What does it say when GOP candidates pledge to back Trump as nominee; but say he will shatter party?

As of March 13, Kascich, Cruz and Rubio have stuck by their pledge to support Trump if he is the GOP nominee.

They say they will support him because they signed the pledge, because they stand by their word, blah, blah, blah.

But they also say –

(Rubio)

“Donald Trump as our nominee will shatter and fracture the Republican party.”

Trump is a "con man" who is dangerous and uninformed on foreign policy.

Rubio's email to reporters after last debate had this subject line "Trump Is Not Prepared To Be Commander-In-Chief."

My conclusion - any headline for Rubio should include: “Rubio supports Con Man for President.”

(Cruz)

Trump has a "tenuous relationship with the truth."

Any headline for Cruz should include: “Cruz supports Liar for President.”


(Kasich)

“So if [Trump] ends up as the nominee -- sometimes, he makes it a little bit hard -- but, you know, I will support whoever is the Republican nominee for president.”

Any headline for Kasich should include: “Kasich supports anyone for President.”



Admittedly, yesterday, Kasich and Rubio hedged a little when asked if they would support Trump as nominee. But then they quickly say they don’t think he would be nominee.

I want the media to ask them every day whether they would support Trump as nominee. I want to hear an answer from each of these campaigns every day about their support for Trump.

At what point does Trump behave so badly and manufacture so much chaos that the other GOP candidates will finally be brave enough to say, no I don’t and won’t support him. Is there a point?

Does their silence make them (equally, partially, somewhat) culpable for what Trump is doing?