'Classic no-compromise Ted' fails to endorse Trump, infuriates Republicans

Judging by the loud showering of boos that filled the rafters of Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena,one might have thought Hillary Clinton had unexpectedly dropped in at theRepublicanNationalConvention on Wednesday evening.

Instead,theRepublican delegates'contempt was directed atone of their own: Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

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Fellow party members initially gaveCruz a raucous ovation when he took the stage, butbecameinfuriated after he failed to endorse his onetime presidential nominee rival in a speech that, except for the outset, didn't even mention Trump.

Cruz booed at convention

8 years ago

Duration 1:10

Trump rival Ted Cruz spoke to Republicans

Cruz's appearancecasta shadow over the rest of the evening andsucked the energy out of the roomahead of the appearancebyformer House Speaker NewtGingrich,an unabashed Trump supporter whoheaped praise onthe man who will oppose presumptiveDemocratic nominee Clinton for president.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trump's vice-presidential candidateand the keynote speaker Wednesday evening, somewhat revived the mood.

"You have nominated a man for president who never quits," Pencesaid. "Until now, he's had to do it all by himself against allodds, but this week, with this united party, he's got backup."

But there was little doubt that Cruz's failure to officially endorse Trumpensured the Texas senatorwould be the hot topic of the night, and fordays to come.

Before Cruz's speechwhichreportedly hadbeen carefully screened by Trump campaign officialsPaulManafort, Trump's top campaign adviser, saidit would be clear the senatorwould be supportingTrump, and the address wouldat least "suggest" he is backing the nominee.

Congratulated Trump

But the Trump talk by Cruz was limited to the start of his speech."I congratulate Donald Trump onwinning thenomination last night," the senator said.

Toward the end of the address, whichfocused on themes such asfreedom and the Constitution,Cruz seemed to be leaningtoward a Trumpendorsement when hepleaded with Republicans "not to stay home in November."

But he nevermentioned Trump by name, saying only:"Vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution."

Delegates immediately stood up andshouted downCruz, who left the stage tounrelentingboos.

Gingrich, who had earliertold Fox Newsit would be a "betrayal" if Cruz refused to endorse Trump,attempted some damage control, suggesting Cruz had indeed endorsed Trump. He told the audience that all thesenator said was that they should vote with their conscience for anyone who will uphold the Constitution.

And the only candidate who will do that,Gingrichreasoned, is Donald Trump.

'I think you misunderstood': Gingrich clarifies for Cruz

8 years ago

Duration 0:56

Newt Gingrich speaks to Republican convention

While Cruz no doubt endeared himself to theNeverTrumpers,he likely hurt his chances for 2020, even among those who, although not enamoured with Trump, nonetheless believe all Republicans should rally around the party's candidate.

War of words

Anyone who followedthe bitter primaries would have good insight into why Cruz failed to pull out theTrump card on stage, as the twoengaged in a sometimes viciouswar of words on the road to choosing the official party candidate. Trump referred to Cruz as"Lying Ted," and described him as"unhinged" and "desperate."

Cruz, for his part,referred to Trump as a "pathological liar," a"bully" and "amoral." And after Trumpretweetedan unflattering picture of Cruz's wife, Heidi, next to a picture of Trump's wife,Melania, Cruz referred to Trump as a "snivellingcoward."

After Cruz's speech Wednesday evening,Trumptweeted that his former rival didn't honour the pledgea possible reference to thecandidates' promisethat they would back the eventual nominee. Trump said he had seen thespeech two hours before Cruz took the stage,"but let him speak anyway."

New JerseyGov.ChrisChristie, who had alsochallenged Trump for the nomination but laterdroppedout andendorsed him,told CNN's Dana Bash that Cruz's speech was"awful" and selfish."Former George W. Bush press secretaryAriFleischersaid the speechwas an example of "classic no-compromise Ted."

"Stand on principle and alienate those you work with," Fleischer said.

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Alienatingfellow Republicans is familiar territory forCruz, who has drawn the ire of Republican congressmen and senators for his uncompromising style.

Former Republican House Speaker JohnBoehnerreferred to Cruz as "Lucifer in the flesh," and said he had "never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life."

Another tepid endorsement

Although Cruz was the overwhelming topic of conversation at the RNC on Wednesday evening,Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, another formercandidate in the presidential primary, alsooffered only atepid endorsement of Trump.

While hedid call on Republicans to support Trump and Pence for president and vice-president, rousing the crowd by repeating that "Americans deserve better" than Clinton,his case for Trump boiled down to that onemain argument Trump is better than Clinton.

"So let me be clear: Avote for anyone other than Donald Trump in November is a vote for Hillary Clinton," he said.

Of the three political rivals who had viedfor the presidential nomination, itwas left, surprisingly,to FloridaSenator MarcoRubioto actually present a case for Trump.

Rubio, whoTrumpdismissivelyreferred to as Little Marcoduring the primaries, said Trump is committed to cutting taxes, getting the debt under control, fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria,and nominating constitutionaljudges.

"After a long and spiritedprimary," Rubiosaid, it's time to come together.

• Cruz booed at Republican convention after not endorsing Trump