Why Cruz Won’t Be President in 2016

Today, there’s news that the GOP Elite have met and discussed stopping Trump at all costs. Even Lindsey Graham came out today stating that he’s going to do everything in his power to help Ted Cruz. This is the same man who just a short time ago stated that choosing between Trump or Cruz is like choosing between being shot or poisoned. Don’t think that Graham has changed him mind on that. He hasn’t. In fact, he knows that helping Cruz now won’t do anything to help Cruz become president. All it will do at this point is ensure a brokered convention.

At this point in the game, the only real way for Ted Cruz to garner the needed delegates to clinch the nomination is for Donald Trump to leave the picture. Barring something tragic, it just isn’t going to happen. Trump is here to stay. Barring an absolute miracle of all miracles, Cruz will not be able to reach the magic number. Kasich couldn’t catch it even if Cruz and Trump both left the race today.

What this means is that the push that we’re going to see behind Cruz will be nothing more than an attempt at a brokered convention, one in which Cruz will be shut out. It’s coming down to the “prisoner’s dilemma” at this point.  Cruz cannot win. Trump has a hard time winning. Do they work together? In order to do so, Trump would have to offer Cruz something big in order to ensure his exit from the race. If Cruz stays in, not only does he run the risk of Trump not getting enough delegates, he ensures he receives nothing more than a pat on the back while the Republican Elite install their own pick, flush with cash and without any damage from the primary process. Both Trump and Cruz will stand there battered and a little more broke than when they started.

Kasich on the other hand is a darling of the GOP Elite. I don’t know what he’s been promised, but I doubt he’ll get the presidency. He’s just a tool for the Elite as well. He may very well get a VP nod, or a cabinet position, but they won’t hand him the keys to the White House.

At this point, it is imperative for Trump and Cruz to make a Reagan and Bush style team. Cruz may not like being VP, but it’s better than he’ll get if he stays in. If he thinks that the backing of the GOP Elite means that the Elite are behind him in the traditional sense, he’s sadly mistaken. The Elite despise Cruz too, and the only way they can avoid an anti-establishment candidate at this point is to back Cruz and force brokered convention. The question is, does Cruz understand this? I’m sure Trump does. Kasich is a willing tool.