Ted Cruz Outmaneuvered Donald Trump At The RNC

Ted Cruz went rogue, but Donald Trump knew about it the whole time. Yep — I'm talking about that Cruz speech that failed to include an endorsement of Trump and instead told voters, "Don't stay home in November. 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." It would seem he's implying that for him, that might not be Trump. There's lots of ways to look at the speech, but this tweet summarizes the Cruz-Trump non-endorsement situation perfectly.

Basically, as Josh Barro of Business Insider, put it, "Donald Trump let Cruz speak without promising an endorsement. He made a really stupid deal! Sad!" Set aside for a moment Barro's perfect channeling of the Trump insult, and take a look at the bigger situation. Trump has been trying to win endorsements from his primary opponents and other party leaders, but has only seen mixed success.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was there waving the anti-Hillary, pro-Trump flag, despite being passed up for the VP pick. Then of course Ben Carson let his politically incorrect Lucifer-obsessed self go crazy. But Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and 2012 nominee Mitt Romney have all taken a pass on even attending the convention. Maybe Cruz's willingness to even show up seemed like a blessing given the general opinion of Trump among the party's big names.

That sure seems to be what happened. And maybe Trump thought he could manipulate the situation to is advantage. Trump went to Twitter afterwards and said, "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!" So he definitely knew what was coming.

The way he entered the convention hall as Cruz was talking also seemed staged like an episode of The Apprentice. The look he had on his face as he moved to sit with his family coupled with the gesture he made to the delegates, egging them on as they shouted "Say it!" and "Vote for Trump!" had to have been planned. Perhaps he thought he could paint himself (once again) as the victim of the establishment. Given that by becoming the nominee he is now the establishment, Trump may see this as the best way to paint himself as the underdog.

Regardless, though, Barro's comment is applicable. Trump should be able to rally the troops around his candidacy — and he would have if he were a better politician, more statesmanlike. But he isn't, a reality all to clear to his fellow GOP bigwigs. So thus we find the Republican Party, or at least the Trump campaign, grandstanding in this way and bowing down to the big name of Ted Cruz. Trump may have won the primary, but he did not win the political game. Sad!

If Trump were a serious candidate, then we would hear Republicans of all backgrounds speaking to his leadership ability, his decision making, and his character. Instead we have heard some positive words from his family — of which some were copied — and lots of attacks on Hillary Clinton. That doesn't speak to Trump's ability to compromise or govern, which in the end is what this race is all about. Governing. He can't even seem to negotiate a truce within his own party. One more thing to consider come November.