title: Cruz to O’Reilly: You ‘Defend’ Trump ‘A Lot’
authors: Ian Hanchett
content: Republican presidential candidate Texas Senator Ted Cruz told Fox News Channel host Bill O ’ Reilly that he defends GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump “ a lot ” on Thursday ’ s “ O ’ Reilly Factor . ”
  After Cruz pointed to Trump ’ s donations to liberal politicians , O ’ Reilly objected that these donations weren ’ t made “ as a politician. ” O ’ Reilly then advised Cruz to have a press conference in Penn Station to see what has happened to it under Mayor Bill de Blasio ( D ) .
  Later on , Cruz argued there ’ s “ liberal intolerance ” in New York state , and stated that New York State Senator Rubén Díaz ( D ) told him that he knew exactly what Cruz ’ s reference to “ New York values ” meant , and that Díaz pointed to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo ’ s ( D ) statement that “ extreme conservatives who are right-to-life , pro-assault-weapon , anti-gay ” “ have no place in the state of New York , because that ’ s not who New Yorkers are . ”
  O ’ Reilly responded that “ Trump doesn ’ t subscribe to any of that. ” Cruz objected that Trump does because “ he funded it. ” O ’ Reilly again said that this was done “ as a businessman. ” And “ You can have two lives . ”
  Cruz countered that Trump didn ’ t need to donate to Hillary Clinton ’ s presidential campaign to get real estate deals , a point O ’ Reilly objected to with , “ You know how they play the game here. ” Cruz answered that “ I know lots of businessman who ’ ve never given a check to Hillary Clinton . ”
  O ’ Reilly then said that Cruz is “ more conservative than Trump. ” Cruz said that this wasn ’ t the issue , and that both Trump and Clinton are “ flip sides of the same coin . Hillary Clinton has made millions of dollars selling power and access in Washington . And Donald Trump has made billions of dollars buying power and access in Washington . ”
  O ’ Reilly cut in to re-state that Trump did this as a businessman , to which Cruz countered that Trump is “ part of the corruption . ”
  Cruz then referenced de Blasio ’ s attempts to “ shut down charter schools in Harlem. ” O ’ Reilly countered that Cruz isn ’ t running against de Blasio , he ’ s running against Trump . Cruz responded that Trump is “ responsible for the policies he supported . ”
  O ’ Reilly then stated he was “ not buying it. ” Cruz then told O ’ Reilly “ I know . You defend him a lot , Bill . That ’ s your prerogative . ”
  O ’ Reilly responded , “ I defend him when — I defend him on points that I think are valid , But I go after him , and that ’ s why he ’ s not on the program , because he ’ s mad at me . All right ? ” Cruz agreed that Trump wasn ’ t appearing on O ’ Reilly ’ s program because he was mad at him , and because “ he ’ s terrified to debate. ” Cruz pointed to his invite to debate Trump on “ The O ’ Reilly Factor . ”
  O ’ Reilly said that he didn ’ t know if he would say Trump is “ terrified , ” but he didn ’ t want to debate Cruz on “ The O ’ Reilly Factor . ”
  Later on , O ’ Reilly said he would go to any press conference Cruz had in Penn Station , because he wanted to see that . And that he would continue to try to convince Trump to debate Cruz on “ The O ’ Reilly Factor . ”
content_original: Republican presidential candidate Texas Senator Ted Cruz told Fox News Channel host Bill O’Reilly that he defends GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump “a lot” on Thursday’s “O’Reilly Factor.”
  
  After Cruz pointed to Trump’s donations to liberal politicians, O’Reilly objected that these donations weren’t made “as a politician.” O’Reilly then advised Cruz to have a press conference in Penn Station to see what has happened to it under Mayor Bill de Blasio (D).
  
  Later on, Cruz argued there’s “liberal intolerance” in New York state, and stated that New York State Senator Rubén Díaz (D) told him that he knew exactly what Cruz’s reference to “New York values” meant, and that Díaz pointed to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s (D) statement that “extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay” “have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are.”
  
  O’Reilly responded that “Trump doesn’t subscribe to any of that.” Cruz objected that Trump does because “he funded it.” O’Reilly again said that this was done “as a businessman.” And “You can have two lives.”
  
  Cruz countered that Trump didn’t need to donate to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign to get real estate deals, a point O’Reilly objected to with, “You know how they play the game here.” Cruz answered that “I know lots of businessman who’ve never given a check to Hillary Clinton.”
  
  O’Reilly then said that Cruz is “more conservative than Trump.” Cruz said that this wasn’t the issue, and that both Trump and Clinton are “flip sides of the same coin. Hillary Clinton has made millions of dollars selling power and access in Washington. And Donald Trump has made billions of dollars buying power and access in Washington.”
  
  O’Reilly cut in to re-state that Trump did this as a businessman, to which Cruz countered that Trump is “part of the corruption.”
  
  Cruz then referenced de Blasio’s attempts to “shut down charter schools in Harlem.” O’Reilly countered that Cruz isn’t running against de Blasio, he’s running against Trump. Cruz responded that Trump is “responsible for the policies he supported.”
  
  O’Reilly then stated he was “not buying it.” Cruz then told O’Reilly “I know. You defend him a lot, Bill. That’s your prerogative.”
  
  O’Reilly responded, “I defend him when — I defend him on points that I think are valid, But I go after him, and that’s why he’s not on the program, because he’s mad at me. All right?” Cruz agreed that Trump wasn’t appearing on O’Reilly’s program because he was mad at him, and because “he’s terrified to debate.” Cruz pointed to his invite to debate Trump on “The O’Reilly Factor.”
  
  O’Reilly said that he didn’t know if he would say Trump is “terrified,” but he didn’t want to debate Cruz on “The O’Reilly Factor.”
  
  Later on, O’Reilly said he would go to any press conference Cruz had in Penn Station, because he wanted to see that. And that he would continue to try to convince Trump to debate Cruz on “The O’Reilly Factor.”
  
  Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett