A week after Republican presidential candidates debated at the Ronald Reagan Library in California, late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert engaged GOP contender Ted Cruz in a colloquy about the Gipper’s legacy.
The question before the house: Would Reagan be welcome in today’s Republican Party?
After all, Colbert pointed out, Reagan signed off on tax increases and an immigration bill that essentially granted amnesty to immigrants who were in the country illegally — both positions anathema to many Republicans today.
“So to what level can you truly emulate Ronald Reagan?” the Late Show host asked the Texas senator.
Cruz said he wouldn’t agree with Reagan on the issues Colbert cited — “of course not” — but noted that the 40th president signed the largest tax cut in history, cut government regulations, and presided over years of government growth.
“He cut taxes, he cut regulations, he unchained small businesses, and economic growth boomed,” said Cruz, who noted that Republican voters these days are more interested in reversing President Obama’s policies.
Colbert responded that Reagan compromised with Democrats when necessary, and asked Cruz if modern Republicans could do that without being accused of betraying their cause — a question that turned the subject of the debate from Reagan to political civility.
“Would you believe that it’s important not to call the other side the devil?” Colbert said.
“Absolutely,” Cruz told Colbert. “There’s noting diabolical about you.”
“What about your opponents politically?,” Colbert replied. “Are they diabolical?”
“Of course not,” said Cruz, noting that he has tangled with Republicans as well as Democrats.
“When others throw rocks and insults, I don’t respond in kind,” he said.
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