GOP nominee Donald Trump has dismissed Ted Cruz’s RNC snub in typical fashion, declaring it to be “no big deal”.
In a tweet sent out early Thursday, Trump noted that in refusing to endorse Trump, Cruz effectively broke a pledge he made to the GOP earlier in the year to support the eventual nominee.
Trump also noted that he allowed Cruz to make his speech, even though he read it ahead of time, and knew the Senator would not be endorsing him.
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2016
The backlash to Cruz’s move has made headlines across the country.
Some have suggested that Trump allowed Cruz to speak, knowing that the reaction to the Senator from most GOP supporters would be a hostile one.
Cruz himself doubled down on Thursday, again refusing to commit to vote for Trump, and claiming that he personally told Trump days ago that he wasn’t going to endorse him.
“In that speech last night, I did not say a single negative word about Donald Trump,” Cruz said. “And I’ll tell you this morning and going forward, I don’t intend to say negative things about Donald Trump.”
Cruz: “I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father" https://t.co/HqOPJ9a8IP https://t.co/dOqd6c838e
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 21, 2016
Cruz suggested that he decided not to endorse Trump because of personal attacks made during debates and campaigning, saying he would not act as “a servile puppy dog”.
“I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father,” he said, adding “Neither he nor his campaign has taken back a word of what they said about my family.”
Cruz added that it would be a safe option to “stand up and pledge your allegiance to whoever the party nominee might be, no matter what.”
“I’m not going to lie to you,” he told an attendee. “What I said last night is what I believe.”
Cruz attempted to turn the tables on Trump by claiming he was defying the party leadership and sticking to his own guns.
“Let me ask folks here … how many of y’all would like to see more leaders stand up to John Boehner and Mitch McConnell?” Mr. Cruz asked, referring to the past House speaker and current Senate majority leader.
“Anytime you stand up to John Boehner and Mitch McConnell, leadership screams ‘support the team, you’re a Republican, we’re our leadership, sit down, shut up — just support the team,’ ” he said.
“And damn it, if that’s the price, I ain’t gonna do it. I’m gonna honor the commitments I made to the voters, instead,” Cruz said.
The exchange between Cruz and the gathered crowd became tense when some started booing and heckling the Senator.
“The party has spoken,” one guest shouted.
“Do you realize that you can unite this party like no one in this party, even more then our candidate?” another said.
“I will have to confess, what you said would be easy to do,” Cruz replied. “Whether you want me to or not, I am not going to lie to you.”
Cruz added that he was troubled that Trump supporters booed portions of his speech.
“I have to say, it was somewhat dismaying, that apparently some of Donald’s biggest partisans, right down front, when they heard that people should vote for someone you can trust to defend our freedom and defend our conscious, defend the Constitution, immediately they began booing. I got to say that’s a little bit troubling.” he said.
Trump responded with further tweets concerning party unity:
Ted Cruz talks about the Constitution but doesn't say that if the Dems win the Presidency, the new JUSTICES appointed will destroy us all!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2016
Other than a small group of people who have suffered massive and embarrassing losses, the party is VERY united. Great love in the arena!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2016
Talking heads and conservative figures have slammed Cruz for deviating from party lines.
Former Gov. Sarah Palin said “Cruz’s broken pledge to support the will of the people tonight was one of those career-ending ‘read my lips’ moments.”
Roger Stone, former advisor to Trump, called Cruz a “dumb son of a bitch” and “a despicable human being,” adding that “no voter gives a crap about what Ted Cruz does — the only person this hurts is Ted Cruz.”
Gov. Chris Christie said in an appearance on CNN that the Texas senator’s speech was “awful and selfish.”
New York Congressman Peter King told NBC News that Cruz is “a fraud, he’s a liar, he’s self-centered and disqualified himself from ever being considered for president of the United States.”
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Steve Watson is the London based writer and editor for Alex Jones’ Infowars.com, and Prisonplanet.com
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