How Trump masterfully unified GOP to support him

The common theme that pervades across most westerns, is the total unification of diverse forces to defeat a single enemy. The villain of the piece is morally reprehensible, despicable and utterly dangerous, such that survival depends on destruction of this force of evil. This provides the perfect launch pad for the hero to save the day and prove himself to be everything that the villain is not i.e. morally upright, likable and one who will protect and provide his fellow men. It also provides a compelling reason for the people of the town to bury their differences for the greater cause of vanquishing evil.

For the Republicans, after a brutal primary contest, there were signs of deep division in the party. Not everybody, including conservatives and establishment Republicans, were pleased about the prospect of Donald Trump clinching the nomination. There were rumblings that ‘Never Trump’ movement would emerge at the GOP Convention and sabotage Trump’s nomination by floating their own candidate. But Trump had won by the most number of votes in the history of GOP primaries, it would not only have been wrong but also immoral to deny him to nomination. The ground maneuvers to thwart the ‘Never Trumpers’ was accomplished by Trump’s experience and able campaign manager Paul Manafort. Trump now had a clear the path way for Trump to get the nomination. But the last thing the Trump campaign wanted is a group of embittered folks deeply upset that they didn’t prevail. It was important that the Never Trumpers and establishment Republican be won over to back Trump. The Republican National Convention was the ideal forum for this unification.

So what did the Trump campaign? They needed a villain. Hillary Clinton is clearly the villain for the GOP but she is beyond the realms of the party. They needed a villain within the party who could persuade others to fall in line both emotionally and by subtle force. It is said that the silver medalist is often bitterer than the individual who finishes last. The individual at the end never had a chance for the lack of talent or effort lost and he or she probably knows it. But the silver medalist has the aptitude and the tenacity, but lacks the pizzazz factor’ to be the winner, sadly for this runner up, the pizzazz factor cannot be defined or learned, you either have it or you do not.

It is said that Trump had invited all his rivals of the primary contest to deliver speeches with no compulsion to endorse. This sort of Carte Blanche privilege would never have been given if a conventional candidate such as Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton was at the helm. They would have gone through careful vetting process of examining each and every syllable in the speech of their rival. In response to Trump's invitation Christie, Carson, Rubio and even Scott Walker delivered speeches in which they emphatically endorsed Trump. Bush and Kasich decided to stay away, with Bush stating that he would not support Trump. Then there was Ted Cruz who said he would deliver a speech at the convention. There were wide speculations if he would endorse Trump or if a deal had been struck. Cruz was provided the coveted prime time slot on the penultimate day of the convention. As Cruz began his speech, the audience cheered, but the part they eagerly awaited was the moment he would endorse Trump. As the speech drew to and end, Cruz urged Republicans 'Vote your conscience' which was the code for the Never Trump movement

“This was an unmitigated disaster” said an important newsman. “How could they let Cruz in there when they knew he was not going to endorse” said an expert. “Clearly the lack of experience is showing, this would never have happened with the Democrats and the Clinton machinery.” said another pundit. “Cruz has self-destructed but has taken Trump with him. Such carelessness!” concluded another.

So let's look back at what actually occurred? How did the people react to Ted Cruz’s non endorsement? What effects it will have on Trump's race to the White House? 

The reaction to Cruz's non endorsement was that of utter shock, gradually boos began to emanate from some corners and soon the entire auditorium was inundated with boos along with irate chants of "We want Trump!" and "Endorse Trump!" that grew louder. Things go so out of control that Cruz’s wife Heidi had to be escorted out of the premise with protection.

Many observed that it was perhaps the first time that the entire crowd had come together with a call to support Trump. That was followed by most of the Republicans including Cruz supporters lambasted Cruz for not only being disloyal to the party but also blatantly violating the pledge that clearly said he would support the nominee whomever it was. There were a few who applauded Cruz for standing up for his conservative principles. All that went right out of the window on the subsequent day when Cruz, who when confronted by angry party members from Texas over his non endorsement of Trump finally admitted that he didn’t support Trump because Trump has ‘attacked his family’, making is personal. Cruz appeared to succumb to pressure and nullify all that he had said that was thought to be about principles the day before. Cruz had lived up to his nickname by Trump of “Lyin’ Ted.” Cruz also conveniently ignore the fact that he had dealt in many dirty tricks all through the campaign, if fact his campaign was responsible for circulating scantily clad pictures of Melania Trump in an attempt to slut shame her and challenge her worthiness to be first lady. For more details on Cruz's electoral malpractices click here If that wasn’t bad enough, Cruz’s speech won a glowing endorsement from Hillary Clinton who apparently made his 'vote your conscience' a tag line for some of her mailers seeking donations. Cruz had committed the cardinal sin of pleasing and aiding the arch nemesis of the GOP and in the process become her henchman. A few days back Cruz had also vowed to run in 2020, no matter who became the President was.

Thus Cruz unwittingly presented himself as the ace villain of the piece, he gave the Republicans their two minutes of hate. He also was a living illustration of a selfish and disloyal person who put his personal issues above his principles and someone who thought of self before party and perhaps national interest. For the Never Trumpers and establishment the villain was no longer Trump, it was in fact Ted Cruz. This universal hate for Cruz provided a vital catharsis for all the negativity they had and now most of the party is with Trump. As one of the experts wisely noted, “Trump provided Cruz with a rope, that Cruz used to hang himself”

A great moment at the convention, perhaps not by coincidence, was when Trump happened to enter the area mere moments before Cruz reached the point of not endorsing Trump. Thus creating a moment of the ultimate theater of the hero being facing the villain during the culmination of a western.

In the end, Trump has once again proved his ability for great strategic thinking and persuasion. In a game of chess, his thinking is several moves ahead of his opponents, something that neither his political opponents nor the pundits in the media have been able to decipher it. In setting up Cruz, Trump managed to persuade the entire anti Trump movement that they were wrong and it was essential to support him to defeat Hillary. It is this masterful thinking that will make 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue his next residential address.