Ted Cruz schooled on "Meet the Press"

Host David Gregory didn't hold back, pressing the rogue GOPer on his efforts to defund Obamacare

Published September 29, 2013 2:35PM (EDT)

Tea Party firebrand Ted Cruz faced a grilling Sunday morning as NBC's "Meet the Press" host David Gregory took the senator to task for his recent theatrics aiming to defund Obamacare.

"Where have you moved anything?” demanded the host, noting that "There are not protests in the streets arguing to do away with this law in the way that you’d like. 56% in one poll said let’s uphold the law. I’m focusing on results."

Gregory also took a subtle jab at Cruz's absurd filibuster, commenting, "My goodness, you went and spoke for twenty-one hours to make these arguments. You haven’t moved anyone.”

Cruz responded reliably with partisan brinkmanship: "It is the Democrats who have taken the absolutist position... Even now what the House of Representatives has done is a step removed from defunding, it’s delaying. That’s the essence of the compromise. On the other side, what have the Democrats compromised on? Zero,” he said. Moving no one.

Watch below, via NBC:


By Natasha Lennard

Natasha Lennard is an assistant news editor at Salon, covering non-electoral politics, general news and rabble-rousing. Follow her on Twitter @natashalennard, email nlennard@salon.com.

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