"Lyin' Ted" may have met his match with CNN's Kaitlan Collins who refused to allow Cruz to play his usual game with the false equivalencies while trying to get a straight answer out of him on whether he'll be willing to accept the results of the 2024 election.
Cruz usually just steamrolls over anyone who isn't some friendly compliant interviewer like he finds on Fox or some of the other right-wing propaganda outlets. Good for Collins for standing her ground with him.
During an interview this Wednesday, Collins asked Cruz “You were the first senator to object to the votes. In 2024 will you certify the election results? Do you plan to object or will you accept the results regardless of who wins the election?”
Cruz shot back “So, Kaitlan, I gotta say, I think that’s actually a ridiculous question.”
After Collins replied that “It’s a yes or no question,” Cruz went on the attack, accusing her of never asking Democrats the same thing, and Collins countered that ridiculousness by rightfully taking apart the false equivalence.
Cruz responded that “We did have a peaceful transfer of power. I was there on January 20. I was there on the swearing-in," to which Collins replied "Barely."
After Cruz accused Collins of only asking this question to Republicans, Collins replied, "Because it was Republicans who tried to block the transition of power. You have to acknowledge that. We've never seen it on a scale of what happened in 2020. And we've never seen the president refuse. He wouldn't even let Joe Biden get classified briefings at the beginning. I recall that. So my question for you again: Free and fair election, will you accept the results regardless of who wins?"
Which was met by a whole lot of more ridiculous back and forth with Cruz claiming he doesn't want to ignore "voter fraud" and Collins continually pointing out that Cruz knows full well there's a big difference between widespread voter fraud that would have changed the results of an election, and someone claiming that there was no voter fraud whatsoever.
Collins did a great job of pointing to the recounts in Georgia, and the director of CISA saying this "was one of the safest most legitimate elections" before accusing Republicans of "twisting themselves in knots," as we saw Cruz do here during the exchange that followed:
CRUZ: And what I called for in 2020 was to do the same thing, appoint an election commission, and eleven senators joined me.
COLLINS: Senator, with all due respect, after it had been thrown out of many courts, the Attorney General Bill Barr
CRUZ: Why was it thrown out?
COLLINS: Because there was no basis for those court cases.
CRUZ: That’s actually—
COLLINS: Senator, with all due respect—
CRUZ: You asked me a question, do you want me to answer it?
COLLINS: And you didn’t answer it. Dozens of court cases were thrown out … and also there were no widespread fraud. You’re not clearly answering the question. I want to thank you—”
CRUZ: What question? I’m answering every question. I think the country would have been a lot better off with a determination of what evidence of voter fraud occurred, and instead the media didn’t want to hear it and insists voter fraud never occurred.
COLLINS: It wasn’t the media, it was the Attorney General, and my question was about 2024—”
CRUZ: It was CNN that relentlessly, relentlessly pushed that propaganda, and by the way, never holds—”
COLLINS: What propaganda? There was no widespread fraud in the election?
CRUZ: That voter fraud doesn’t exist and whoever says it does is wearing a tinfoil hat.
Cruz again went on the attack on which Democrats Collins had interviewed, accusing the media of wanting to ignore supposed "voter fraud.” Collins responded, "I haven't had any of them on my show. We'll talk to them, but I don't remember there being a president who was refusing to turn over the transition of power."
Given Collins’ background, I've been pleasantly surprised seeing her seem to run out of f-s to give and holding some of these Republicans' feet to the fire. The only thing I would have liked to have seen her bring up in response to Cruz is the insurrection on January 6th, which he willfully ignored when discussing Trump and the supposed "peaceful transfer of power."
It wasn't "peaceful" and no reporter should allow any politician to spread that lie. It was nice seeing someone shut down Cruz and his gish gallop for once. He definitely didn't seem too happy about it.
