Chris Matthews: ‘Ted Cruz Is Brilliant…The President’s Met His Match’

October 1st, 2013 10:21 AM

Chris Matthews just can’t make up his mind about Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.).

After telling MSNBC’s Morning Joe crew last week that the Texas Tea Partier is “a problem for our republic,” Matthews on Tuesday said, “I think Ted Cruz is brilliant. I think the President’s met his match in this guy” (video follows with transcript and commentary):

CHRIS MATTHEWS: I think Ted Cruz is brilliant. I think the President’s met his match in this guy. He set this thing up months ago with no budget agreement, therefore no appropriations, therefore the government would be completely exposed this morning at midnight last night to go to, to completely shut down. So he knows what he's doing. And it's about the baby, Obama’s baby. And you can't cut the baby in half. We learned that in Solomon. And they keep saying, “Please negotiate your baby. Please help us take it apart.”

So which is he - a problem for our republic or a brilliant guy that's Obama's match?

I guess with Matthews it depends on what direction the wind's blowing.