In a segment on the March 24 edition of MSNBC's MTP Daily devoted to the matter of Donald Trump's misogynistic attack on Sen. Ted Cruz's wife Heidi, Jamil Smith of MTV News suggested that what's really violent towards women is the Texas Republican's position on abortion.
Addressing Cruz's angry response to Trump, Smith posited that Cruz "opens up another line of attack, potentially, by saying real men don't attack women, when, in fact, Ted Cruz opposes all abortion, including abortion in the case of rape and incest," adding, "So, we would talk about actual attacks on women, you know, tweets about your wife are terrible, but I think that, you know, we should talk about some bigger issues."
The relevant transcript appears below:
MSNBC
MTP Daily
March 24, 2016; 5:58 p.m. EasternJAMIL SMITH, MTV News: Donald Trump is a bully. And he is somebody that will, you know, just continually work to get under someone's skin like [Republican strategist] Susan [Del Percio] said, but, at the same time the best way to come back at him is to not, you know, you either laugh at him or to really actually punch him back.
And that [Cruz's response] is not punching. That is just put up your dukes and we are going to like, act like I'm tough and –
BETH FOUHY, MSNBC: And yet, Rubio sort of tried to do that, and what ended up happening, is he just looked like he went right down into the gutter with Donald Trump. And it didn't do him any good whatsoever.
SMITH: And then he opens up another line of attack, potentially, by saying real men don't attack women, when, in fact, Ted Cruz opposes all abortion, including abortion in the case of rape and incest.
So, we would talk about actual attacks on women, you know, tweets about your wife are terrible, but I think that, you know, we should talk about some bigger issues.
