The Fox Business Network moderators started out Tuesday’s Republican debate by asking Ted Cruz to respond to President Obama’s sunny assessment of the economy. The senator from Texas was more than happy to bring on the doom and gloom, pointing to the stagnant wages and low labor force participation during his presidency. But then Cavuto took out the knives himself, suggesting that another financial crisis could be just around the corner—and that Obama himself was responsible for exacerbating it. Here’s his question to Ohio Governor John Kasich:
Many worry that things could get even worse and banks, financial stocks are particularly vulnerable. If this escalates like it did back when Barack Obama first assumed the presidency, what actions would you take if this same thing happens all over again, just as in this example, you are taking over the presidency?
It’s true that the stock market had its worst opening week in its history this year, and it could portend a global slowdown that could hurt the U.S. economy. But it’s seriously misleading to compare it to the 2007 financial crisis—or to hint that Obama was responsible for it.