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Republican convention live: Cruz speech sets up test for Trump on day four Republican convention live: Cruz speech sets up test for Trump on day four
(35 minutes later)
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Trump campaign chair: Ted Cruz's speech 'poorly received'
A doleful Paul Manafort told reporters this morning that last night’s speeches at the Republican National Convention were a success, despite a blistering rebuke from Texas senator Ted Cruz, who refused to endorse Donald Trump as the party’s presidential nominee and instead urged conservatives to “vote your conscience.”
“The party is definitely more unified - there are a number of Cruz delegates who were on the floor today... who disagree with what Mr. Cruz said,” Manafort said. “We think it became very clear to everybody that Donald Trump has been a very magnanimous in his outreach program - he invited all the presidential candidates who ran” to speak, and “everyone did attend and, in his own way, endorse the ticket.”
“He was the only speech in the convention that was poorly received by the body in the hall. That was Senator Cruz’s decision,” Manafort continued. “As far as the contract [of party unity] was concerned, he was the one in violation, not anybody else.”
On the subject of Nato, certain treaties of which Trump suggested in an interview with the New York Times yesterday could be ignored by the US, Manafort declared that while he was not interested in getting into “a foreign policy speech,” he clarified Trump’s remarks to say that the presidential nominee thinks the treaty organization “needs to be modernized.”
When asked about the Melania Trump plagiarism scandal, Manafort defended his campaign’s statements following the Monday night address, insisting that statements that there was no plagiarism were truthful.
“None of us knew that Miss [Meredith McIver] was even involved with the process,” Manafort said of the Trump Organization staff writer who penned an open letter admitting to including sections of Michelle Obama’s 2008 speech in front of the Democratic National Convention in Melania Trump’s speech. “The speechwriters who have been involved with the speech that I was aware of, said that they didn’t do it,” and the campaign “immediately” released McIver’s statement once it became clear that the plagiarism accusations were true.
McIver wrote in her letter than she informed the Trump campaign on Tuesday of the speech’s problems; the campaign did not release her statement until Wednesday afternoon.
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More on tonight’s theme...More on tonight’s theme...
Tonight’s theme acknowledges America’s serious challenges at home and the threats we face abroad. In order to turn our challenges into opportunities and keep America secure, we need leadership that will focus on what unites us, not what divides us. Donald Trump and Mike Pence will move our country beyond the divisive identity politics that have been holding us back by restoring leadership, building trust, and focusing on our shared love of country and our common goal of making America great again.Tonight’s theme acknowledges America’s serious challenges at home and the threats we face abroad. In order to turn our challenges into opportunities and keep America secure, we need leadership that will focus on what unites us, not what divides us. Donald Trump and Mike Pence will move our country beyond the divisive identity politics that have been holding us back by restoring leadership, building trust, and focusing on our shared love of country and our common goal of making America great again.
Thursday’s program will highlight the Republican Party’s vision for bringing Americans together and creating the conditions that will allow everyone – young people, working families, and entrepreneurs from all walks of life – to pursue their aspirations. Featured speakers include Reince Priebus, Peter Thiel, Tom Barrack, Ivanka Trump, and Donald Trump.Thursday’s program will highlight the Republican Party’s vision for bringing Americans together and creating the conditions that will allow everyone – young people, working families, and entrepreneurs from all walks of life – to pursue their aspirations. Featured speakers include Reince Priebus, Peter Thiel, Tom Barrack, Ivanka Trump, and Donald Trump.
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At least one Republican is delighted with Ted Cruz’s remarks at the Republican National Convention last night: Former Cruz campaign operative Chris Wilson.At least one Republican is delighted with Ted Cruz’s remarks at the Republican National Convention last night: Former Cruz campaign operative Chris Wilson.
I have never been more proud to work for Ted Cruz that I was tonight. This speech will survive the test of time-historically courageous.I have never been more proud to work for Ted Cruz that I was tonight. This speech will survive the test of time-historically courageous.
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Republican national convention: day fourRepublican national convention: day four
Good morning, and welcome to the Guardian’s campaign live blog, coming at you live from Cleveland, Ohio, the site of the long-anticipated Republican National Convention, now in its fourth and final day.Good morning, and welcome to the Guardian’s campaign live blog, coming at you live from Cleveland, Ohio, the site of the long-anticipated Republican National Convention, now in its fourth and final day.
The Trump campaign probably thought its biggest speech controversy was behind it after an in-house staff writer for the Trump Organization accepted responsibility for the “plagiarism” controversy over Melania Trump’s speech at the RNC.The Trump campaign probably thought its biggest speech controversy was behind it after an in-house staff writer for the Trump Organization accepted responsibility for the “plagiarism” controversy over Melania Trump’s speech at the RNC.
Then Texas senator Ted Cruz stepped on to the dais.Then Texas senator Ted Cruz stepped on to the dais.
In stunning remarks during the primetime TV hour apparently designed to lay the groundwork for a future bid for the presidency, Cruz refused to formally endorse Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee.In stunning remarks during the primetime TV hour apparently designed to lay the groundwork for a future bid for the presidency, Cruz refused to formally endorse Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee.
“Please, don’t stay home in November,” Cruz said. “Stand, and speak, and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the constitution.”“Please, don’t stay home in November,” Cruz said. “Stand, and speak, and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the constitution.”
The apparent slap in the face to the Republican presidential nominee, probably the result of a bitter primary fight between the two – which included Trump attacking the physical appearance of Cruz’s wife Heidi, and implicating Cruz’s father in the assassination of John F Kennedy – ignited a cacophony of booing during Cruz’s remarks, echoed by the nominee himself:The apparent slap in the face to the Republican presidential nominee, probably the result of a bitter primary fight between the two – which included Trump attacking the physical appearance of Cruz’s wife Heidi, and implicating Cruz’s father in the assassination of John F Kennedy – ignited a cacophony of booing during Cruz’s remarks, echoed by the nominee himself:
Wow, Ted Cruz got booed off the stage, didn't honor the pledge! I saw his speech two hours early but let him speak anyway. No big deal!Wow, Ted Cruz got booed off the stage, didn't honor the pledge! I saw his speech two hours early but let him speak anyway. No big deal!
With the shadow of Cruz’s snub hanging over the final day of the convention, Trump’s primetime remarks tonight gain a new import. Not only will Trump have to unify a clearly fractured Republican party whose wounds from the primary have yet to heal – he will also have to deliver a speech unparalleled by any remarks he has made in his 13 months as a candidate to retake the news cycle. With nearly three days lost to the epic mismanagement of the Melania Trump speech scandal, and another to Cruz’s remarks, Trump has only one chance to wrest the narrative back under his control before the Democratic National Convention next week drowns him in negative coverage.With the shadow of Cruz’s snub hanging over the final day of the convention, Trump’s primetime remarks tonight gain a new import. Not only will Trump have to unify a clearly fractured Republican party whose wounds from the primary have yet to heal – he will also have to deliver a speech unparalleled by any remarks he has made in his 13 months as a candidate to retake the news cycle. With nearly three days lost to the epic mismanagement of the Melania Trump speech scandal, and another to Cruz’s remarks, Trump has only one chance to wrest the narrative back under his control before the Democratic National Convention next week drowns him in negative coverage.
That fresh start will probably dominate today’s RNC program. Today’s theme: “Make America One Again”, featuring a roster of speakers who will focus on the herculean task of unifying a divided nation. Beginning at 7:30pm EDT, tonight’s primetime roster of speakers includes billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel, real estate investor Tom Barrack, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump himself.That fresh start will probably dominate today’s RNC program. Today’s theme: “Make America One Again”, featuring a roster of speakers who will focus on the herculean task of unifying a divided nation. Beginning at 7:30pm EDT, tonight’s primetime roster of speakers includes billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel, real estate investor Tom Barrack, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump himself.
We’ll have more on the full roster of speakers as the day progresses, but first off: a presser from Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.We’ll have more on the full roster of speakers as the day progresses, but first off: a presser from Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
On with the show!On with the show!
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