"We deserve leaders who stand for principle, who unite us all behind shared values, who cast aside anger for love. That is the standard we should expect from everybody. And to those listening, don’t stay home in November. If you love our country and love your children as much as I know that you do, 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."BOOM!
SO MUCH RESPECT for Ted! That was freakin' awesome. #Cruz2020— POLITICO (@politico) July 21, 2016
Related links: ‘VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE!’ – TED CRUZ SHOCKS WITH CONVENTION SPEECH!!!!!! [FULL SPEECH!]
Full text of Cruz’s speech Trump supporters didn’t want you to hear
ADDENDUM: "Cruz Stays True" via Amanda Carpenter...
CR: He didn’t endorse, but he still came to Cleveland.REMINDER: Our Movement Will Continue!
In coming to the GOP convention that crowned Donald Trump as its Republican presidential candidate, Cruz faced intense pressure to fall in line behind the nominee, although the Trump campaign offered no apologies for the disgraceful way it speared Cruz in the primary contests.
The easy thing to do, since Cruz withheld his endorsement, would have been to sit the convention out. Or send in a video message. That’s what many other high-profile Republicans — former GOP presidents, governors, senators and congressman — chose to do. Cruz did not choose the comfortable route. He did not opt to simply go on stage and, like so many other speakers, bash Hillary Clinton for the entirety of his remarks, either.
The elephant in the room is Trump. And the Texas firebrand answered the burning question Republicans face: What will the party stand for and what will it do for voters? These are the questions a convention should answer for the public.
“Like each of you, I want to see the principles that our party believe prevail in November,” he said before retelling the story of the last goodbye a young girl named Caroline gave to her father, a Police Sgt. Michael Smith who was recently slain in Dallas.
He went on, “Did we live up to the values we say we believe in. Did we do all we could? That’s really what elections should be about… we are fighting not for one particular candidate or campaign but because each of us wants to tell our kids and our grandkids — our own Caroline’s — that we did the best for our future and our country.”
What a contrast from the message the Trump campaign, through surrogates and others, have pushed through the week.
The Trump campaign’s only enticement to gain votes from reluctant Republicans to date has been to forcefully remind them election is a “binary choice” between Trump and presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (Some may consider it Lucifer versus Lucifer-lite.)
Near the end of the speech Cruz told voters something that should not be controversial: Vote your conscience.
Cruz stayed true and gave those concerned with Trump a reminder of what the other members of the Republican Party can and should stand for even though unworthy leaders loom among us.
Related links: Ted Cruz, Conservative Icon, Delivers Speech of His Life in Cleveland
Senator Ted Cruz Remarks to Supporters in Cleveland (a PRINCIPLED pre-speech!)
ADDENDUM II: Here's something related to past 'lesser of two evils' discussions. Daniel Horowitz says...
We certainly don’t want nor can we afford four more years of this misery. But we certainly cannot afford 28 more years of this misery either. And if we fail to look past the top-of-the-ballot choice for a single election cycle and just cheerlead the jerseys on the field that given day, this entire debate will become moot. Aspiring to nothing more than perennial choices between the lesser of two evils is the golden calf that has kept conservatives in the wilderness for decades....and Jason Taylor helps solidify the message:
What Ted Cruz did last night will one day be hailed as Liberty’s greatest moment in our generation.
This was no thumb in the eye to Mister Trump. This was no vilification of Sectetary Clinton’s personal character. This was a cry for freedom. This was a warning shot in the battle to save and restore our Liberty. This was a clear effort to refocus the Republican Party on a cause and not a candidate.
