Indiana: Cruz, You Lose And Trump Wins

Donald Trump won the Indiana Primary and within a few hours his only real competition, Senator Ted Cruz, made a concession speech and announced he was dropping out. The next day, John Kasich of Ohio became the last competitor to give up and let Donald become the anointed one of the GOP.

So Trump is what they've got and they are stuck with him.

The GOP awakens to a Trump nightmare come true - The Washington Post https://t.co/HA59bBIu0J

— Alan Abramowitz (@AlanIAbramowitz) May 4, 2016

The long, weird Kasich campaign gives in to reality: https://t.co/F6CC5H4qqyhttps://t.co/UHgko3iROW

— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) May 4, 2016

Howard Dean
Ed Muskie
Newt Gingrich
Pat Buchanan
Steve Forbes
all won more states than Kasich https://t.co/JeTINnCksn

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) May 4, 2016

~~~~~~~

Cruz can blame it on Mike Pence, the unpopular governor of Indiana, who gave him a lukewarm endorsement also "commending" Donald Trump.

BREAKING: I want to "commend Donald Trump ... but I will be voting for Ted Cruz," says Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. https://t.co/iObINqjq8k

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 29, 2016

Interesting interpretation of Mike Pence saying he'll vote for Cruz: Trump says Pence really endorsed him. pic.twitter.com/JQsDRnlaKK

— Ali Vitali (@alivitali) May 1, 2016

But voters might point to Cruz himself, who made the unthinkable unforced error in the Hoosier state of calling a basketball hoop a "basketball ring." Did he bother to watch the movie "Hoosiers" before campaigning there? Has he ever heard of "Hoop Dreams?"

Ted Cruz knows a basketball ring when he sees one. Watch full episode >> https://t.co/3nD0hK60Mj https://t.co/xbtSoHRcq7

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 28, 2016

Cruz tries to re-create "Hoosiers" scene; calls hoop a "basketball ring": https://t.co/jm68QzTZm6

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) April 27, 2016

Obama pokes fun at Ted Cruz's "basketball ring" comments from earlier this week. What's next? "Baseball sticks?" https://t.co/hkDIF5Gkrl

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 1, 2016

Indiana Hoosiers aren't going to like hearing Ted Cruz call a basketball hoop a basketball ring. Vote Trump! pic.twitter.com/3CLb73hIOC

— USA Hipster (@USAHipster) April 26, 2016

Cruz Ends Campaign

Do you think #TedCruz made the right decision by dropping out of the presidential race? pic.twitter.com/UFtgdPoBNA

— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 4, 2016

Ted also pummeled his wife on stage:

Ted Cruz drops out, then almost knocks out his wife with a jab and elbow to her face: https://t.co/tB3x9ljfA0https://t.co/Gysd6XXWr0

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 4, 2016

If you thought you had a rough day, just watch the elbow Ted Cruz gave to his wife's face https://t.co/kZaouOY8it

— Landon Pederson (@Pederlanderson) May 4, 2016

This followed a week in which John Boehner called Ted "Lucifer in the Flesh" and Trump accused his father, Rafael, of somehow being involved in the JFK assassination.

#JohnBoehner torches #TedCruz as "Lucifer in the flesh" and SOB https://t.co/fuL0uUWbtP https://t.co/2aARFwaRo7

— Korina K Kuster (@nenelilly) April 28, 2016

So, so hurtful. #JohnBoehner #TedCruz #LuciferCruz #LuciferOnFox #Lucifer pic.twitter.com/pbj4xoYEUr

— bennydiego (@bennydiego) April 30, 2016

Here's where Trump got Cruz's father linked to JFK assassination. Was on stands a few days ago pic.twitter.com/BrbSjuA4YH

— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) May 3, 2016

.@realDonald Trump accuses Cruz's father of helping JFK's assassin pic.twitter.com/qJjz8QyuIf

— POLITICO (@politico) May 3, 2016

RAFAEL CRUZ 2ND SHOOTER Cruz Sr on left, Woman from Jack Ruby club middle and Lee Harvey Oswald on right #Maryland pic.twitter.com/6cFfcsDp3O

— Ted Hooley (@ed_hooley) April 25, 2016

Considering Trump loves to hang out with Roger Stone and Alex Jones, prob a good chance he does believe in a JFK conspiracy.

— Kevin Phelan (@KPhed) May 4, 2016

WATCH: @Tedcruz: "Yes, my dad killed JFK, he is secretly Elvis, and Jimmy Hoffa is buried in his backyard" https://t.co/8u2syfE8CJ

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) May 3, 2016

WATCH: JFK secret service agent on Trump's charge about Cruz's father https://t.co/gTBepVywDU

— Hardball (@hardball) May 5, 2016

Trump says he never believed JFK-Cruz conspiracy theory, only wanted people to read about it https://t.co/mg7t53Tgyl pic.twitter.com/CA1pKnnUTX

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) May 4, 2016

On @GMA, @realDonaldTrump declines to apologize for claim about Cruz's father: "I don't think anybody denied it" https://t.co/UTU8TkCvSE

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) May 4, 2016

One of the people dragged down by Ted Cruz in all this was Carly Fiorina, his erstwhile "running-mate" for a week. Her own run for the nomination failed because she is as unlikable as Cruz himself. But becoming Cruz's partner was worse as she embarrassed herself singing a creepy song to the Cruz children, and then ignored by everyone except Heidi Cruz when she suddenly fell from the stage while introducing the family. You really can't make this stuff up.

Will Fiorina be working for Trump soon like everyone else in the GOP? Probably. She is clearly desperate for attention, even negative attention - much like Chris Christie. But her run with Cruz will go down in history as a bizarre footnote to a crazy ill-fated campaign.

.@CarlyFiorina just sang from the stage after accepting offer to be @tedcruz's running mate: https://t.co/5HsAkKaqvp https://t.co/XBhn5IFBfz

— CBSN (@CBSNLive) April 27, 2016

@vladduthiersCBS Carly sang to the tune of Irving Berlin's song "I Hear Singing, but there's no one there" from the musical Call Me Madam.

— Sue Dietterle (@dietzIL) April 27, 2016

Carly Fiorina just sang a variation on Irving Berlin, who is presently clawing his way out of the grave to make them stop using his music.

— Zanti Misfit (@ZantiMisft) April 27, 2016

Carly Fiorina just started singing and I'm pretty sure this is the worst performance of Wicked ever.

— Catherine Q. (@CatherineQ) April 27, 2016

@CatherineQ America when Carly fiorina started singing pic.twitter.com/fbxPMHmM95

— Rstandiego (@Rstandiego) April 28, 2016

Carly Fiorina fell off a stage today. She’s in good company. https://t.co/hCpfRNdQtB pic.twitter.com/ZBAA8Pzkhg

— Chris Cillizza (@TheFix) May 2, 2016

Carly Fiorina fell off a stage. Word Is She fell faster than HP Stock when she was CEO.

— Paul Lander (@paul_lander) May 2, 2016

"Even I would have helped her, OK," #DonaldTrump said on Fiorina's fall: https://t.co/05dJccvWCP

— Stephanie Wang (@stephaniewang) May 2, 2016

Maybe #TedCruz & #CarlyFiorina can bring their charisma to bear on another challenge. Or not. pic.twitter.com/ZCVfFuM0T6

— cassandracarolina (@cassandra17lina) May 4, 2016

But he picked his running mate already....#TedCruz #ShakeOnIt pic.twitter.com/nkYEXyZjIE

— KHARY PENEBAKER (@kharyp) May 4, 2016