I'd be double checking the hook up that you did on the front of the pump first. This IS the suction on the front you replaced, right? You didn't specifically mention it and I've had customers not know which is suction and which is pressure out of the pump, before. Just making sure . :)
If it's poly pipe, it ought to have two hose clamps put on that tighten on opposite sides of the pipe. Same side is no good, it pulls the pipe one way when tightening and will let in air. The threaded fitting going in the pump housing also needs to be teflon taped. If this is pvc pipe, check the glue joints to make sure you didn't miss one. In both cases, check the fittings at the cleaner and skimmer valve. You may have messed up a connection, if it's poly pipe and it'll need tightening.
On to priming the pump.
The pool service guys way: If you have suction on your skimmer line you can actually use it to help prime the cleaner line (you may have an air lock in it, due to uneven ground that you laid the pipe on). With your pump going ok on the skimmer line, slightly crack open the cleaner line valve. The pump will lose prime a bit, don't keep that valve open so long that you totally lose the skimmer prime. Shut it before this happens and let the skimmer line get back up to full suction again. Repeat untill the cleaner line runs. Keep an eye on it for the first minute or so, when it does run. Some air locks can be difficult and a slug of air will suddenly show up as the velocity of the water has increased enough. Just keep at it and it'll clear.
The hard way: Buckets of water to fill the pump basket. Close off both skimmer and cleaner line. Fill the pump basket to overflowing. Put on the lid. Turn on the pump THEN open your cleaner valve. Let it run like this for 30 seconds. Turn off the cleaner valve THEN turn off the pump and open the pump lid. Refill the pump with water. Repeat until it is primed and going. This can take quite a lot of on/off, depending on the grade and the run to the pool which is why the first method, as long as you pay attention, is best and involves the least hassle. At worst, you'd just end up where you started.
There is one other way to do this and that's to purchase a priming tool. Some are specially made for pool and have a garden hose adapter fitted on a 1 1/2 inch rubber plug. It requires two people ideally. One at the pump, with cleaner valve open, skimmer line shut and pump basket lid off. The other person holds the priming tool (water turned on) in snug on the cleaner line opening (it's 1 1/2 inches). As soon as the person at the pump has water running into the basket and about to overflow they give a yell to pull the priming tool and the pump person shuts off the cleaner valve, tops up the basket with water, replaces the lid, turns on the pump and opens the cleaner valve.
An alternative to a proper priming tool, is what's called a Drain King. It also attaches to your garden hose, but has a self expanding bladder that will seal and hold itself into the pool end of the cleaner line. Don't operate one of these things out of the pipe, it'll fill the bladder up like a football and you'll be out 15 bucks as it will burst. The method to using it is the same, but to shut off the priming tool, you kink the garden hose. Then give it 5 seconds or so for the bladder to deflate to be able to get the tool out of the pipe. I use this particular tool , as I often come across non standard pipe and I need the inside diameter variety to be able to use it on different sized pipe that a proper pool priming tool won't fit.
If you get it going and it suddenly quits on you or fizzles out, re check your plumbing, you've got a suction leak (air) someplace.