On Monday’s “Morning Joe,” co-host Mika Brzezinski went one-on-one with panelist Donny Deutsch about the viability of a Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) presidential candidacy.
Brzezinski and Deutsch debated Cruz, with Brzezinski arguing Cruz was a candidate to be taken seriously and not the Herman Cain or Sarah Palin of this election cycle.
Partial transcript as follows:
BRZEZINSKI: I have a question for the table. Is he the Herman Cain, the 9-9-9 of this election? Is he the, I don’t know, Rick Perry?
DEUTSCH: He’s the Sarah Palin, in a sense. He’s a sideshow.
BRZEZINSKI: You stop it. I’m telling you.
DEUTSCH: He’s unelectable, OK. It’s very, very simple. When you look at the swing states the way the demographics are moving in Ohio, the way they’re moving in Colorado, a character like this who says things –
BRZEZINSKI: Character?
DEUTSCH: Character. Exactly. There’s no such thing as climate change. Basically, his first few years in Senate, basically there’s been no legislation … this is a complete obstructionist. This is not what this country is about and done nothing but run for president. I find him offensive. I find his completely against the grain where this country wants to go. There’s a difference between running to president and the 18-month game show that leads to do up. He’s part of the game show.
BRZEZINSKI: OK, I got just one thing to say – it’s just my instinct in a couple of meetings with him: I wouldn’t underestimate him. … I wouldn’t underestimate him. I think this guy is really, really smart. I don’t agree with a thing he says.
DEUTSCH: And you think he has a chance to be a serious contender? That’s a – I’m not saying he’s not smart. He’s a U.S. Senator.
BRZEZINSKI: I wouldn’t underestimate from him having a big impact in this election and not being the 9-9-9. I’m just saying. That’s my instinct. We’ll see.
Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor
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