I suppose I could have gone with "Paul Ryan endorses Scott Walker" as well. It's not exactly a restrictive rule, is it? Seventeen people threw their hats into the proverbial ring. Couldn't the Speaker have at least limited it to candidates who won delegates? That would cut down the roster to Trump, Cruz, Rubio, Kasich, Carson, and Bush III. Given the comparative stranglehold of Rule 40(b) (minimum threshold of winning delegate majorities in eight States), that almost sounds like a compromise. Throwing it as wide open as Ryan is proposing here just pours gasoline on the flammable paranoia of "establishment"-haters who are convinced that the party poobahs are going to broker their way to complete party dissolution, even though nobody can convince me that the GOP leadership is that clinically insane. Can anybody really see Lindsey Graham finally going over 1,237 on the same-numbered ballot, long about Halloween? It would be historic, though.
The Speaker did a good thing by reiterating that his name is out of the "running". But that's the only good thing he's done in that regard.
No, I just do not and cannot see Trump and Cruz being summarily swept aside, or deadlocking with each other. If Trump falls significantly short of 1,237 on the first ballot, the delegate commitments are released, and Cruz's ground game will flip enough delegates to win the nomination shortly thereafter. And Quicken Loans Arena will be in flames shortly thereafter that.
Speaking of being on fire, Senator Cruz lit up Trump on the Glen Beck program for twenty straight minutes this afternoon. "He ate his Wheaties this morning," indeed.
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