Dem Senator: 'Ted Cruz Is Not Going to Beat Dianne Feinstein on a Question of Constitutionality

(MSNBC)

MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday took turns slamming Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for lecturing Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on the constitutionality of gun control legislation, specifically a ban on so-called "assault weapons."

After playing a clip of the heated exchange on the Senate floor this morning, Mitchell produced a copy of the Constitution and argued Cruz was out of line to question Feinstein's understanding of the document. She also said she had done her research, but didn't elaborate.

"This was not a fair fight," Mitchell said, insinuating that Cruz was out of his league. "Ted Cruz somehow thought he was going to take on Dianne Feinstein, who began her career in politics facing the bloodshed in San Francisco when she was elevated to become the mayor after the assassinations there? The personal experience of Dianne Feinstein informs this, and the personal experience of being a senator from Connecticut and representing the Newtown area as a congressman certainly informs you on this issue."

Sen. Murphy agreed with Mitchell, saying it was not a fair fight because "Ted Cruz is not going to beat Dianne Feinstein on a question of constitutionality."

"There is just no question about whether or not the assault weapons ban is constitutional. Why do we know that? Because we had it in place for 10 years in this country and it was never declared unconstitutional," he added.

Watch the segment via MSNBC/Mediaite below:

(H/T: Noah Rothman, Mediaite)