Saturday at CBS’s Republican presidential primary debate, moderator John Dickerson got into a back and forth with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) which ended in the audience booing Dickerson after he said, “Sorry, I want to get the facts straight for the audience. I apologize.”
Partial transcript as follows:
DICKERSON: Senator Cruz, the constitution says the president shall appoint with advice and concept from the senate, just to clear that up. So he has the Constitutional power. But you don’t think he should. Where do you set that date if you’re president? Does does it begin in election year, in December, November, September? And once you set the date, when you’re president, will you abide by that date?
CRUZ: Well, we have 80 years of precedent of not confirming supreme court justices in an election year. and let me say–
DICKERSON: I’m sorry to interrupt, were any appointed in the election year or–
CRUZ: Eighty years of not confirming. For example, LBJ, nominated Abe Fortas. Fortas did not get confirmed. He was defeated.
DICKERSON: But Kennedy was confirmed in ’88.
CRUZ: No Kennedy was confirmed in ’87.
DICKERSON: He was … That’s the question, is it appointing or confirming?
CRUZ: In this case it’s both. If i could finish.
DICKERSON: Sorry, I want to get the facts straight for the audience. I apologize. [Crowd boos]
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