.@tedcruz gets booed after he declines to endorse @realDonaldTrump during convention speech https://t.co/J6JBaCrTGV pic.twitter.com/L4MTSAZOB7
— POLITICO (@politico) July 21, 2016
Wow. Just now, during prime time at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, former Donald Trump rival Ted Cruz gave an enthusiastic half-hour speech about conservative values and "freedom" without ever endorsing Trump for president. The crowd in Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena, having formally nominated Trump last night, booed Cruz and shouted "We want Trump!"
The floor as Cruz ended his speech pic.twitter.com/0o9iMjvUDy
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) July 21, 2016
"I appreciate the enthusiasm of the New York delegation."
–Ted Cruz #NewYorkValues #RNCinCLE pic.twitter.com/c2JR6gUSZh
— Fusion (@Fusion) July 21, 2016
Instead of endorsing Trump, Cruz urged Republicans to "vote your conscience," a talking point of the #NeverTrump movement (which, by the way, is led in part by Washington State delegates). As Cruz wrapped up his speech, the crowd continued to boo and Cruz smiled as he walked off stage.
Donald Trump Informs RNC Crowd They're Free To Hunt Ted Cruz Now #RNCinCLE
— Onion Politics (@OnionPolitics) July 21, 2016
In the speech, Cruz also made surprising mentions of Alton Sterling, a black man recently killed by police, and the 2015 shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. But in those moments, the crowd was much more subdued.
No applause for Cruz's mention of Alton Sterling's son, and a smattering re Charleston. People may have been thrown off by those mentions.
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) July 21, 2016
