS latest development PROVES that Cruz is no conservative, if he were, he would have conceded when he was mathematically eliminated (if not before) and been working to unify everyone for the general election.

Cruz has demonstrated beyond any question that his hubris and arrogance has taken over, he doesn't give a damn about anything except his own compulsive lust for power.

So to all of the remaining deluded supporters of this bum, you need to decide if your loyalties lie with this Cuban-Canadian con man, or with the greater priority which is to prevent the continued destruction of our Nation under 'RAT rule. If Cruz refuses to face reality, you must each individually do so for yourselves if you hope to retain even a modicum of self-respect.

This election is do-or-die time, Cruz is politically dead and we all know it. Trump is going to be the nominee and we all know that too, even if some of us refuse to acknowledge it and admit it.

If Cruz heads into Cleveland with the stated intention of fighting it out on the convention floor, he will achieve only one thing: the division and destruction of ANY hope of unification which means he will be the active agent of the Hillary campaign working INSIDE the Republican Party.

You remaining fanatical Cruz supporters want to be part of that?

That is your choice. But understand this:

It is no longer a quaint tagline "Cruz or Lose" it is now "Cruz AND Lose!"