Cruz’s advice leaves door open for Hillary to destroy America

By Mark Davis

The Dallas Morning News (TNS)

Our hearts are torn in two.

Those of us who love Sen. Ted Cruz and who wish to defeat Hillary Clinton have been forced to pick which is more important.

Wednesday night had all the makings of a magnificent moment, not just for the Republican Party, but for the expansive legacy of Cruz, the most impactful conservative hero in decades.

He had it within his power to lead a united base into battle to prevent what every conservative should steadfastly oppose: Barack Obama’s third term, in the form of Hillary Clinton.

He instructed the nation not to stay home on Election Day. Here it comes, I thought: the moment when he shows us he has found a way to shelve the differences and bad blood of the primary season to deliver clarity and leadership of the type we have come to expect.

But something intervened. Something is more important to Cruz than joining the effort necessary to keep Clinton from attacking every value he has won our admiration fighting for.

His longtime detractors pounced on my Twitter feed: “This is what he’s always been about,” they scolded. “Why are you surprised?”

I am surprised because past Cruz crusades have had a clearly defined noble intent, including the daunting but nonetheless inspiring line in the sand to defund Obamacare.

But what is the logic in this? What is the path forward from a moment featuring Cruz speaking the code word “conscience,” thus revealing he is just fine with Republicans not voting for Donald Trump? Is it some alternative agenda, or lingering resentment over Trump’s admittedly stupid tweets about his wife and his dad?

Speaking before a divided Texas delegation the morning after, Cruz heard from baffled supporters. A woman from the Rio Grande Valley told him: “I know that many things were said during the campaign, ugly things, terrible things that should have never taken place. I believe what you just said that you defend your family, your wife, your marriage, your father. ... I voted for you; I love you dearly.”

Cruz thanked her. She was not done.

“However, it is not about Donald Trump, it is not about Ted Cruz or Heidi Cruz or Rafael Cruz. It is about the United States of America.”

TRUMP IS ONLY OPTION

A room full of Texans who surely love Cruz, most of whom probably preferred him for president, exploded in appreciative applause. They have made the journey, as I have, from backing Cruz to backing Trump the moment he became the only option for defeating Clinton.

We thought Cruz had completed that journey at last on Wednesday night, that he stood ready to lead his supporters toward victories in November for the White House and beyond.

None of that would have required an abandonment of the “principles” he is invoking to excuse his position. It would have been deliciously Cruz-like for him to call for a Trump win, but immediately assure him and all of us that he will not be shaken from his conservative values, promising vigorous conversations whenever necessary, grateful throughout that we prevented the Hillary Clinton presidency.

Anyone, even a conservative hero, failing to motivate all hands to the deck toward that cause will be an accessory to a Clinton victory. There is no principle more pressing, no matter of “conscience” more vital.

Every Cruz criticism of Trump packs validity. Those arguments were aired in the primary season. Now they are beyond irrelevant, reaching the level of harmful at a time when conservative focus must be focused on winning the White House.

Those of us who love Ted Cruz look forward to his Senate leadership through the Trump presidency, making sure an inexperienced chief executive gains fluency in conservatism, and objecting when he does not.

Some Cruz backers absolutely loved his speech. Great. I invite them to revisit in the coming years as Clinton has her way with national security, the economy and the Constitution. For those of us who actually want to prevent that nightmare, we pray for Cruz to join the fight and heal this unfortunate and unnecessary conflict.

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