Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., was the clear winner of a contentious back-and-forth Thursday night with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, according to reporters who appeared surprised at the ferocity of the Florida lawmaker’s barrage of “punches.”
“By the end of that Cruz-Rubio back and forth, Cruz was playing defense and Rubio offense. That should tell you who won it,” tweeted the Washington Post’s Sean Sullivan.
The New York Daily News’ Josh Greenman added that it was, “a tough, tough Rubio attack on Cruz. Many landed punches.”
“Rubio buried Cruz. Holy Crap!” Fox News’ very enthusiastic Greg Gutfeld said. “Rubio just proved he can beat Hillary, by slapping Cruz around.”
The moment came after Cruz called attention to Rubio’s support for the failed 2013 immigration reform bill, which the Florida senator has been trying to distance himself from ever since.
“Ted Cruz, you used to say you supported doubling the number of green cards, now you say that you’re against it. You used to support a 500 percent increase in the number of guest workers. Now you say that you’re against it,” Rubio said during the GOP primary debate, which was held in South Carolina and hosted by the Fox Business Network.
“You used to support legalizing people that are here illegally. Now you say you’re against it. You used to say you were in favor of birthright citizenship. Now you say that you are against it,” he added.
Cruz also flipped on his one-time support for Trade Promotion Authority, Rubio said.
“I saw you on the Senate floor flip your vote on crop insurance because someone told you it would help you in Iowa,” he said. “Well, last week we all saw you flip your vote on ethanol in Iowa for the same reason. That is not consistent conservatism. That is political calculation.”
The “broadside against Cruz” left media impressed.
“Rubio unloaded on Cruz there. Amazing turnaround,” said Daily Caller columnist Matt Lewis.
The Los Angeles Times’ Chris Megerian added, “Rubio did the same thing to Cruz that he did to Christie earlier — unload a long list of shifting positions. Carpet bombing, if you will.”
“Rubio is slicing and dicing Cruz here,” said Boston Globe columnist Dante Ramos.
Live look at what Rubio just did to Cruz: pic.twitter.com/QqRAgIlhZC— Chris Cillizza (@TheFix) January 15, 2016
Cruz was eventually given time to respond.
“I appreciate you dumping your [opposition research] folder on the debate stage,” the Texas senator said.
Not missing a beat, Rubio responded, “It’s your record.”
Politico’s Marc Caputo said of that counter-counterpunch, “Point Rubio.”
Cruz went on to claim that “at least” half of the things Rubio said were “flat-out false,” and he accused his 2016 GOP primary rival of supporting amnesty.
But despite his best attempts to counterattack Rubio’s “searing” onslaught, some in media found Cruz’s response “weak” and “defensive.”
“[W]eakest part of Cruz answer: should have said all of what Rubio said was false, not just more than half of it,” said National Review’s Ramesh Ponnuru.
Fellow National Review colleague Charles C. W. Cooke concurred, adding, “Cruz’s response to Rubio’s response isn’t good. He sounds defensive and annoyed.”
The only real criticism that members of the press had for Rubio’s volley against Cruz was that it came late in the debate.
“That Rubio/Cruz smackdown happened after 11pm, but you can bet it’ll be replayed all day tomorrow,” said Time magazine’s Zeke Miller.
NBC News’ Chuck Todd added of the timing, “Rubio’s strongest moment of the night came late, about the only thing Cruz camp should be happy about.”
