From the midweek edition of the Morning Jolt:
Ted Cruz’s Big Night and Big Decision
How do you think Ted Cruz will feel tonight? If you’re disappointed, frustrated, bewildered or unnerved at how the 2016 election is shaping up for Republicans… how would you like to be one of the folks who dedicated several years of his life to this, only to come in second and watch a man light-years from movement conservatism become the nominee?
Our Eliana Johnson has a huge scoop and preview of one important decision Cruz appears to have reached:
Though he accepted a primetime speaking spot at the convention that officially nominated Donald Trump on Tuesday, Cruz will not endorse the Republican nominee, according to two sources familiar with his plans.
…Going into tomorrow night’s speech, Cruz undoubtedly has Ronald Reagan’s 1976 convention speech in mind. Though Reagan narrowly lost the nomination to Gerald Ford that year, his speech succeeded in convincing the delegates gathered in Kansas City that they had chosen the wrong man. (Paul Manafort, now Trump’s campaign chairman, was at the time a young operative instrumental in wrangling delegates on Ford’s behalf.)
We pretty much know how every other major conservative or GOP figure is handling the Trump nomination. Some are making their peace with it, some are staying away from Cleveland, and some are continuing to criticize Trump. What will Cruz’s tone be like tonight? If he doesn’t formally endorse, will he praise Trump? Will he even acknowledge him? Will he criticize Hillary Clinton to the point where it begins to feel like a de facto endorsement?
Everybody understands the argument, “you have to vote for Trump to stop Clinton.” The consequences of a Clinton presidency are vivid and abominable, staring with a national stamp of approval for her history of lies, arrogance, and disregard for the law. But “stop Hillary” is a strange rallying cry for anyone who otherwise laments that conservatives are always on defense. Is there a positive case for Trump that can persuade the likes of Ted Cruz and his most dedicated fans?
Are we absolutely certain Trump’s judicial picks will be good ones? Can he really secure the border, or will Trump water down his wall promises? Notice Rick Perry, who also spoke at the convention but who did not endorse or mention Trump from the stage, recently said it’s going to be a “digital wall.” Then there’s this comment from one of Trump’s biggest fans in Congress, Rep. Chris Collins of New York said it would be a “virtual wall” with “rhetorical deportation.”
The logic of “Hillary is terrible, and Trump is an unknown, so you have to roll the dice” is clear. But what if you come up snake-eyes? And considering what we’ve seen so far, why would any conservative expect Trump to be a lucky pair of dice?