The Tednado took a few questions at the Texas Tribune Festival and… it didn’t go well.
Beginning now at Texas Tribune Festival: Ted Cruz is introduced here in Austin as "Republican senator of Texas and Donald Trump supporter."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz says his family has forgiven Trump: "Both Heidi and my dad, they are strong, independent people." pic.twitter.com/Mj1epUHMVO
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
First question to Cruz: "What happened to your conscience?"
Cruz: "That's still what I would encourage everyone to do."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz: "I have had a more than few disagreements with Donald. I haven't been shy about that."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz doesn't answer when asked if Trump is "fit to be" president. Says he tried to beat Trump and that it is a binary choice.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz on Cleveland: "A lot of folks saw me as the face of NeverTrump. I've never been NeverTrump."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
He’s right about this. He never said anything signifying that he was totally against Trump. I noticed this, and it’s why I wasn’t surprised that he endorsed, eventually.
Cruz has endorsed Trump, but won't say that he is "fit" to be president when asked by @evanasmith. https://t.co/tTiylWdxOQ
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz says he is reassured by the fact that the SCOTUS list included a commitment that Trump would ONLY choose from among the 21 listed.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
"It is a very strong list," Cruz says of Trump's possible SCOTUS appointments.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Is Cruz taking Trump's word for it on SCOTUS?
"No. No I'm not," he says. But he says the endorsement call has certainly been "agonizing."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz says he told Pence that he wanted to see the SCOTUS list be binding. He said that was one thing they could do to earn his support.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz is read a long list of his Trump criticism:
"I have had many, many disagreements w/ Donald Trump. And some of them you've catalogued."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz says Trump has not apologized to his family, publicly or privately.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Mike Pence and Donald Trump talked by phone with Cruz yesterday, Cruz says.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
"My ask was not a personal ask of apologizing to my family," Cruz says. What he cared about was SCOTUS.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz: "My faith teaches me to forgive, with or without an apology." https://t.co/KfV6hfzIOh
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Did Cruz cave to political pressure?
"Any path I took…the criticism was going to be: it's political or self-serving."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz recalls meeting voters who were "tearfully" begging him to support Trump. He says "those voices have moved me."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz says he has been reading the Facebook comments: "There was no option that wouldn't result with people who are deeply, deeply unhappy."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Yeah but now you’ve pissed off BOTH sides! LOL!!
Cruz adds that he is "not smart enough" to figure out the politics of this decision. https://t.co/2p4Lj6o19C
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz is loudly heckled when he declines to answer "yes or no" whether the law enforcement community treats black Americans fairly.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz passes when asked whether he supports Trump's national stop-and-frisk: "I'm going to let Donald discuss his own policy ideas."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Ted Cruz on his complicated relationship with John Cornyn: "John and I work together just fine."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Is Cruz afraid of Mike McCaul?
"No."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
A Muslim voter asks if she can be comfortable voting for Trump: "That is a question you are going to have to ask yourself."
Some boos.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
He’s uh, pretty short on advice these days.
What it's like for Cruz to be a Trump surrogate:
"With two young daughters, how can you support a candidate who is so openly misogynistic?"
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz says that life will be better for his daughters if Hillary Clinton is not elected. https://t.co/PSE6llEhSF
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz is asked about Trump's praise for Putin: "I have no intention of defending everything that Donald Trump says and does."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
I believe every question to Cruz from the audience so far has been: Please defend Trump's position on X.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
Cruz says he had 5 options: Trump; Hillary; third party; write in or not vote for president.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
"The citizens have a right" to know who I would vote for, Cruz says. "I could not give a coherent, credible, reasonable" for the other 3.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
That's a wrap for Ted Cruz's debut as Trump surrogate. Cruz largely declined to defend Trump's candidacy, & described his "agonizing" choice
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) September 24, 2016
This sounds brutal. I tried to find video, but I’m kinda glad I didn’t. This sounds like a man who has been broken by the decision he’s made. Good luck with that, Ted.
Great moment as @Evan_McMullin and @tedcruz meet at #TTF16 pic.twitter.com/OrwTiKExSL
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) September 24, 2016
Hey don’t worry Ted!! Once Trump is elected, every one of your dreams will come true!!
EVERY DREAM YOU HAVE EVER DREAMED lol https://t.co/vP41a4iVrb
— el ¡Soopèr! ن (@SooperMexican) September 24, 2016
LOL!! Shoot me now.