Ted Cruz schooled
Chuck Todd was on a roll today. When interviewing Ted Cruz, he was more pointed than he usually is interviewing Republicans in general. He normally gives them a pass and allow them to lie ad infinitum. He has explained before that he does not challenge guests because guests would not appear on the show if he did so. In his mind he thinks no guests mean no show. Of course if guests fail to appear on a show it leaves more time to really probe into them and they would quickly return. As such the argument is meritless.
In an earlier part of the same interview, Chuck Todd really let Cruz have it. “You stood up on Obamacare, ” Todd said. “You stood up on Planned Parenthood. You stood up on immigration. And nobody follows you. I mean I am just saying, nobody in Washington follows you. If you get elected president you got to get somebody to follow your lead in Washington whether you like it or not.” Ted Cruz came back with his standard cookie cutter response stating that half the Republicans were with him.
Todd’s next exchange with Ted Cruz is the most important however because it really puts into context the intransigence of Cruz and his Right Wing ilk.
“You are a believer in using the debt limit for leverage,” Chuck Todd said. “What do you want Republican leadership to do with the debt limit?”
“What I would like to see on the debt limit is Republican leadership fight for something,” Ted Cruz said. “For Pete’s sakes, anything. You know there are a lot of reports right now that John Boehner before he steps down as speaker intends to cut a deal with Nancy Pelosi to raise the debt ceiling and to fund all of Obama’s agenda for the next year and a half. Listen. He’s got the votes.”
Chuck Tod immediately turned Cruz’s own words on him in an attempt to remind him of the reality of our system of government.
“He’s got the votes,” Chuck Tod repeated. “Isn’t that how democracy works? He’s got the votes. I mean this is how it works.”
“You are right,” Ted Cruz then replied. “And if he does it he will be the most effective Democratic leader in modern times.”
Ted Cruz’s reply is ridiculous. Ted Cruz and his ilk represent a cognitive dissonance that is a cancer on the country. They say they believe in the Constitution and Democracy and yet they want their will when they do not have the majority on any one issue.