Exactly...I am so disgusted with the RNC.

You do know that the Tea Party itself denied being a political party or officially recognized group and how the Democrats have actually registered and taken that name in several states in order to throw people off?

The (T)axed (E)nough (A)lready Party was never an official entity. Anyone who has set themselves up as such should be looked at with an extremely jaundiced eye.

If the National Enquirer, run by Trump's buddy, is his paper of record supposedly justifying smears, it shows even more reckless disregard for objectivity. Trump's outrageous schoolyard bullying mentality of smears and taunts substituting for knowledge and discussion of policy has extended far beyond his outrageously false personal attacks on Cruz's wife and father. Cruz's disgust with Trump is not alone among the record-setting negative ratings Trump has created for himself.

Support and endorse are two separate things. Endorse means you agree with the person's policies and personality. To endorse Trump after he went after Cruz' family personally?

And who was it who after getting shellacked in one week was crying on both Sean Hannity and Anderson Cooper about the huge conspiracy against him and how he was going to abandon his pledge and run third-party? Oh, right. That was Donald Trump. Pot calling kettle black much?

No it wasn't, and that's been debunked ad nauseum. The billboard in Utah you are referring to was created and run there by an unaffiliated local PAC in a state Cruz was going to win already. No one outside of Utah would have known about it or cared until Trump made a big deal about it.

"Trump reacted, although I would have advised him to let it slide and not say anything about Cruz's wife."

Yes, that would have been the high road. But that's not what Donald did. And unless I have my timeline mistaken, that all happened after the start of the whole "Lyin' Ted" mantra, which was started and fueled entirely by Donald Trump. Remember, in the very first debate the moderators gave Cruz a chance to go after Donald Trump. He didn't. He said "I'm wearing a Trump tie". He further went on to excoriate the moderators for trying to get the candidates to fight with each other. Cruz took the high road then. And even after the despicable attacks on his wife and his father - both of which came straight from the official Trump campaign - Cruz acted like the gentleman and asked Trump to apologize, but refrained from calling Trump similar names. Stop pretending Trump is the victim here. He's proven time and time again he's a victimizer.

"I would have felt better about Cruz if he simply said how important it is to stick to constitutional principles and that he hoped the republican party and its candidates would be successful in doing just that..."

Did you listen to or read the speech? That's precisely what he said! The problem is that you're focusing entirely on the reaction and attributing Cruz' words to ginned-up crowd reactions. Quote me from his speech what he said that was so controversial and you'll have something to talk about.

But then he turned around and revealed that it wasn't principles he was fighting for, he was pissed off because Trump dissed his wife and father. It got ugly, and certainly Trump's wife wasn't -- and isn't immune from continuous attack. As to the National Enquirer picture of Cruz's father, the article was published material, not something Trump made up.

If Cruz thought he could run a campaign against the liberals without facing blistering criticism and insults he was vastly ignorant of modern politics.

I would hope that the anti-establishment mentality that seems to be at the root of Trump's popularity will result in election changes making it easier for third party candidates like Libertarians to actually get somewhere next election.

Well said.

It was a calculated gamble, but not stupid. What Cruz did was what he has done all the time he has served in elected office: make principles - and specifically the principles in the Constitution - more important than people or party. This is just more of that. Cruz goes along with the party for funding reasons, but his ideology is that of a Constitutionalist. He recognizes that he won't get the funding he needs for re-election outside the two major parties and is morally opposed to everything in the Democratic Party platform, so he chooses the Republicans. Not really any different than Rand Paul. And a Texas Republican is very different than a New Jersey Republican (looking at you Chris Christie).

You must really be desperate to quote Mark Levin, a member of the same slavish, slobbering camp as Glenn Beck, who declared Cruz as "God's chosen" to lead America. Cruz's display of petulance had nothing to do with principle, and everything to do with personal pique. He's really pissed at the idiot Republican voters that couldn't see his glowing, innate superiority. Childish anger and spite do not constitute principle in my book.

I see several people that credit Trump with discrediting the pledge. but does anyone forget that each candidate made the pledge as individuals? I say that each candidate who refused to honor his personal pledge is dishonored and unworthy of any further consideration for the office. That includes Jeb Bush, whose petty, pouty interview explaining why he wasn't going to attend or endorse made him another politician who delivered a public career suicide note, joining Cruz in the club.

Unless I write-in no one on the ballot is worth my support. If I write-in there's a snowballs chance in hell of my write-in winning.

The suffrage will only change by degree depending on whose elected. Since I am forced, again, to endure the lesser of two sh*t options (discarding the Constitution)...I'll take full measure.

I did not serve this nation for what its become. Let it burn if thats what the morons want, I'll manage.

No, they were booing him at the behest of Donald Trump. Reporters talked to appointed "whips" in among the delegates. Those whips worked for the Trump campaign and had been going around for hours ahead of Cruz' speech instructing people on their acceptable reactions to Cruz' speech. Remember, Trump knew what Cruz was going to say days before he actually delivered the speech. The crowd reactions weren't spontaneous or honest at all - except from those Trumpsters who had it out for Cruz in the first place.

Perfectly said.

Very true about Reagan. And, Reagan NEVER endorsed Ford. Amazing. And, Paul Manafort was instrumental in getting Ford the election over Reagan. Yes he was involved in that, too. Hmm... Is history repeating itself?

Yes, Cruz is right. We need our Constitution -- not Hillary, Donald, the GOP, or the Democrats. We need We the People. I'm writing him in on my ticket.

Then they were being moronic. Trump called Cruz' wife ugly, said his father was part of JFK murder, and said Cruz was a liar and cheat! What man would endorse Trump after that. Cruz pledged to support (not endorse) him. Cruz told Trump he would not endorse him. Trump, the media, and the insiders knew. Cruz had to give them a copy of his speech. They read, knew what was in it. This was an effort by Trump and the GOP to destroy Cruz. The female astronaut didn't endorse Trump, but that didn't seem to be a problem. They were going after Cruz because they hate him. He stands against the GOP and Progressives like Trump. He is the only one who would have gotten government out of the way of the people and let them flourish. Instead, two Democrats are our choice. Makes me sick. I will write in Ted Cruz. #NeverTrump #NeverHillary.

Why would you sit out the election when there are more than two choices on your ballot?

If it's true that a majority of Tea Partiers do not support Trump, it's good news for Gary Johnson because he will receive some of their support, perhaps enough to influence the polls and get him into the debates.

Cruz did not stand by his pledge for personal and political reasons. Principles were not involved or were confused. Cruz could have said something to the effect that I stand by my pledge to support the nominee, as a matter of principle. The same as he claimed so many times to reporters that his word was his bond. He didn't have to endorse or even mention Trump. Remember, at the time of the pledge, Trump was expected to have dropped out along the primary and Cruz as well as others were expecting to be the last man standing. That's why they all were eager to make the pledge. But, against all odds, Trump is the last man standing. Cruz could have stayed home. Or could have done what Rubio did on video. Trump already knew Cruz was not going to endorse him, but didn't un-invite Cruz. But Trump still let him say his peace. As it turned out, Cruz didn't keep his word as pledged and Trump kept his by letting him speak.
From the beginning, I was for last man standing and had a field of top 5 which included Cruz. Trump turned out to be the last man standing. The alternative to Trump is a lifelong corrupt, dishonest career politician with more baggage than Air Force One could carry and Globalist visions. That is unacceptable to me.
By the way, Pence seems to be an outstanding balance to Trump. I'm glad Trump picked him.

What I wish for is for Gary Johnson to become President. If this wish comes true I will be delighted to live with the consequences.

His opinion is his right to form and express, but all this diatribe did was provide Hillary more advantage. I doubt even Cruz believes Hillary is better than Donald. Therefore, it is counter-productive and spiteful.

If he really wanted to argue for the Constitution, he should've said "I support the Constitution and a free America. Although we've had our differences, I believe a Trump presidency will support this goal better than Hillary's totalitarian, state-decided and enforced fascism."

Although I was a Cruz supporter for his fiscal policy and Constitutional position, I see that others were right about his lack of charisma and aggressive, spiteful behavior.

Reagan supported Ford after losing to him in 1976.
http://www.breitbart.com/2016-preside...
And if Cruz was so concerned about "voting one's conscience," then why did he pledge to support the Republican nominee in the first place? (A pledge that he very publicly broke) I don't consider him a "statesman" at all.

Cruz did not start the vicious personal attacks on him, his wife and his father from Trump.

Cruz had every right to speak at the convention. He had an enormous number of delegates there. It was not Trump's convention, it was the Republican Party convention of delegates to select the nominee.

But you and I are going to have to suffer the consequences anyway of one OR the other for the next 4 years. Do you really think Trump is worse than Hillary?