Cruz received an adoring reception from most in the conservative audience. Cruz: Hecklers are Obama operatives

Sen. Ted Cruz on Friday had a pithy retort for a handful of hecklers who interrupted his speech at the Values Voter Summit Friday.

“It seems Obama’s paid political operatives are out in force today,” he said as one member of the audience interrupted with a question. “The men and women in this room scare the living daylights out of them.”


Cruz (R-Texas) received an adoring reception from most in the conservative audience as he slammed Obamacare, but his speech was interrupted at least seven times by protestors, causing him to pause his address as shouting broke out. Attendees sought to drown out the interrupters with a loud “USA!” chant.

( PHOTOS: Key quotes from Ted Cruz)

“In this brief speech we’ve heard more questions than President Obama has allowed in the past year,” he said after another protestor stood up.

Turning to the media sitting at the back of the ballroom at a Washington hotel, he made what appeared to be an impromptu offer to President Barack Obama.

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“If he wants to get 100 of his most rabid political operatives in a room I’ll answer their questions on television as long as he likes,” he said. “In exchange, all I’d ask, Mr. President, is you take not 100 but 10 of the men and women in this room” and spend half an hour answering their questions.

Cruz, speaking to the summit ahead of a meeting with Obama, said the House of Representatives needs to continue “standing strong” in the battle against the health care law as the government remains shut down.

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