Cogito Ergo Non Serviam

Cruz Declines Endorsing Trump, Party Disunity Persists

At the Republican National Convention, last night was supposed to be about the speech of vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, introducing him to the vast majority of Americans who haven't a clue who he is. It was not. It was about Ted Cruz addressing the convention in prime time, not endorsing Donald Trump, and being booed as he left the stage. Mr. Cruz is playing a high-risk, long game, but the immediate effect was to take the Trump convention off message again.

Senator Cruz came on stage to a huge ovation. His speech was a paean to conservative values, and it included, "I congratulate Donald Trump on winning the nomination last night and like each of you, I want to see the principles that our party believes prevail in November." Toward the end of the speech he said, "Don't stay home in November. Stand and speak and vote your conscience." That is code for "not Mr. Trump." This morning, he explained "I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father."

Some on the convention floor backed Senator Cruz. CNN wrote about a Cruz delegate named Wes Brumit, "He [Senator Cruz] did mention all the points Trump mentioned: building a wall, fighting ISIS. He just didn't come right out and endorse. He said everyone should be able to vote their conscience. And that's OK with me." He added, "All the boos were exactly the New York values that Ted has talked about. I think Mr. Trump has some things to apologize for to Cruz before Sen Cruz can come onboard fully for Trump." Mr. Brumit appears to be in the minority, though.

Mr. Trump, using his favorite means of communicating his brain-droppings Twitter, tweeted, "Wow, Ted Cruz got booed off the stage, didn't honor the pledge! I saw his speech two hours early but let him speak anyway. No big deal!"

Others were less diplomatic. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said "I think it was awful. And quite frankly, I think it was something selfish. And he signed a pledge. And it's his job to keep his word."

New York Congressman and former supporter of the terrorist Irish Republican Army Peter King said "To me, Ted Cruz showed America what he really is. He's a fraud. He's a liar. He's self-centered. He disqualified himself from ever being considered for president of the United States. He took a pledge to support the nominee. Today the Ted Cruz that I've known -- he cannot be trusted and he's not a true Republican. He's not a true conservative. I never saw as much outrage on the floor as I did tonight."

CNN noted, "Jonathan Barnett, a Republican national committeeman from Arkansas, walked off the floor after Cruz's speech. 'He's self-centered. It's all about Ted Cruz. All he did is ruin his political career,' Barnett said. 'I think he's finished'."

If Mr. Trump becomes president, Mr Barnett is correct. However, if he loses, Mr. Cruz will be blamed but also vindicated. Mr. Cruz will be able to make the usual argument that the Republicans failed to nominate a true conservative and, therefore, they lost. He will become the standard bearer of the true believers. The people like Mr. Christie will be lesser characters (Mr. Christie may be in the private sector by 2020) for having backed Mr. Trump so powerfully.

The risk he runs here is that he doesn't overcome the label "traitor to the party." The only thing political hacks are less forgiving about than losing is being disloyal to a losing cause. He may find that another young gun of the hard right has greater appeal because that other reactionary didn't make that speech in Cleveland. Mr. Cruz was known as the least-liked man in the US Senate before last night. Now, he is the least-liked conservative among conservatives. He needs to start working for candidates down ticket if he wants to avoid staying in the political wilderness permanently.

© Copyright 2016 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.



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