If there was one clear winner that emerged from last week’s Republican presidential debate, it was Ronald Reagan, whose legacy was repeatedly invoked and showered with 45 instances of praise from his admiring disciples, including Sen. Ted Cruz.
The Texas senator’s Reagan fandom was tested during an appearance on the “Late Show” last night, when host Stephen Colbert pointed out that Reagan famously supported both an amnesty program for immigrants and raising taxes—two policies Cruz has vehemently railed against throughout his own campaign for president.
“Reagan raised taxes,” Colbert said. “Reagan actually had an amnesty program for illegal immigrants. Neither of those things would allow Reagan to be nominated today. So to what level can you truly emulate Ronald Reagan?”
“Could you agree with Reagan on those two things?” he asked.
Cruz was then forced to admit that no, contrary to his previously uncritical adulation of Reagan, he wouldn’t be able to endorse two of Reagan’s major positions.
The two continued to spar on policy items, including gay marriage. During one point, Colbert asked members of the audience to stop booing Cruz, who appeared visibly uneasy in his guest chair. We can’t wait to see how Donald Trump will fare when he swings by the “Late Show” tonight. Stay tuned.