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Ted Cruz Is Booed When He Refuses to Back Donald Trump at Convention Ted Cruz Stirs Republican Fury in Pointed Snub of Donald Trump
(35 minutes later)
CLEVELAND — Republican leaders tried to pivot to the general election on Wednesday night but instead watched their convention erupt into a bitter replay of the presidential nomination fight as Senator Ted Cruz pointedly refused to endorse his former rival, Donald J. Trump, and was shouted down by furious delegates. CLEVELAND — The Republican convention erupted into tumult on Wednesday night as the bitter primary battle between Donald J. Trump and Senator Ted Cruz reignited unexpectedly, crushing hopes that the party could project unity.
In the most electric moment of the convention, a growing chorus of delegates chanted “Vote for Trump!” and “Keep Your Pledge” as Mr. Cruz neared the end of his 20-minute speech and it became clear that he was going to snub Mr. Trump. In the most electric moment of the convention, a clamor broke out as it became clear that Mr. Cruz was not going to endorse Mr. Trump, pointedly snubbing the party nominee from center stage on the eve of Mr. Trump’s formal acceptance speech.
“I appreciate the enthusiasm of the New York delegation,” Mr. Cruz said dryly about Mr. Trump’s home-state supporters — only to have Mr. Trump himself, stone-faced and clearly angry, appear suddenly in the convention hall and flash a thumbs-up at the delegates. As hundreds of delegates chanted “Vote for Trump!” and “Keep Your Pledge,” Mr. Cruz attempted to dismiss the outburst as “enthusiasm of the New York delegation,” only to have Mr. Trump himself, stone-faced and clearly angry, suddenly appear in the back of the convention hall and flash a thumbs-up at the delegates.
Mr. Cruz was all but drowned out as he asked for God’s blessing on the country and left the stage, while security personnel escorted his wife, Heidi, out of the hall.One delegate yelled “Goldman Sachs!” at her — a reference to the company that has employed her, a job that Mr. Trump attacked during the primaries. Mr. Cruz was all but drowned out as he asked for God’s blessing on the country and left the stage, while security personnel escorted his wife, Heidi, out of the hall. One delegate yelled “Goldman Sachs!” at her — a reference to the company that has employed her, a job that Mr. Trump attacked during the primaries.
Mr. Cruz, who initially received an extended standing ovation from the delegates, took shots at Mrs. Clinton and highlighted conservative policy goals — remarks that some Republicans saw as an unofficial kickoff for another presidential bid in 2020. The commotion in the arena, on the night that Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, Mr. Trump’s running mate, later gave a well-received speech, was a jarring demonstration of just how divided Republicans remain and a stunning departure from modern political conventions. The uproar over Mr. Cruz’s refusal to endorse Mr. Trump recalled an earlier political era, such as when the moderate Republican Nelson Rockefeller was heckled for using his speech at the 1964 convention to criticize Barry Goldwater, the party’s nominee that year.
“Hillary Clinton believes government should make virtually every choice in your life,” Mr. Cruz said. “Education, health care, marriage, speech — all dictated out of Washington.” “I’ve seen some crazy things,” said Brandon Bell, the chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party, who was still stunned as he absorbed what happened on the convention floor. “I don’t think this is going to play well.”
Another onetime rival of Mr. Trump, Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, also sounded like a future candidate as he highlighted his record in his home state and went after Mrs. Clinton with more gusto, focusing minimally on Mr. Trump. Mr. Cruz, who has all but declared that he wants to run for president again in 2020, faced Republicans’ fury after he stepped off the stage. They had been counting on him to help unify his millions of supporters behind Mr. Trump for the general election.
“Hillary Clinton is the ultimate liberal Washington insider,” Mr. Walker said. “If she were any more on the inside, she’d be in prison” — a line met with resounding cheers and a chant popular with the delegates this week, “Lock her up!” Mr. Trump had invited Mr. Cruz to speak even though he had doubts that peace was possible after their brutal race, during which Mr. Trump repeatedly called him “Lyin’ Ted” and suggested Mr. Cruz’s father had a role in President Kennedy’s assassination.
Republican leaders were counting on Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, Mr. Trump’s running mate, to make the strongest case that the nominee was a “good man” — a signature phrase of Mr. Pence’s — and the best hope for traditional conservatives like himself who want to see Mrs. Clinton defeated. But several other Republican governors and senators also tried to vouch for Mr. Trump, partly by acknowledging his flaws. Trump advisers said on Wednesday night that Mr. Trump had been unhappy with the text of Mr. Cruz’s speech but held out for the possibility that Mr. Cruz would make a last-minute endorsement. But the outsize egos of the two men overtook the moment.
“Perhaps he’s sometimes not polite, he can be a little rough, and for some people he may be too direct,” said Gov. Rick Scott of Florida, a Trump ally, before endorsing the nominee as the best candidate to ensure “the very survival of the American dream.” When no endorsement arrived, and with Mr. Cruz sounding like a nominee-in-waiting, Mr. Trump grew furious and made an unplanned appearance in the convention hall in a show of gratitude to the balky delegates.
Mr. Trump and his advisers tried, with mixed results, to pivot on Wednesday night to a general election message after two nights of convention speeches that offered mainly anger and grievances. While many American voters do not like Mrs. Clinton, the convention speeches on Monday and Tuesday seemed directed at the most extreme members of the party, rather than at moderates and independent voters in battleground states like Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania that Mr. Trump hopes to win. Convention organizers were furious at the length of Mr. Cruz’s speech. They made a late decision to allocate 20 minutes for what was originally supposed to be a 12-minute speech. Mr. Cruz wound up speaking for over 21 minutes, pushing parts of Mr. Pence’s speech beyond prime time. Mr. Cruz’s aides said the speech ran long because it was interrupted for applause.
Several speakers sought to make bipartisan overtures, which drew subdued reactions from the audience. “It’s time for all Americans to put down their partisan banners and vote for the survival of this country,” Gov. Scott said to polite applause. Moments later, though, he bashed Mrs. Clinton as weak on national security and job creation — sparking delegates to revive their “lock her up” chant. Even after the hubbub subsided, allies of Mr. Trump kept hammering Mr. Cruz. Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, who spoke after the senator, quickly revised his remarks to taunt Mr. Cruz for not endorsing Mr. Trump.
“To paraphrase Ted Cruz, if you want to preserve the Constitution, the only possible candidates this fall is the Trump-Pence Republican ticket,” Mr. Gingrich said.
The rumpus on the floor, which broke out shortly before 10 p.m., captured a reality that Republicans had hoped to minimize: that significant factions of the party remain hostile to Mr. Trump, while his own base of supporters are fervent and unyielding to the point of unsettling anger.
“What good are you if your word is not on your bond?” asked one delegate from Nevada, George Assad. “I was a big Cruz fan. No more.”
The drama overshadowed the appearance of Mr. Trump’s running mate, Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, who was expected to be the highlight of the convention’s third night.
Mr. Pence served as a character witness for Mr. Trump, crediting him with turning “a long-shot campaign into a movement.”
“He’s a doer not a talker,” Mr. Pence said. “He doesn’t tiptoe the thousand new rules of political correctness.’’
After the speech, Mr. Trump appeared, walked across the stage and greeted Mr. Pence, pointing to him and inviting the audience to applaud. “What a great job,” Mr. Trump told him.
Mr. Trump was especially eager to steer their convention back on course with fiery speeches and warnings about electing Hillary Clinton after days of confusion and recriminations over Melania Trump’s tarnished speech.
The turmoil over Ms. Trump’s speech, which borrowed lines from Michelle Obama’s 2008 convention address, eclipsed the party gathering in a way not seen at a political convention since Dick Morris, Bill Clinton’s adviser, was revealed at the outset of Mr. Clinton’s 1996 convention to having had an extramarital affair and a foot fetish.The turmoil over Ms. Trump’s speech, which borrowed lines from Michelle Obama’s 2008 convention address, eclipsed the party gathering in a way not seen at a political convention since Dick Morris, Bill Clinton’s adviser, was revealed at the outset of Mr. Clinton’s 1996 convention to having had an extramarital affair and a foot fetish.
Watching from afar, Democratic leaders scoffed at the idea that Mr. Pence, Mr. Cruz, and other Republicans would hold any appeal for voters other than the strictest Republicans, noting that the party’s platform was one of the most socially conservative ever.
“If they want to move on from the plagiarism issue, they’ll probably have to stop copying and pasting talking points from the N.R.A., anti-LGBTQ groups, or any other organizations that represent the values of a century ago,” said Gov. Dan Malloy of Connecticut.
Mr. Trump, in an effort to seize command of the convention, tried to create a presidential tableau as he arrived in Cleveland on Wednesday.
After his Trump-branded jet landed midafternoon, Mr. Trump flew in a Trump helicopter to a grassy patch near the convention arena — a theatrical projection of high status captured by cable news cameras. Then, to the theme music from “Air Force One” — a film about a gutsy president who kills a terrorist with his bare hands — Mr. Trump alighted from the chopper to give Mr. Pence a handshake and kissed his daughters. Few people turned out to watch as Mr. Trump spoke briefly to highlight Mr. Pence’s speech that night. And Mr. Pence, whose political rollout last weekend was overshadowed by Mr. Trump, managed to say almost as many words as the nominee.
“I’m convinced what begins in Cleveland will end in the White House,” Mr. Pence said.“I’m convinced what begins in Cleveland will end in the White House,” Mr. Pence said.
For Mr. Cruz, the closest he came to endorsing Mr. Trump — beyond congratulating him for winning the nomination — was a plea to Republicans and others to vote for like-minded candidates in November. Several other Republican governors and senators also tried to vouch for Mr. Trump, partly by acknowledging his flaws.
“Perhaps he’s sometimes not polite, he can be a little rough, and for some people he may be too direct,” Gov. Rick Scott of Florida said before endorsing the nominee as the best candidate to ensure “the very survival of the American dream.”
Speakers at times sought to make bipartisan overtures, which drew subdued reactions from the audience, which seemed eager for more passion and less gentility.
“It’s time for all Americans to put down their partisan banners and vote for the survival of this country,” Mr. Scott said to polite applause. Moments later, though, he bashed Mrs. Clinton as weak on national security and job creation — sparking delegates to revive their “lock her up” chant.
But the scene that will be remembered for years to come is the split screen image of Mr. Cruz, seemingly stunned on the stage as the boos grew, and a scowling Mr. Trump dramatically entering the arena to wrest back control of his convention.
In a sign of Mr. Cruz’s reluctance to endorse Mr. Trump, the most generous statement he could offer — beyond congratulating him for winning the nomination — was a plea to Republicans and others to vote for like-minded candidates in November.
“To those listening, please, don’t stay home in November,” Mr. Cruz said. “Stand and speak and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution.”“To those listening, please, don’t stay home in November,” Mr. Cruz said. “Stand and speak and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution.”
At the end of his speech, he was booed off stage.
Yet even as Mr. Trump’s onetime rivals castigated Mrs. Clinton, they seemed to be looking far beyond the November election.
Mr. Cruz has used the week here as virtual renewing of his presidential ambitions, darting between parties, speeches and meals with the sort of donors and activists he would need if, as expected, he runs again. When he addressed friendly delegates at an open-bar reception on Cleveland’s waterfront on Wednesday afternoon, a “2020!” chant broke out. And, as if to send a signal that he knew what Mr. Cruz was up to, Mr. Trump’s 757 roared over the gathering while the senator was speaking.Mr. Cruz has used the week here as virtual renewing of his presidential ambitions, darting between parties, speeches and meals with the sort of donors and activists he would need if, as expected, he runs again. When he addressed friendly delegates at an open-bar reception on Cleveland’s waterfront on Wednesday afternoon, a “2020!” chant broke out. And, as if to send a signal that he knew what Mr. Cruz was up to, Mr. Trump’s 757 roared over the gathering while the senator was speaking.
Some of Mr. Trump’s allies were unhappy that Mr. Cruz had been given a platform to attempt his own version of Ronald Reagan’s famous 1976 convention speech, which set up his run for the presidency four years later. In similar fashion, Gov. John R. Kasich of Ohio, who is not backing Mr. Trump, has been even less subtle, using his home-state convention to conduct a series of national television interviews and court Republicans. Mr. Kasich’s refusal to support Mr. Trump even prompted the nominee’s top aide to flatly accuse him of positioning himself for a 2020 bid.
“Ted Cruz has to wake up to the fact that he is not Reagan, he’s Nixon,” said Roger J. Stone, Mr. Trump’s longtime adviser, who said he did not approve of the decision to let Mr. Cruz speak. Still, some Republican officials were skeptical that speakers like Mr. Cruz, Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, and others would be remembered like Ronald Reagan was after the 1976 convention, when he made some Republicans regret that they had renominated Gerald R. Ford. By leaving an indelible impression, Reagan set himself up to run and win the party’s nomination four years later.
Mr. Walker, too, has made the most of his week here, traveling to suburban hotels to visit with delegations from early nominating states like Iowa and South Carolina. He has also made time to chat with some of the party’s leading donors, including the Ricketts family, who founded TD Ameritrade.
Gov. John R. Kasich of Ohio, who is not backing Mr. Trump, has been even less subtle, using his home-state convention to conduct a series of national television interviews and court Republicans. Mr. Kasich’s refusal to support Mr. Trump even prompted the nominee’s top aide to flatly accuse him of positioning himself for a 2020 bid.
Still, some Republican officials were skeptical that Mr. Cruz, Mr. Walker, and others would be remembered like Ronald Reagan was after the 1976 convention, when he made some Republicans regret that they had renominated Gerald R. Ford. By leaving an indelible impression, Reagan set himself up to run and win the party’s nomination four years later.
“This election cycle has shown that history means very little, so any ‘going forward’ strategy built on history is highly risky,” said Matt Moore, chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party. “It’s hard to imagine the political climate in four months, much less four years.”“This election cycle has shown that history means very little, so any ‘going forward’ strategy built on history is highly risky,” said Matt Moore, chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party. “It’s hard to imagine the political climate in four months, much less four years.”