July 21, 2016

'I Am Not a Servile Puppy Dog,' Says Ted Cruz, 'This is Personal'

Insults about the Texas senator's wife "still sting" as Cruz refuses to endorse Donald Trump.

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.'"

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."

"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.

"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."

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.


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