Cruz talks conservative but doesn’t endorse Trump at convention

CLEVELAND — A highly anticipated speech from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas didn’t bring the endorsement that many Republicans had hoped for at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday.

The former presidential candidate who once called party nominee Donald Trump a “pathological liar” had the backing of many in the conservative and evangelical wings of the GOP.

But many people in the audience loudly booed as it became clear that Cruz wasn’t going to endorse Trump on the stage. Instead, he told the audience to “vote your conscience.”

It was the third night of the four-day convention, which continues Thursday when Trump plans to give his acceptance speech. The tumult over Cruz’s speech overshadowed other parts of the convention, including the acceptance speech of Trump’s pick for running mate: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

“Please, don’t stay home in November,” 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.”

Yet his speech also drew thunderous applause as he spoke about the need to remember that the nation was founded on freedom.

“Our nation is exceptional because it was built on the five most beautiful and powerful words in the English language: ‘I want to be free,’” Cruz said.

“Freedom means Supreme Court justices who don’t dictate policy but instead follow the Constitution,” Cruz said.

Trump walked into the arena as Cruz was still speaking, and delegates continued to shout Trump’s name in a bid to get a full-throated endorsement of Trump from him.

Cruz barely mentioned Trump in his remarks.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who followed Cruz, said that Cruz, in his own way, was telling people to support Trump.

“In this election, there is only one candidate who will uphold the Constitution,” Gingrich told the audience, departing from his scripted speech at the start.

Afterward, Trump tweeted: “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!”

A Nevada Republican official said Cruz’s speech demonstrates Trump’s desire to unify the Republican Party.

“I know a lot of people were disappointed in it because there was a pledge and a promise” by Cruz to support the GOP nominee, Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald said afterward.

“It shows the class of Trump on his part,” McDonald said. “He put a man on stage who wasn’t going to support him.”

PENCE MAKES ENTRANCE

Pence spoke to delegates late Wednesday, taking aim at Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

“Hillary Clinton essentially offers a third Obama term and the role is perfect for her,” Pence said.

He also touted his record as governor, saying that since his election in 2012, the state has cut taxes, created new jobs and has a budget surplus.

“Conservative principles work every time you put them into practice,” he said.

He praised Trump as someone who does not “tiptoe” around the rule of political correctness: “He’s his own man.

“It’s change versus status quo and my fellow Republicans, when Donald Trump becomes president of the United States of America, the change will be huge,” he said.

He said Trump will fight “radical Islamic terrorism” and that “if the world knows nothing else, it will know this: America stands with Israel.”

As Pence’s speech ended, Trump joined him on stage, shaking hands and giving the audience a thumbs-up.

RUFFIN PRAISES TRUMP

Phil Ruffin, owner of Treasure Island and a business partner with Trump, gave a speech at the convention about their work on a Las Vegas project.

Ruffin and Trump worked together on Trump International, a hotel near the Strip. It opened in 2008 as the U.S. economy tanked, hitting Las Vegas particularly hard. The development sold out its 1,300 condominiums in 2007, but no one could close on purchases after the Great Recession hit banks the following year, Ruffin said.

“There we were, stuck with 75 percent of them,” he said.

Trump wasn’t dissuaded, Ruffin said.

“He said, ‘Let’s go forward with this project,’” Ruffin said. “‘We’ll put the money in, we’ll make the damn thing work.’ And he did.”

At the time, they were $500 million in debt. That’s since been paid off, and 80 percent of the units are sold.

“It’s become a huge success,” Ruffin said. He added: “He wants to do the same thing for the country.”

SPEECHWRITER APOLOGIZES

A speechwriter for Trump apologized Wednesday for writing a speech for Melania Trump, the candidate’s wife, that had phrasings similar to a speech Michelle Obama gave when her husband, Barack Obama ran for president in 2008.

“I apologize for the confusion and hysteria my mistake has caused,” said Meredith McIver, an in-house speechwriter for the Trump Organization, the GOP presidential candidate’s corporation.

“This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused Melania and the Trumps, as well as to Mrs. Obama,” McIver said. “No harm was meant.”

McIver said she offered her resignation to Trump and his family, and they rejected it.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.