Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is getting big laughs for his new “I didn’t want a government shutdown” bit.
“That ignores who I think was responsible for the shutdown,” Cruz told Fox News’ Chris Wallace at The Atlantic‘s Washington Ideas Forum on Thursday. “I didn’t want a shutdown. Throughout the whole thing, I said we shouldn’t have a shutdown.”
A laugh rolled throughout the crowd.
“Now, folks here can disagree,” Cruz said, annoyed. “But repeatedly, I voted to keep the government open.”
Cruz repeatedly said he didn’t want a government shutdown as he toured the country saying that anyone who voted to fund the government without defunding Obamacare was supporting the president’s health law. The senator also repeatedly argued that the conventional wisdom that the shutdowns of the 1990s hurt the GOP was wrong.
Cruz probably got the idea for his new signature comedy bit while appearing on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
“Listen, Jay, I’m one of the many people who was not a fan of shutting down the government,” Cruz told the host. “Throughout this whole thing, I said…”
“Well, you looked like a big fan from where I was standing,” Leno interjected.
