CNN’s Kaitlin Collins squared off with a rude and demeaning Sen. Ted Cruz Wednesday night as the senator repeatedly insisted on parroting debunked lies about widespread election fraud in 2020, and at one point told Collins he was “asking a question” over and over again before he insisted she answer him.
“I’m conducting the interview, with all due respect,” Collins replied.
Collins had attempted to press Cruz on whether or not he will accept the results of the 2024 election regardless of who wins, something he clearly wasn’t willing to address directly.
In a second clip, she asked, “In 2024, will you certify the election results? Do you plan to object, or will you accept the results regardless of who wins the election?”
“So, Kaitlin, I’ve got to say, I think that’s actually a ridiculous question,” Cruz answered. In January 2021, Cruz was one of several in the Senate who called for an audit of election results in multiple states on the grounds of unsubstantiated claims of election fraud. Cruz also said he would vote to reject the certification of the Electoral College votes until the audit was conducted.
“Senator, with all due respect, after it had been thrown out of many courts, the Attorney General Bill Barr—” Collins continued in a third clip before Cruz interjected, “Why was it thrown out?”
“Because there was no basis for those court cases,” she answered.
“That’s actually—” Cruz began before Collins interjected, “Senator, with all due respect—” and Cruz insisted, “You asked me a question, do you want me to answer it?”
“And you didn’t answer it,” Collins replied. “Dozens of court cases were thrown out … and also there were no widespread fraud. You’re not clearly answering the question. I want to thank you—”
“What question? I’m answering every question,” Cruz jumped in. “I think the country would have been a lot better off with a determination of what evidence of voter fraud occurred, and instead the media didn’t want to hear it and insists voter fraud never occurred.”
“It wasn’t the media, it was the Attorney General,” Collins replied, “and my question was about 2024—”
“—It was CNN that relentlessly, relentlessly pushed that propaganda,” Cruz fired back, “and by the way, never holds—”
“What propaganda? There was no widespread fraud in the election?” Collins asked.
“That voter fraud doesn’t exist and whoever says it does is wearing a tinfoil hat,” Cruz answered.
Watch the clips from the interview in the video above.
