Politics & Government
'I Am Not a Servile Puppy Dog,' Says Ted Cruz, 'This is Personal'; Trump's Insults About His Wife Still Sting
#RNCinCLE Blog, Day 4: Finale features Ivanka Trump and her dad as campaign deals with Ted Cruz fallout. | Thiel to talk about being gay.
Great welcome for @tedcruz at Texas delegation breakfast this morning. #CruzCrew #RNCinCLE pic.twitter.com/BQvyyM1Xc5
— Chris Wilson (@WilsonWPA) July 21, 2016
CLEVELAND, OH — Ted Cruz remained steadfast in the face of anger and criticism about his failure to endorse Donald Trump and told Texas delegates "this is personal" at their Thursday morning breakfast.
How personal? Insult my wife and the-memory of my dead father personal. Twenty paces and draw personal. And Cruz implied he was doing his best to hold his fire and be a principled Republican, even if that means not keeping his pledge to support the party nominee.
"I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father," Cruz said. "And that pledge was not a blanket commitment that if you go and slander and attack Heidi that I'm going to nonetheless come like a servile puppy dog and say 'Thank you very much for maligning my wife and maligning my father.'"
Find out what's happening in Clevelandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Check in with Patch today on this blog for Republican National Convention updates.
Cruz was warmly and enthusiastically welcomed by the delegates. But as the question-and-answer session unfolded, ire was raised. One delegate apparently mocked him with a "boo-hoo crocodile tears" gesture. When a delegate said to him "this is just politics," Cruz shot back: "This is not a game. This is not politics. Right and wrong matter."
Cruz and his wife, Heidi, were escorted out of the Republican Convention arena accompanied by security as thousands of Trump supporters were livid about Cruz's snubbing of Trump in his Wednesday night speech and his urging that everyone "vote your conscience."
Find out what's happening in Clevelandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"I addressed the convention because Donald Trump asked me to," Cruz said, adding that he told Trump three days ago no endorsement would be coming. "They knew exactly what I was going to say."
After the lights went dark in the arena, Trump took to Twitter.
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
Cruz on Thursday told Texas delegates who asked if he'd vote for Trump that he's waiting, "watching and listening" to see if Trump can win his vote. He also said he's definitely not voting for Hillary Clinton.
"I don't intend to say negative things about Donald Trump," said Cruz, who only mentioned Trump once in his speech.
He had no problem, however, laying into Trump supporters who booed him Wednesday night.
"I said, 'We should vote for candidates that you trust to defend our freedom and be faithful to the constitution,' " Cruz told the Texas delegates. "We don't just put on red jersey and blue jerseys and 'Yay.' ....
"I have to say it was somewhat dismaying that apparently some of Donald's biggest partisans ... when they heard that people should vote for someone you trust ... immediately they began booing. I've got to say that's a little bit troubling what they're saying."
Cruz took questions from the delegates, several of whom blasted him for not adhering to the pledge he took in the primaries to support the eventual nominee.
"Support the party," one shouted at him, and Cruz shut him down, saying, "I believe in civility and respect."
He also quoted Ronald Reagan, saying being a Republican is not just about party loyalty, it's about principle, adding, "the Republican Party is not a social club."
On Monday, the Trump campaign went into response mode.
Carl Tepper, chairman of the Lubbock County Republican Party, described the ill will between Cruz and Trump as a "blood feud." He also told MSNBC the party has spoken and Cruz should "put on his big-boy pants."
Trump, of course, responded on Twitter.
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
Texas Delegate: 'These Rules Are Screwing the Conservative Movement'
Bill Eastlake, a Texas delegate, reflects on Trump's running mate Mike Pence, who spoke Wednesday night, and his fellow Lone Star State Republican, Ted Cruz, as well as the rules problem that "zonked out" true conservatives during the primary.
Listen to his sharp analysis of what's amiss this year for the Republican Party.
video by Rick Uldricks | Patch.com
Nailed It
A Florida woman shows off her "Go Trump" manicure.
Commies Say Cops Lied About Fire
The Revolutionary Communist Party USA held a press conference Thursday morning to say Cleveland Police "lied" about a protester's pant leg catching on fire when he tried to burn an American flag outside the convention arena. Sunsara Taylor said another protest is planned for today. Seventeen people were arrested, and two were charged with assaulting a police officer.
» Read More: 2 Felony Arrests After Officers Punched in Flag-Burning Protest Near GOP Convention
Convention Baby
The official baby of the @SCGOP delegation is ready for day 3 of #RNCinCLE @GOP #weepublican pic.twitter.com/2e0EvW81a5
— Jonathan Hoffman (@HoffmanForSC) July 20, 2016
Hot, Hot, Hotter Than ... a Convention Finale
It's expected to be 91 degrees today in Cleveland, reaching a peak between 3 and 4 p.m., which could make for a hot, wilting day for demonstrators gathered on Public Square and the streets around the convention. An afternoon protest parade is planned. Fortunately, a group of Christians have been handing out free water bottles. The bottles have a label that reads: ElectJesus.org.
Day 4: Grand Finale Featured Speakers Include Peter Thiel, Ivanka Trump and The Donald
The theme of the day is "Make America One Again," which comes after three days of competing ideas and divisive rhetoric — not just between the Republicans and the Democrats but among Republicans themselves.
The most-anticipated speaker of the week, other than the nominee, is his daughter Ivanka Trump. She is a real estate executive, entrepreneur, wife and mother. As executive vice president of Acquisitions and Development at The Trump Organization, she is leading some of the company's most high-profile deals, including the $200 million conversion of the historic Old Post Office in Washington, D.C., into a luxury hotel and the $250 million renovation of the Doral Golf Resort in Miami.
Peter Thiel is a venture capitalist and entrepreneur, co-founded PayPal, was the first outside investor in Facebook, and funds the Thiel Foundation, which promotes freedom in all its forms while working to advance technological progress.
He is expected to make history by being the first GOP convention speaker to announce that he's gay. The Washington Post reports that Thiel, a Libertarian not a Republican, plans to say "he does not agree with all the policies in the official GOP platform (and) he believes fighting over cultural issues such as 'bathroom bills' is a distraction from more important matters."
Other speakers include Brock Mealer, a motivational speaker who suffered a spinal cord injury; U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee; Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin; Dr. Lisa Shin, an eye doctor from Los Alamos, New Mexico, and founder of National Diversity Coalition for Trump; Reince Priebus, Republican National Committee Chairman; Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University; and Tom Barrack, CEO of Colony Capital.
Day 3 Coverage
'Vote Your Conscience' and Other Words Ted Cruz Said at the GOP Convention
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz Booed Off Stage at Republican Convention
2 Felony Arrests After Officers Punched in Flag-Burning Protest Near GOP Convention
Caitlyn Jenner, Authentic Republican, on God, Public Toilets and the Constitution
Peter Thiel First Openly Gay Speaker at RNC in 16 Years
Wall Off Trump Instead of Building Trump's Wall
Cleveland Cops Support Autism Awareness at Republican National Convention
NH Trump Delegate on Hillary: She Should be ‘Shot for Treason’
Watch Stephen Colbert Stump Illinois Delegate in 'Trump or False'
Day 2 Coverage
Trump Made 'We Are the Champions' His Jam and Ignored Sony 'Request to Desist'
Melania Trump's Speech Controversy: Pish! Say GOP Delegates
Donald Trump Writer Takes Blame For Melania Trump Speech Plagiarism
'Finest Governor in the United States' ... is Bruce Rauner?
Hillary Clinton Sees 'Wizard of Oz' Performance by Donald Trump in Cleveland
Day 1 Coverage
Melania Trump's Speech Cheat Exposed and Campaign's 'No Time for Losers' Moment Backfires
Best Jokes About Melania Trump's Plagiarized RNC Speech
Benghazi Mom Rages at Hillary Clinton on GOP Convention's Opening Night
Chris Christie Was Really, Really Unhappy About Trump VP Snub: Reports
No Water Guns Near GOP Convention But Real Guns Are OK — Cops Are Worried
RNCinCLE Day 1: 'No Time for Losers' | Chris Christie's Anti-Christie | Benghazi Tears and Fury
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