Was there more than just Indiana in Cruz' decision?

[kay1864]

Here's the deal:

- Cruz knew the math going in.
- For weeks he's known the only viable path was a contested convention.
- So for weeks he's been gathering "2nd ballot delegates" (Trump delegates who would vote for Cruz after the first ballot).
- Even if Trump had 1237 going into Cleveland, Cruz had a couple of "dirty trick" options.
- The Indiana vote was no surprise (results differed from the polls by only 2-4%).

So why the sudden concession? Could the Anonymous threat to reveal the "5 prostitutes evidence" have been the final straw?

His concession doesn't make sense to me.

[Freddie]

1. "Ted Cruz should be forced to carry his non-viable candidacy to term"

Stolen from FB.

[tanyev]

3. LOL!

[gratuitous]

2. Like any grifter

I think Cruz has stepped aside for a couple of reasons: (1) the original scam has fallen apart, no sense trying to ride it any further; and (b) he wants to see what's in it (Trump's nomination) for him. Time to move on to the next scheme.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. I don't think he would have gotten as far as he did if all the slightly

more palatable GOP candidates hadn't dropped out AND the establishment hadn't thrown their support to him. He actually lucked out to get so far given he is 100% certifiably nutty. Unfortunately we had to listen to him for so long and making us listen to Carly again was just plain cruel

[kay1864]

9. Trump made us listen to Palin

I had to switch off NPR for a bit a few weeks ago, once I heard her nasally voice. I had (thankfully) forgotten how awful she sounds (and how awful her words are).

[Laura PourMeADrink]

12. I agree. Wonder if he will wheel Palin out again. Isn't it funny

how certain voices completely turn people off. If I was seeking office I would definitely visit a voice/speech coach first. For me, besides Cruz, Palin, and Carly - Kasich is horrible too. It's just this WAY too folksy tone that might work in Ohio but just sounds too corny for the rest of the country. The man has zero hipness/coolness about him.

[jehop61]

4. The evil side of me

wonders of the story about his father and Lee Oswald might just have some truth to it. Did Trump dig up some dirt?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. It was National Enquirer and well this pic looks real

But fact checkers:

The National Enquirer story hangs largely on comments from a photo expert who said a photo of an unidentified man handing out pro-Fidel Castro leaflets with Oswald has “more similarity than dissimilarity” with a passport photo of Cruz’s father, Rafael.

But that same expert told us in a phone interview that he never claimed the man in the picture with Oswald was definitely Rafael Cruz, only that comparing the man in the photo with a photo of Cruz as a young man revealed “more similarities than dissimilarities.” In fact, he called Trump’s definitive proclamation “stupid.”

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/05/03/fact-check-donald-trump-ted-cruz-rafael-cruz-lee-harvey-oswald/83896160/

[Laura PourMeADrink]

5. What were the dirty tricks? scanned and didn't see. Well, I

never heard anyone say for certain until the big win in Indiana, that it was
certain Trump would get there.

As long as he knew Trump not certain - he could keep on and hope Trump did something incredibly stupid (more than usual). Perhaps he hoped his crazy speech about Trump trashing his dad would have done it.

So maybe his thought was he would give it everything he had in Indiana and hope for best. And, he failed, even lost evangelicals.

[kay1864]

6. In the last paragraph of the "Indiana Votes Today" section

If Trump wins Indiana convincingly, Cruz's only real chance to snag the nomination would be to play dirty; for example, forcing credentials fights to get some of the delegates pledged to Trump on the first ballot to be replaced by a Cruz-friendly slate. Or Cruz could ask delegates who are required to vote for Trump on the first ballot but actually are loyal to Cruz to go use the restroom when their state comes up in the roll call and "accidentally" miss the vote. If enough Trump delegates "forgot" to vote, it could force a second ballot, since the rules say that a candidate must have 1,237 votes, not simply a majority of those present and voting.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. People were already calling him desperate - which would only grow

more and more. He would look like an idiot if he went to the convention and pulled those tricks.

Unfortunately, someone said, Cruz is young, and he will be back for the next four elections.

[Gothmog]

10. Carnival Cruz is out of money

Carnival Cruz was out of hard dollars and you can not fight in California without some significant support and money

[herding cats]

11. I suspect part of it was the RNC has decided to support Trump.

Kasich is also bowing out. It's a sign they're admitting defeat and moving on to trying to get Trump in the WH.

"Better Trump than Hillary" will now be replacing "Dump Trump."

[ScreamingMeemie]

14. His dad really DID kill JKF???

[ctaylors6]

15. it was bizarre to me nt