Texas Sen. Ted Cruz appeared on the “Late Show” with Stephen Colbert Monday for an interview that began with a heavy dose of humor and ended with a battle over same-sex marriage and the Constitution.
The late-night host kicked off his segment with the Texas senator and Republican presidential hopeful, who holds the No. 5 spot in the Washington Examiner‘s presidential power rankings, with several softball questions, asking Cruz what it’s like to run for president and if he anticipated the multitude of GOP candidates.
“There are another dozen coming,” Cruz quipped.
But as time went on, the notoriously liberal comedian began quizzing Cruz on his conservative positions and self-described similarities with former President Ronald Reagan.
“If you think about the last 50 years, there is one Republican who has a group of Democrats named after him: Reagan Democrats,” Cruz told Colbert. “Those Democrats didn’t come over because Reagan was the squishiest middle-of-the-road candidate. They came over because he represented principles that were appealing.”
“But does today’s modern Republican party reflect some of the things Reagan did?” Colbert pushed back. “Reagan raised taxes. Reagan actually had an amnesty program for illegal immigrants.
“Neither of those things would allow Reagan to be nominated today. So, to what level can you truly emulate Ronald Reagan? Isn’t that a period of time when he was able to work across the aisle with Tip O’Neill to get things done? Isn’t that what people want more than anything else — not just principles, but action?” he added.
Cruz fired back, saying he hasn’t heard a single voter on the campaign trail tell him they wished to see Republicans “give in more to Barack Obama and the direction we’re going.”
“But could you agree with Reagan on those two things?” Colbert asked the GOP candidate, referring to tax hikes and amnesty.
“No, of course not,” Cruz responded.
The two personalities continued to spar over their differing opinions on same-sex marriage and Reagan’s record of economic growth.
When Cruz began to describe the “simple principles” he would adhere to as president, Colbert interrupted to add: “And no gay marriage.”
“Under the constitution, marriage is a question for the states,” Cruz said.
“You may be right, but it doesn’t mention marriage in the Constitution,” Colbert responded.
“And that’s exactly why it’s a question for the states,” Cruz interjected, adding that the “Tenth Amendment says if it doesn’t mention it, it’s a question for the states. That’s in the Bill of Rights.”
As the interview came to a close, Cruz was booed by the in-studio audience upon saying “I believe in democracy.” At that point, Colbert defended the first-term senator by requesting that his audience show respect for his guest.
