As a part of the 2016 Republican National Convention (RNC), Texas Senator Ted Cruz gave a well thought out, well-written speech. In it, Cruz mentioned many things including basketball, hatred, voting, and America making a comeback regarding illegal immigration.
One topic, however, was notably missing from Cruz’s speech: Cruz did not once mention the nominee of the Republican Party, Donald J. Trump. Because Cruz’s speech took place place at the RNC, his speech’s absence of anything Mr. Trump-related struck listeners as odd. How could someone like Ted Cruz—a principled conservative with strong family values and a believer that your word is your bond—go back on his pledge he made to always support the Republican nominee?
Although it may be argued that Cruz did not “not” support Trump, it is clear that Cruz knew the repercussions of his actions, and how it would all be perceived in the media.
Trump and his supporters believe Cruz’s not mentioning Trump in his speech may have had to do with Trump’s publicly humiliating Cruz’s wife via Twitter a few months back when he threatened to “spill the beans on [Cruz’s] wife!” following the release of a Facebook advertisement that depicted Trump’s own wife, Melania, nude. Trump allegedly believed Cruz’s campaign responsible for the advertisement. Cruz’s campaign, however, has not and will not claim responsibility for the ad.
If Cruz truly did leave Trump out of his speech for this reason, it seems to make sense: How could Cruz support someone who publicly humiliated his wife?
While Cruz’s failure to endorse Trump has earned the nominee some pity from Republican Party loyalists, it has also raised further tension between the Trump for POTUS and “Never Trump” Republicans.
The Trump for POTUS movement has forever altered the trajectory of the Republican Party. Trump’s supporters believe it will continue to consume voters
until the the election in November. Trump supporters also believe that while support and dislike for their preferred candidate are well divided, failing to unify the party would be a grave mistake. To them, Ted Cruz wasted a valuable opportunity to show his leadership and ability to unite Republicans back together.
Following Cruz’s speech, Lindsey Graham encompassed the way some Republicans feel about Cruz’s lack of mentioning his party’s nominee.
“If you killed Ted Cruz on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, nobody would convict you,” Graham said.
For failing to endorse Donald Trump and for failing to keep his word, Ted Cruz has cemented himself as a slimy politician.
Chris Christie commented speedily after shoving the last half of a donut in his mouth, “Every one of us signed a pledge. Our word should matter. And that’s what disgusts people out in your audience about politicians. That they give their word and then they think that’s negotiable.”