RUSH: Eric Cantor, PMSNBC’s election coverage. Question: ‘We’re now joined by the member of the new Republican majority, Eric Cantor, the man who has been the minority whip. What are you gonna do?’
CANTOR: Well, first of all, it’s good to be on. It’s good to be on MSNBC on a night like this.
MATTHEWS: Ha! I get your point.
CANTOR: Exactly. Chris, that was for you. We are really looking forward to getting down to work. I mean, come on, the American people have spoken loud and clear tonight, and they’ve said you’ve not listened, Washington, you know, there’s been 20 months of policies that just have not produced the results that have been promised and it’s up to us as Republicans if we’re lucky enough to solidify the gains that we’ve already experienced tonight, when we assume majority, to do just that.
RUSH: Next question: ‘Every Republican we’ve talked to tonight about the agenda, if Republicans are taking control of the House has mentioned tax cuts, extending the Bush tax cuts. That means the difference between the Democrat proposal and tax cuts, the Republican proposal on tax cuts, about $700 billion worth of tax cuts for the richest people in the country. Do you think $700 billion should be added to the deficit?’
CANTOR: Let’s set the record straight here. There’s no tax cuts. Nobody’s getting a tax cut come January 1st if nothing’s done. Well, listen, even if it’s, if January 1 comes, one of two things is gonna happen, either tax rates go up or they stay the same. There’s no tax cuts. If you’re a small businessperson or even a working family, if you are somebody at the lowest spectrum of the income level, you’re gonna receive a tax hike if nothing is done right now. I don’t think many Americans are gonna agree that raising taxes right now is the prescription we need when you’re looking to the small businesses in the private sector to create those jobs.
RUSH: Now, this is right on the money. There are no tax cuts being talked about. There aren’t any tax cuts happening. If nothing happens, then taxes stay the same. If they let the Bush tax cuts sunset, everybody’s taxes go up. But nobody’s talking about a tax cut. And, frankly, I don’t care if the federal government gets starved $700 billion. The federal government needs to be starved a whole lot more than $700 billion. To hell with it. Why, especially now, is the liberals’ first and foremost concern with the government? The government’s not unemployed. The government’s not out of work. The government’s not starving. Sometimes, my friends, if I really think about it I just get livid. Final question, ‘Do you think the Tea Party will feel let down if you and Boehner move to raise the debt ceiling next year?’
CANTOR: Look, right now what the people are saying, including the folks in the Tea Party, is get your business straight, Washington, start listening to us and start demonstrating the kind of fiscal discipline —
O’DONNELL: I’m not hearing an answer. I’ll wait, but I’m not hearing one.
CANTOR: I’m gonna give you an answer — and start demonstrating the fiscal discipline that we expect of our federal government and most especially the Republican Party.
O’DONNELL: Are you going to raise the debt ceiling or are you gonna let the country crash?
CANTOR: We’re gonna have at least three or four months here to demonstrate that we’re about fiscal discipline, cutting spending, going about the things that Americans want, which is to bring government back into —
O’DONNELL: And then you’re gonna raise the debt ceiling or let the country crash?
CANTOR: No, listen, we’ve got three or four months until that gets here.
RUSH: All right, you see what’s happening here, it’s Lawrence O’Donnell. (imitating O’Donnell) ‘You guys, you’re talking about fiscal restraint, but wait, you’re gonna have to raise the debt ceiling or the government’s gonna get shut down. So you guys can’t be serious. You’re not gonna cut spending because you’re gonna raise the debt ceiling to raise spending.’ That’s the trap here that’s being set. Now, the answer to this is not to accept the premise that Lawrence O’Donnell puts forward. I don’t have time to tell you what it is answer is, because I’m outta time. This is why I don’t go on these stupid shows. If I could do one thing, if I could get all these guys in a room and do a little seminar on how to go on these shows, if you’re gonna insist on going on these stupid shows, if you are going to insist on going on MSNBC which does not have an audience, if you’re gonna insist on doing it, then here is how.
They hate your guts. They’re looking to embarrass you. They’re looking for you to fail. If you accept any of the premises in their questions, you’ve lost. You go on there and you ignore their question and say what you want to say and if they interrupt and say, ‘You’re not answering the question,’ you say, ‘That’s right, because it’s a stupid question.’ But that’s just me. ‘Why don’t you go on TV, Rush?’ Because I don’t like television, I just don’t. I don’t like the makeup. I don’t like retakes. I don’t like sitting around waiting to do it over and over again. I don’t like meetings. But that’s just me. I’m not into face time.