Posted on 07/20/2016 6:32:36 AM PDT by lodi90
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Sen. Ted Cruz's Texas-size political ambitions will be on full display Wednesday as the primary runner-up delivers a prime-time convention speech, but holds off on a full-throated endorsement of Republican nominee Donald Trump.
The conservative senator repeatedly clashed with Trump during a bitter primary fight, with the New York businessman mocking the lawmaker as "Lyin' Ted." With an eye toward 2020, Cruz's team drafted a convention speech focusing on adherence to the Constitution, a calling card for conservatives and a perceived contrast with Trump.
Cruz has not endorsed Trump despite pleas for party unity from the campaign and party officials. Nor is he expected to in his speech, which was carefully screened by Trump campaign officials, the senator's aides said.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
I meant 2020
“Cruz will be President someday”
No, that won’t happen.
I’ll concede that unqualified and disastrous candidates can attain the highest office, to wit, Obama. However, for that to happen all that was needed was for half the electorate to be both leftist and stupid - no problem there; easily half the electorate is leftist and leftists are all stupid by definition (even those with advanced degrees).
For Cruz to get elected, a different kind of demographic is required: half the electorate would have to be both conservative and gullible. Conservatives make up only about 25% of the electorate, and real conservatives are not gullible.
I would be very surprised if Ted Cruz had any political future after this debacle.
‘Cruz said last week he would endorse Trump,’
Actually, Cruz said he was still evaluating whether or not he could endorse Trump.
Can’t believe Trump is allowing Cruz a prime time speaking slot without an endorsement of Trump. They should tell Mr. Sour Grapes Cruz that since he can’t find it in his heart to endorse Trump, that his speaking time has been changed to Wednesday afternoon. Prime time speeches should be reserved for those who will endorse Trump.
Howdy....check pm
Not bad, Frederick303.
I hope you’re right!
I wonder if he will still call for another 325,000 foreign H1B tech workers while Americans are still out of work.
Who needs the AP to “paint” anything against Fredo Cruz.
The guy uses his own brush to paint his own obnoxious portrait.
Glom on to that.
Certainly, Cruz is no more conservative than Paul Ryan, or Mitch McConnell, or Romney, or even Zuckerberg, but he’s way more ambitious.
That flag waving, Bible thumping, Constitutional Shakespeare that he warbles, for the rubes, is sure fly paper for those who can not see that he simply the showboat of the RINO faction, but never does he produce an iota of legislation, or a signature, to anything that actually harms the globalist agenda.
Wake up.
Can’t believe Trump is allowing Cruz a prime time speaking slot without an endorsement of Trump.
As far as I can tell none of the GOP establishment RNC speakers have unequivocally endorsed Trump. Why would it be any different with Ted Cruz? He won’t be endorsing Trump tonight.
You people have no understanding as to how to read things.
Let me ask you a question, “Do you thunk Trump is stupid?”
No you don’t think he is, and neither do I.
Ted Cruz said it loudly that he would endorse Trump when he made the deal with trump to speak in the prime spot on Wednesday night.
Trump would never have agreed to allow Ted a prime time speaking spot if he did not promise to endorse him.
Unless, as I asked, do you think Trump is so stupid he would allow Cruz to destroy the convention by not endorsing him?
Trump is a genius at understanding people, not that I like him, but I will support and vote for him.
So, by hm being allowed the 2nd most prime spot at the convention means he will endorse Trump.
Yup. I'm not sure how some think that Trump would give Cruz the prime time spot to speak, if Cruz wasn't going to endorse him. But I guess AP says so, so it must be true.
He does seem to be 'set for life', and has stated that he supports "free trade" agreements because they make it possible for him to "buy stuff cheap".
‘Ted Cruz said it loudly that he would endorse Trump when he made the deal with trump to speak in the prime spot on Wednesday night.’
When Trump offered the slot and Cruz accepted, Cruz himself said there had been no discussion of an endorsement. Nor did Cruz say he intended to give one.
Btw, if Cruz fails to endorse, Trump will not be the one who takes a hit. The convention will continue to be a huge success, but Cruz’ reputation for integrity will be in the gutter.
All the prime time speakers I have heard have endorsed Trump. The ones who have not as yet (like Ryan) were NOT given a prime time speaking slot.
Maybe Trump is giving the Cruzlims an olive branch by allowing Cruz to speak prime time - so they will not make a mess of things later. No other reason to allow a divisive speech in prime time or any time.
I agree that if Cruz doesn’t he will have badly tarnished himself, but he will, or Trump is stupid as I said.
So why don’t you all wait before attacking him.
Too many hear come of like leftists who try to destroy people before they know what they are going to say or do.
I though Freepers were better than that.
Do you have the Cruz direct quote.
I'll give the Trump quote again. Trump said, “if there’s no endorsement, then I would not invite them to speak”.
“Cruz, who is a good an honorable man.”
I don’t see how anyone could say such a thing, after having watched Ted Cruz’ behavior over the last year.
You have an exaggerated view of Cruz’ influence. If he fails to endorse Trump, it won’t harm Trump at all. It will have ginned up incredible interest and anticipation in tonight’s convention, and gotten Trump more exposure than otherwise. But harm him it simply will not; Cruz lacks that level of influence.
“All you do is swallow everything the MSM tells you about Cruz. No where, NO WHERE, is there on piece of evidence that Cruz will not endorse Trump.”
Look, I hope you’re right about the second half of your comment: that Ted will come through with a ringing endorsement for Trump.
But those of us who doubt it have every reason to do so. Cruz’s behavior between the time it became clear that he could not win (months ago) and now, was potentially damaging to the conservative cause (beating the democrat).
The fact that Cruz’s behavior did not hurt Trump and did not hurt the cause, is no thanks to Cruz, it is a testimony to Trump’s strength and clarity that he is prevailing despite the sabatage which Cruz has actively and passively supported.
I don’t see how doubting Cruz’s support makes one a MSM shill by any stretch of the imagination and comparisons to RR in 1976 are disingenuous. I knew RR and Ted Cruz is no RR.
Still, I hope my doubts do turn out to be unfounded and that Cruz comes through with a belated endorsement, and can muster at least the appearance of enthusiasm for the ticket.
We’ll see.
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