Soon to be ex-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has been all smiles this week despite his devastating primary loss last Tuesday.
But ABC News’ Jon Karl finally got the Virginia Republican to show some life on one topic: Laura Ingraham, the conservative radio host who routinely savaged the congressman over immigration policy.
“Laura Ingraham was one of those who went after you,” Karl noted, “and she went after you in what seemed like deeply personal ways.”
The host played a clip of her “gloating” over Cantor’s defeat after the election. “She even suggested you should be traded to the Taliban — somewhat of a joke,” Karl continued. “Did she cross the line? Do you blame her for the loss here?”
Cantor kept his smile but displayed a rare flash of anger. “Listen, I’m not into blaming anybody,” he began, “but I will say that the suggestion that I should’ve been traded to the Taliban for Sgt. Bergdahl really is not a serious contribution to any public policy debate.”
“And frankly I don’t think that it reflects on the people who self-identify as tea partiers,” he continued. “I think they reject that kind of notion. And it’s just not serious, and frankly it cheapens the debate.”
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