Donald Trump is the presumptive nominee of the Republican party, after rival Ted Cruz announced he was suspending his campaign.
After losing to Trump in the Indiana primary on Tuesday night, Cruz took to the stage to address his supporters.
“From the beginning I’ve said that I would continue on as long as there is a viable path to victory. Tonight I’m sorry to say it appears that path has been foreclosed,” Cruz said as the crowd shouted him down with howls of no.
“We gave it everything we got but the voters chose another path.”
And then he threw in the towel.
“With a heavy heart, but with boundless optimism for the long term future of our nation, we are suspending our campaign,” he said taking supporters by surprise.
“But hear me now: I am not suspending our fight for liberty. I am not suspending our fight to defend the constitution to defend the Judeo-Christian values that built America.
“Our movement will continue and I give you my word that I will continue this fight with all of my strength and all of my ability.”
While there is still one more Republican with their hat in the ring, John Kasich, Trump is well ahead on delegate numbers going into the Republican nominating convention and it seems impossible another candidate would clinch the nomination.
In his speech Cruz hinted that he did not think Trump would be able to win the general election, foreshadowing another run at the nomination in 2020.
Either way, Trump is now the man lost likely to be facing off against Hilary Clinton or Bernie Sanders in November.
It’s a surprising outcome, given just months ago his candidacy was considered a publicity stunt by many political observers.
Donald Trump addressed supporters a short time later, buoyed by the victory and confident that he can beat the Democratic nominee.
“We’re not going to lose. We’re going to start winning again and we’re going to win big league, believe me,” he said.
He immediately turned his focus to attacking Hilary Clinton, who is ahead in the Democratic primary, and likely to take the nomination.
“We’re going after Hilary Clinton. She will not be a great president. She will not be a good president. She will be a poor president. She doesn’t understand trade. Her husband signed the single worst trade deal in the world ever done,” Trump said.
Trump spent some time in the speech arguing that international trade deals had ruined the American economy and foreshadowing a return to protectionist trade policy.
“We’re going to bring back our jobs and we’re going to keep our jobs,” he said.
And switching to the role of conciliator, he was generous in his praise of Cruz.
“Ted Cruz, I don’t know if he likes me or if he doesn’t like me but he is one hell of a competitor. He has got an amazing future,” he said.
“I understand how Ted feels and Heidi and their whole beautiful family. One tough competitor.”
Trump also brought up a recent poll that has him ahead of Clinton, saying he would win the general election.
“We’re going to win. We’re going to win in November. And we’re going to win big and it’s going to be America first.”
He foreshadowed an aggressive foreign policy stance.
“They have to treat us fairly and they have to understand that what we’ve been doing over the years has been so unfair to the United States.
“[Other countries are] going to respect us. They have to understand where we’re coming from,” he said.
“We are going to turn it around and we’re going to build up our military bigger, better, stronger than before.
“We’re going to take our ISIS… We can’t allow that cancer to continue.”
At this point the crowd went wild, chanting “Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump”.
In Trump’s America everyone will bake cakes filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone will eat it and be happy.
“This country which is very very divided in so many ways is going to become one beautiful loving country and we’re going to love each other and we’re going to cherish each other,” he said.
The Donald then brought it back around to what has been the central theme of his campaign: Making America great again. (A slogan he stole from Ronald Regan’s successful 1980 run at the White House.)
“We will make America great again. We will start winning again. You will be so proud of this country again very very soon.”
Top Comments
I would like to ask the Donald, does he plan on using illegal Mexican labour to build the wall between US and Mexico?
Well I think that Clinton needs to harness the Bernie factor and ensure that Sanders is given an important role on her team (not some fancy title but a real influential role and really be part of her government) that way she will get the Clinton voters and the Bernie Sanders voters. Many Sanders voters say they won't vote for her, which isn't to say that they will all carry through on that threat, but some will. And you must remember they don't have compulsory voting over there, so some Sanders voters will just stay home. This is why it is essential that she gets Sanders on her team so that she will get his voters backing her.
Because whilst the media has been really focusing on the Donald, they have largely ignored the amazing success that Bernie Sanders has had. No it doesn't look like he will win against Clinton, but the fact is that he was an independent (but now fighting for the Democrat nomination against Clinton) and therefore he didn't not have the same amount of initial backing or huge democrat machine behind him like Clinton did. A lot of people didn't know who he was either. You've got to remember that both Clinton and Trump have been helped a lot by the fact that people know who they are. A lot of people who aren't really in to politics won't go out of their way to find out about other candidates so if they know of a candidate and that person is vaguely in line with their own left or right wing persuasion then they will pick them without bothering to find out if other candidates are more suitable. So both Clinton and Trump have benefitted greatly by their name recognition.
So Sanders didn't have initial name recognition, or his own money or business backing or establisment/party machine backing, so to pull off the success he has done so far is pretty amazing. And his campaign has gained momentum as people have gotten to know him, but unfortunately it has come too late because the early Clinton victories when people didn't know as much about Sanders are pretty much what will probably clinch it for Clinton. I'm actually pretty sure if there was a do over that Sanders would have a really good chance of beating Clinton now that so many people know who he is and what he stands for.
Anyway this is why I'm saying that Clinton really needs to get him on her team because a lot of votes will come with him.
In some ways I'm actually kind of excited that she is going up against Trump, because if she was way, way in front she might just sideline Sanders, but now I feel that with Trump looking so formidable as an opponent that Clinton will have no choice but to add Sanders to her team. And if Sanders is on her team it could be a great government, the reason being is that Sanders is a really ethical guy who is passionate about reducing economic inequality for Americans. You can look on youtube and see that time and again he has stood stead fast to his principles even when to do so where particularly unpopular. For instance he voted against the Iraq war when that was pretty much political suicide to do that (remember the Dixie chicks had death threats for speaking out against the Iraq war - I think many people know have forgotten just how dangerous it was to speak against it). So Sanders has a real passion for doing the right thing. Clinton on the other hand votes for anything that will keep her in power, as she has flip flopped on a lot of issues, however she is very smart and has an intricate knowledge of legislation. And I actually don't think Clinton is a bad person I just think she has compromised a lot of things to be politically expedient at a time when it was political suicide to appear to be too left wing. But the tide has changed in America there is a huge ground force of left wingers speaking out, so I think Clinton will realise (she already has done in her campaign) that she needs to address more left wing concerns such as rising the minimum wage etc. Sanders on her team will ensure she keeps to this kind of thing, but Clinton has the know how to do it. I doubt Sanders will get everything he wants but I do think together they could actually be quite good for America. I would prefer Sanders but the team of Clinton and Sanders might be quite good. If the two of them team up Trump is then on a sticky wicket.