Cruz on Trump: Flexible a ‘Washington Codeword,’ He’s ‘Going to Stick It to the People’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
REPORTER: "Last question. Is Donald Trump flip-flopping?"
CRUZ: "Well, last night was really striking. All of us are used to political candidates who run to the right in the primary and then run to the center in the general elections. We're frustrated because they make promises to get the nomination and then they promptly go to Washington and break all of those promises. Now, normally a politician waits to the general election to do it. Last night Donald Trump started galloping to the center before the primary is over. Donald Trump repeatedly emphasized flexibility, that he will be flexible on every principle, every issue, he'll be flexible. You know, in that he echoed what he reportedly said to the new York Times editorial board, that everything he said on immigration, that's been his signature issue. That's what he's talked about the most. Apparently he said everything he said on immigration he doesn't mean. He's not going to build a wall or deport anyone. On the debate stage last night he changed his views and said suddenly he's now for expanding H 1 B Visas. And one of the more stunning moments was when he turned to Marco Rubio and Donald Trump said, Marco, I agree with you. The flexibility you showed negotiates with Democrats in the gang of eight amnesty bill. You want to talk about a stunning moment on the debate stage where Donald Trump is saying he agrees with Marco Rubio and the Democrats on the gang of eight amnesty bill, that that's good flexibility? Well, on one level, that shouldn't be surprising. Because Donald Trump funded the gang of eight. He funded of the members of the gang of eight, he gave contributions to five of them, over $50,000. But it was still stunning for a candidate who has pretended to be a posed to illegal immigration, for him to say on the it debate stage. And there was another moment that not many folks in the media picked up on. When he was asked about his foreign policy, and he said who do you listen to on foreign policy. The first name out of his mouth was Richard Haas. Most Americans have no idea who that is. But the DC establish does. He's the president of the council on foreign relations. He's a lifelong liberal. He is someone who is advised Hillary Clinton in the state Department. What does it say about you that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton both listen to the same advisor? Look, on one level it's not surprising. Donald Trump is someone who supported Jimmy Carter over Ronald Reagan. Donald Trump is someone who supported John Kerry over George W. Bush. He contributed four times to the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign in 2008. But for him to admit that the first day he listens to on foreign policy is the president of the council on foreign relations, a liberal person with Hillary Clinton is an extraordinary admission, and I'll say this. Let me speak for a minute to the Donald Trump supporters. I get the that people are angry. We're so frustrated. We're so furious because we've been lied to. We've been lied to over and over and over again. But Donald Trump embodies that Washington corruption that we are angry about. The answer to that corruption is not to go with someone who has been funding liberal Democrats for four decades who has been immeshed in that corruption. And it'sunderscoring, Donald is telling us he will betray us on everything he's campaigning on. When Donald Trump stood on the debate stage and said over and over again, you got to be flexibility, now got to be flexible, flexible is Washington code word that he's going to stick it to the people. That's what Washington politicians say when they're being flexible. What it means is the rich and powerful are going to get taken care of just like Donald Trump supported Obama's Wall Street bailout. And the working men and women, flexibility means it's going to help the rich and powerful and the working men and women are going to get left behind. Here in Maine, I'm encouraged by the support we have on the ground. I'm encouraged by support from conservatives. I'm encouraged by the support we have in libertarians. The liberty movement that believes passionately in the constitution and bill of rights. I've spent my whole life fighting to defend the constitution and the bill of rights. Donald Trump told everyone in the last two debates that when it comes to the bill of rights, when it comes to the constitution, he will be flexible. He will negotiate. Two debates ago, he lectured me, Ted, you got to be willing to negotiate and compromise with Harry Reid and chuck Schumer own supreme court appointments. Well, let me be clear to the men and women of Maine. There are areas where compromise is appropriate. Tax rates, meet a middle ground and negotiate on a question like that. There are other areas not up for compromise. The constitution and bill of rights should not be up for compromise, and I'll tell the men and women of Maine, I will not compromise away your religious liberty. I will not compromise your second amendment to keep and bear arguments, the constitution and bill of rights are not up for negotiation, and when Donald Trump tells you that he will cut a deal with Harry Reid and chuck Schumer on Antonin Scalia's replacement, the conclusion of that deal will be that he would nominate a liberal activist to the court who would take away our free speech and religious liberty, our right to keep and bare arms. We need to defend our rights and not get another Washington deal."