By Dustin Rowles | Politics | July 21, 2016 |
By Dustin Rowles | Politics | July 21, 2016 |
Where does one even start after a night like last night at the Republican National Convention? It wasn’t like there were any Easter-Egg gaffes that the media might be able to surface. There was nothing subtle about that trainwreck. It was in full view of the entire television-watching audience.
Let’s start with this: Laura Ingraham basically gave a Nazi salute to Donald Trump, who returned it.
You know it's a bad night when a Nazi salute of yr nominee is only like 10th worst thing that happened. #RNCinCLE pic.twitter.com/9xK9JGz0CN
— Seth Mnookin (@sethmnookin) July 21, 2016
Was it intentional? Maybe not, but it certainly played right into Hillary Clinton’s ad summing up Trump’s past racist comments:
Neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and anti-Semites: three groups @realDonaldTrump is bringing together.https://t.co/I4aaPQgqbn
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 21, 2016
It’s also worth noting that Laura Ingraham inspired one of the three best scenes in West Wing history, and the greatest fake President pwning of all-time.
“While you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the ignorant tight-ass club, in this building, when the President stands, nobody sits.”
Speaking of stealing crab puffs, the big story of the night was Ted Cruz, who got President Barlett-like revenge on Donald Trump for suggesting his father killed JFK and for posting crap like this on Twitter:
"@Don_Vito_08: "A picture is worth a thousand words" @realDonaldTrump #LyingTed #NeverCruz @MELANIATRUMP pic.twitter.com/5bvVEwMVF8"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2016
How did Cruz get his vengeance? By giving the speech of his life — what many are calling a warm-up for his 2020 campaign — and by not only refusing to endorse Trump, but beckoning Republicans to “vote their conscience,” a callback to the delegates’ failed attempt to insert a consciousness clause into convention voting, allowing voters to select someone other than Trump.
To those listening, please don't stay home in November. If you love our country, stand and speak and vote your conscience #RNCinCLE
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 21, 2016
He also ran long, pushing part of the VP speech out of primetime.
Here was the Trump family reaction to the non-endorsement.
Folks, seriously! The lighting, the family stare down, the booing. Trump used Cruz to stage a WWE show #RNCinCLE pic.twitter.com/VsJR8usWod
— RiotWomenn (@RiotWomennn) July 21, 2016
Trump did temporarily steal Cruz’s own limelight by walking into the Hall during the climactic moments of his speech, pulling the camera’s focus off of Cruz, which was a total Goebbels move, by the way. I’m not kidding.
Speaking of Goebbels, who do you think this describes?
His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it.
That was the U.S. Army’s psychological profile of Adolf Hitler. Does it ring any bells?
Despite attempting to steal Cruz’s thunder, Cruz’s speech and the aftermath completely overshadowed the Pence speech, although Trump tried to spin it with a “big lie.”
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2016
No big deal? A guy just got up at your convention and basically told everyone not to vote for you, but to vote their conscience.
He got boos from the crowd (except for the cheering Texas delegation), and guess who led the boos?
Two sources tell me Trump team actively whipped the “boos” at the end of Cruz speech
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) July 21, 2016
Cruz is a terrible, revolting awful human being — and that should not be lost in any of this — but at least he has a backbone.
Cruz stuck to his prepared remarks and didn't endorse. One of the most consequential moments of his political career
— Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) July 21, 2016
The scene afterwards was remarkable:
Angry Ken Cuccinelli escorting Heidi Cruz out as Trump supporters yell at her pic.twitter.com/G6USuhoSx2
— Graham Moomaw (@gmoomaw) July 21, 2016
Just spoke to a source who says witnessed the head of the WA delegation go "bananas" on Cruz and call him a traitor
— Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) July 21, 2016
Heidi Cruz was there as well and apparently defended Ted; this was outside an elevator in the Q
— Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) July 21, 2016
Update: WA GOP chair Susan Hutchison confirms to me she confronted Cruz and called him a traitor https://t.co/xFDbCcDgWT
— Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) July 21, 2016
Ted Cruz was turned away from entering Sheldon Adelson's suite in the arena after the speech, @danabashCNN reports
— Steve Brusk (@stevebruskCNN) July 21, 2016
It was fuck-yous all around.
So much for party unity.
Arena was packed, totally electric!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2016
Oh really?
At least there was this.
sorry i didn't make it to work today. i've been watching the Trump/Pence kiss for 12 hours straight now pic.twitter.com/5iELSpFnhW
— beth loves cake, so (@bourgeoisalien) July 21, 2016