Unless Donald Trump and daughter Ivanka can pull off a miracle when they speak tonight (and it's possible), the GOP will be leaving its Cleveland showcase without the typical convention bump and as a very sick puppy.
True to his Grandpa Munster alter ego, Ted Cruz sucked the blood right out of the delegates in Quicken Loans Arena last night. Some 23 minutes into Cruz's allotted 12, it dawned on them that he would not endorse the party's nominee.
Their cheers turned to jeers quickly when Cruz told them to vote their conscience and for someone who would support the Constitution.
He left Trump supporters cold, and even some of his own delegates weren't too pleased that Cruz wasn't honoring his written pledge to back the party's nominee.
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| Wahhh! Donald Trump's a big bully! Wahhh! He attacked my wife. He attacked my daddy! I don't have to keep my word if I don't want to! So there! |
Ironically, Cruz and 15 other Trump opponents held the nominee's feet to the fire until he agreed to that same pledge, which he obviously honored.
Cruz said later that he would never endorse anyone who attacked his wife and his father. Trump was guilty of doing that publicly.
And some may agree that the personal attacks on Cruz's family were so beyond the pale that they voided the contract.
I think it was rude for Cruz to accept an invitation to speak at Trump's coronation, gobble up costly excess podium minutes, and then diss the host who was showing him some genuine grace by inviting him.
The convention has demonstrated how deeply the Republican party is split 100 days from the election.
My wife is rubbing it in that The Hatch Principle doesn't seem to be holding.
For the first time since Barry Goldwater, the party doesn't seem to be really congealing around its nominee. And even Goldwater's convention didn't cause such a ruckus.
Trump hasn't helped himself much. The convention has been almost completely distracted by gaffes--Melania's plagiarized speech and its mishandled aftermath the principal one.
Cruz caused so much tumult last night he totally upstaged the fairly strong speech by V.P. nominee Mike Pence. Who can remember even one word of what that candidate said?
Trump needs near total GOP support and a big chunk of the Independent vote to be president. He may already have the Independents leaning his way, but unless he can unite his own party, he's got big problems.
Most important Republicans didn't even show up to the convention. A good one-third of the delegates sat on their hands last night while their compatriots were on their feet shouting down Cruz.
I'd say Trump's got his work cut out for him.
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