It was always a stupid idea to have Republican candidates sign a pledge to support the Republican Party’s eventual nominee. It was stupid for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the fact that Donald Trump is not bound by promises, commitments, or agreements.
When asked about the pledge, the master negotiator always added the caveat that he would honor the pledge so long as he was treated fairly.
A pledge can be defined as “a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something.” The whole point of a pledge is that you honor it for better or worse, in sickness and in health, regardless of changing circumstances.
You’ve probably heard of Americans for Tax Reform’s “Taxpayer Protection Pledge.” Is it okay to break that pledge if, I don’t know, you suddenly need more revenue? If you preserve the flexibility to operate as a free agent and change your mind when it’s convenient, then what’s the point of making a promise?
And now, it’s done. Finished. Kaput. Over. “I have been treated very unfairly,” Trump averred during the CNN Townhall—but the feeling was mutual. As [crscore]Ted Cruz[/crscore] had already explained, he’s “not in the habit of supporting someone who attacks my wife and children.”
On one hand, this was a happy resolution. Trump’s honoring of the “pledge” was always conditional (basically premised on his winning the nomination). What is more, the toxic nature of Trump’s rhetoric and behavior (in one case, directed at Ted Cruz’s wife) probably should constitute honorable grounds for an escape clause.
Honestly, the criticisms of Trump that his opponents had launched were inconsistent with their simultaneous commitment to support him if he were the nominee. It was discordant and incoherent. You can’t argue that someone is utterly disqualified for a job, and then promise to support him. Forcing the candidates to keep up this charade only served to make them look like liars.
Still, the notion of breaking a solemn promise is not something we should be taking lightly. The idea of honoring an ill-conceived pledge might sound quaint, but if a man is only as good as his word, then this raises larger questions about honor and honesty.
This whole messy episode is yet another example of how this race has degenerated into something that nobody can be proud of. What started out as a promising year where Republicans could nominate a young conservative to take on a vulnerable Hillary Clinton has descended into a yuge dumpster fire of Trump-ian proportions. Sad!