Rubio: Cruz’ Record Does Not Support Him Being a ‘Consistent Conservative’

DOOCY: “Sure. Senator, a lot of the first, almost two hours — there was a lot of back and forth between Mr. Trump and Ted Cruz, but in the last 15 minutes you got in there, and [indecipherable] pages ‘The Wall Street Journal’ today, write that you were dazzling in the last 15 minutes where you threw everything you could at Ted Cruz. If people didn’t see it, I know it was at the end of the debate we’re going to play a bit of it right here. Watch this.”
[clip starts]
RUBIO: 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. You used to support legalizing people that were here illegally, now you say you’re against it. You used to say that you were in favor of birthright citizenship, now you say that you are against it. And by the way, it’s not just on immigration, you used to support TPA, now you say you’re against it. I saw you on the Senate floor flip your vote on crop insurance because they told you it would help you in Iowa, and last week, we all saw you flip your vote on ethanol in Iowa for the same reason.” (Applause)
CRUZ: “I appreciate your dumping your [indecipherable] research folder on the debate stage.”
RUBIO: “No, it’s your record.”
[clip ends]
DOOCY: “Did that work? Did that stick?”
RUBIO: “Well, first, let’s remember how that happened right? I was asked a question. I answered it. And then he basically got in and attacked me. Here’s the point — and I like Ted, we’re friends. But, he campaigns as a consistent conservative and basically says he’s the only consistent conservative on the stage. That is not his record. He has flipped his position on birthright citizenship, on legalization of illegal immigrants, he wanted a 500 percent increase in guest workers. He wanted doubling of the number of green cards, he did change his position on TPA. He wrote an article with Paul Ryan, before Paul Ryan was speaker, praising TPA. He used to lobby members to support TPA, and then four months later all of a sudden he flips on it. And we saw him flip his vote on crop insurance on the Senate floor. I mean, I was standing right there. And then last week ethanol again in Iowa. So my point is, the only consistent is the consistent political calculation that I’m going to change my position if it helps me politically in a given moment. And so, don’t run as a consistent conservative if, in fact, you have consistently calculated your positions. And that’s what he’s done. Again I came up because he launched into an attack. And so I responded with his record. Not with an opo dump with his record.”