“LION TED CRUZ”: Twitter reacts to Cruz’s dramatic RNC non-endorsement of Trump
Ted Cruz (Credit: Reuters/Aaron P. Bernstein)
The big story of three of the Republican National Convention is Ted Cruz, who shocked conventioneers by declining to endorse Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in his keynote speech, instead telling Americans, “Vote your conscience.”
The pro-Trump convention crowd reacted swiftly and harshly as it realized that Cruz would leave the stage without issuing an endorsement:
The floor as Cruz ended his speech pic.twitter.com/0o9iMjvUDy
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) July 21, 2016
Here are the boos as Cruz refuses to endorse Trump: #RNCinCLE pic.twitter.com/RPo15m39S2
— Ryan Nobles (@ryanobles) July 21, 2016
HEIDI CRUZ escorted out by security as crowd gets angry at Cruz for his speech. One Trump supporter shouting "Goldman Sachs!" at her
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 21, 2016
I haven't seen someone booed that bad in Cleveland since…well every QB to play for the Browns. #TedCruz #RNCinCLE
— Francis Maxwell (@francis_maxwell) July 21, 2016
Many observers immediately read Cruz’s public refusal to endorse Trump as a dramatic gambit positioning the Texas senator for another run at the presidency in 2020.
Cruz made the gamble that Trump is gonna lose big and what he did will look smart four years hence. And…of course, could be.
— Michael Tomasky (@mtomasky) July 21, 2016
If Cruz thought endorsing would have helped his 2020 chances, he would have endorsed. This was strategy. It always is.
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) July 21, 2016
It's blatantly obvious Cruz thinks Trump is going to lose, and is gearing up for 2020 #RNCinCLE
— Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) July 21, 2016
In 2020, Cruz will be the only one able to credibly claim he's the conscience of the party. Ryan, Rubio, etc. took the cowardly way out.
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) July 21, 2016
Some anti-Trump conservatives took a measure of satisfaction in Cruz’s effort to publicly embarrassment Trump, whom Cruz failed to overtake in a heated Republican primary race that devolved into insults and name-calling.
LION TED CRUZ.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) July 21, 2016
What an incredibly courageous and brilliant undermining of Trump. Good for Cruz's career, horrible for Trump.
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) July 21, 2016
Trump gambled he could play Cruz after he viciously attacked Cruz's father and wife. He lost. Sorry Donny.
— Lucius (@LuciusCoverdale) July 21, 2016
Before Cruz’s speech hijacked the night’s proceedings, the RNC agenda often focused on criticism of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, with speeches from Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and a recorded message from Florida Sen. Marco Rubio attacking the former Secretary of State. The raucous convention crowd responded with persistent chants of “Lock her up!”
The #RNCinCLE crowd chants "Lock her up!" for the second time this evening https://t.co/ecK0jyhTId
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) July 21, 2016
Undercard speakers earlier in the evening included Florida Gov. Rick Scott and talk radio host Laura Ingraham:
wait where are the other two
hippo @InternetHippo @msager pic.twitter.com/lV13zYZx5d
— darth™ (@darth) July 21, 2016
— Mashable News (@MashableNews) July 21, 2016
Laura Ingraham: No one respects veterans anymore! …She says as she endorses a man who mocked POWs #RNCinCLE
— Brian Tashman (@briantashman) July 21, 2016
