In Cleveland, Trump may need Cruz more than Cruz needs him

Austin American-Statesman ^ | Jonathan Tilove

[conservative98]

When Donald Trump collected a few unbound delegates last week, surpassing the 1,237 needed to clinch the Republican nomination for president, expectations that the national convention could be the most dramatic in modern times evaporated.

“Now, it will be the most entertaining,” said Randy Evans, a party-wise man from Georgia, with a nod to the reality TV star’s promise to “put some show biz” into the July convention in Cleveland.

But there remains an important, unscripted drama yet to unfold in the tempestuous relationship between Trump and his chief rival, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

Although Trump will arrive in Cleveland as the victor and Cruz the vanquished, the politics of the moment suggest that Trump needs Cruz — to reassure nervous conservatives — more than Cruz needs Trump, whose defeat in November would fulfill Cruz’s frequent prediction and best serve the 45-year-old Texan’s future presidential ambitions.

“If he does not endorse and Trump loses, Cruz gets to step out on Nov. 9 and say, ‘See what I said,’ ” said Evans, a member of the Republican National Committee’s Rules Committee who, as chairman of the Republican National Lawyers Association, stayed neutral in the race. +In Cleveland, Trump may need Cruz more than Cruz needs him photo Drew Angerer U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks to the media as he returns to his office at the U.S. Capitol on May ... read more

“Cruz is a brilliant strategist, a long-term player. He’s got cards to play, and I fully expect him to play a few of those cards,” Evans said. “I think Cruz’s theme will be to say, `You’re the nominee, but I’m the party. You’re the name on the ballot, but I’m the one who represents, who epitomizes what it means to be a Republican.’”

Cruz ended his campaign May 3 after a bitter defeat in Indiana, dropping out shortly after lashing out at the man who had spent months calling him “Lyin’ Ted.”

“This man is a pathological liar,” Cruz said of Trump. “He doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies. He lies practically every word that comes out of his mouth.” +In Cleveland, Trump may need Cruz more than Cruz needs him photo Nicholas K. Geranios Jennifer Fetters of Bellevue, Wash., works the Ted Cruz booth at the Washington state GOP convention May 19.

Cruz also called Trump “utterly amoral,” adding that “morality does not exist for him.”

“I don’t see how you can take those words back, particularly if part of your appeal is that you’re not a traditional politician, that ‘I tell it like it is,’ ” University of Houston political scientist Richard Murray said. “I can’t see how that would work.”

For many admirers of Cruz, the very thought of endorsing Trump remains repugnant. +In Cleveland, Trump may need Cruz more than Cruz needs him photo Rodger Mallison Delegates cheer as Sen. Ted Cruz speaks at the Republican Party of Texas state convention in Dallas on May 14.

“Cruz should maintain his sterling conservative brand and stay far away from the Trump train and its inevitable wreckage,” said CNN contributor Amanda Carpenter, Cruz’s former communications director in the Senate. “Even if Trump wins the White House, he’ll have done it in a low-down, dirty way that no one with any integrity should be proud to endorse.”

[EDINVA]

Some posters remind me of the Japanese soldiers who were found on deserted islands 40 years after the war ended, still ready to fight for the Emperor.

[higgmeister]

So, I joined this forum over 15 years ago, waiting for my chance to criticize Trump the Wise? Your reaction reminds me of the pod people when confronted by one of the unassimilated. Sorry to interrupt. Please continue to discuss among yourselves.

You appear to play dumb to knowing about profiles that have been passed around among members of groups intent on disrupting forums for nefarious purposes.

The more likely scenario for you is that a few weeks ago your GOPe overlords assigned old Profiles and IDs with instructions to spread disruptive comments to stir dissent. Or, on the other hand, you may only be clueless.

[jpsb]

I’m chortling. Cruz is a loser who will have no influence at the convention if he is even let in the door.\

At this point I do not expect Cruz will be allowed to speak at the convention. He is a #NeverTrump-er and should not be allowed to speak. He pledged to support the nominee, Trump is the nominee. Cruz's word means nothing.

[jpsb]

His fatal error IMO was

Lying and lying and lying and then lying some more.

[RedWulf]

>“Cruz is a brilliant strategist, a long-term player.

I will direct people to Ted Cruz’s NY values comments and the selection of Snarly Carly as a running mate. I’ve never seen a more short sighted canidate.

[jpsb]

You guys won. Can you possibly stop it with the stupid insults?

Did you read the article? It is nothing but insult after insult from Cruzers toward Trump! FUTC. I will not be voting for you in 2018.

[editor-surveyor]

Lots of dreaming and bitterness visible in this thread.

If that is a picture of the real world, we are in deep doo-doo.

Time for cold showers.

[I-ambush]

Unlike you, I don’t have an overlord. Since when is a political disagreement on a forum a “disruption.?”

[higgmeister]

Since when is a political disagreement on a forum a “disruption.?”

Your accusation that Trump supporters are are making undeserved and unwarranted statements against lying Teddy Cruz such as your post # 76, is intentional disruption.

"On the contrary, it’s the Trump cadre that continues to spew calumny about an opponent that’s been beaten, but why?"

Even an establishment GOP elite should see that is an attack on Trump. Give it up! Back Trump and Ted Cruz will drop into the dustbin of history with nary a word spoken. Keep up the attacks on Trump and get it back tenfold.

[MeanWestTexan]

Ok I’ll be sure to tell senator Cruz at the reception tonight that a random retard with a keyboard doesn’t like him.

[I-ambush]

So, if I agree with you that a man I admire greatly is “Lyin’ Ted,” then all will be well and I can rejoin the hive. Sorry, not going to happen. Yours and Trump’s accusations are a calumny, and to say so is to attest to the truth.

[PapaBear3625]

Cruz’s theme will be to say, `You’re the nominee, but I’m the party. You’re the name on the ballot, but I’m the one who represents, who epitomizes what it means to be a Republican.’”

No, Ted. You are not the party. You lost the primaries, when Republicans voted against you.

You may be the face of the Republican ESTABLISHMENT, which is under the delusion that THEY, not the people they depend upon to vote, are the Party. Their delusions will be corrected in due time. By whatever means necessary.

[mkjessup]

So, if I agree with you that a man I admire greatly is “Lyin’ Ted,” then all will be well and I can rejoin the hive. Sorry, not going to happen. Yours and Trump’s accusations are a calumny, and to say so is to attest to the truth.

All you have to do is Google up 'Ted Cruz Lies' and you'll find TONS of evidence that establish that Cruz lies incessantly, even when he doesn't NEED to lie.

We'll start with a lie of omission:

WHY didn't Cruz tell the voters of Texas that he was a Cuban-Canadian import, indeed still a Canadian CITIZEN when he was seeking their votes for his U.S. Senate seat? Are you going to try to claim that "he didn't know" he was a Canadian citizen? That's just one. Here, have some breakfast troll:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI-SGrum8lQ

Now for extra credit, regarding that word "calumny" that you seem so entranced with, here is the actual definition of that word:

"the making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage someone's reputation; slander."

YOUR problem is that the false and defamatory statements were first uttered by Cruz himself, his own lying big mouth is what damaged his OWN reputation.

Well my FRiends (not you lil wannabe ambusher), I must commend everyone for stepping up to try and educate this misguided CruzBot, I knew I could get a good night's rest while you all kept that joker pinned down with accurate facts and rebuttals. NICE WORK.

[Georgia Girl 2]

So true.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Cruz and Rubio are nothing but second rate con men. Exposed and finished off. A first rate con man is someone like a Bernie Madoff. Cruz couldn’t even shine Bernie’s shoes. He’s DONE.

[stephenjohnbanker]

I-ambush I think your chief problem is that you aren’t very intelligent. Now this is not your fault. One can only play the cards on has been dealt in life.

Good luck!

[Night Hides Not]

That's really going to convince him/her to hop on the Trump Train. lol

[stephenjohnbanker]

The idiot thinks Trump is a reprobate. He’s done too : )

[mkjessup]

That's really going to convince him/her to hop on the Trump Train. lol

Wise up pal, this isn't a group therapy thread with an open invitation for all Cruzed+Bruised Bots to get group hugs and have their poor judgment excused and validated.

Long before Trump entered the race, I was backing Cruz because he was talking a good game and using all the Constitutional buzz words, however it soon became clear from his poor judgment (starting with bringing that f--king maniac Glenn Beck on board) that (to paraphrase Obi-Wan)"this was not the conservative candidate we were looking for".

Even a casual review of our Trump-hating troll reveals their animus against the GOP nominee that will be coming out of the convention in Cleveland, that nit wit is beyond redemption.

[mkjessup]

Great minds Brother! LOL