It was to be expected that Senator Ted Cruz would show up on Fox News to blast President Obama’s decision to normalize relations with Cuba. But Cruz' claim – that Obama did it in retaliation for the midterm elections – was even nuttier than usual for him.
Cruz’ original attack was predictable:
This is yet another manifestation of the failures of the Obama-Clinton-Kerry foreign policy. For six years, we’ve followed the pattern of alienating and abandoning our friends and allies, and at the same time coddling up to and appeasing those who are enemies of this country, and it’s a consistent pattern. First, it was Russia, then it was Iran, now it’s Cuba.
Host Neil Cavuto offered some pushback. He noted that people “on both sides” questioned “what has 60 years of this wrought?” Cavuto also asked Cruz, “Does it bother you that you’re on the opposite side of the Pope on this one?”
”I certainly respect the Pope and his sphere of influence,” Cruz said. But, he complained, “When it comes to foreign policy and the national security interests of the United States, the President should be focused on exactly that.” According to Cruz, Obama’s move – which also eases restrictions on remittances, travel and banking but does not end the embargo – “undermines national security.”
Cruz also worked in a swipe at “the lousy” Beau Bergdahl deal while he was at it.
Finally, Cavuto noted that the deal is done. He asked Cruz, “What are you going to do” going forward?
Cruz didn’t have an answer.
Instead, Cruz reiterated his attacks. “I’ve been encouraged to see bipartisan condemnation of this bad deal,” he said. He went on about who condemned the decision and then he attacked Obama again: “The pattern of bad deals is what we expect from this administration.” Cruz even threw in a mention of Obama’s cancelation of the anti-ballistic missile batteries that Cruz accused was an effort to “appease” Putin.
Cavuto didn’t push Cruz to stop dodging the question and answer it. Instead, he claimed President Obama has taken “a hard turn to act unilaterally. …What do you think is happening?”
Here’s what Cruz came up with:
CRUZ: There’s no doubt that this is a unilateral President who is exhibiting right now anger and defiance towards the American people. He is angry at this last election. He is angry at the tidal wave that retired Harry Reid and he’s acting in defiance of that.
Media Matters cites a number of experts and diplomats who want to see the embargo eased or eliminated outright. Cavuto never mentioned them, of course. Nor did he challenge Cruz’ off-the-wall “explanation” for Obama’s decision.
Watch it below, from the December 17 Your World.