Bush bashes Cruz over data collection, Syria

By Al Weaver, Al Weaver

Published December 20, 2015

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush went after 2016 rival Ted Cruz Monday over the Texas senator's decision to allow the National Security Agency's collection of metadata to expire.

Appearing on both "Morning Joe" and "Fox and Friends," Bush repeatedly went after Cruz for supporting the expiration of the NSA's collection program, which took place on Nov. 28. The 2016 hopeful repeatedly called the program an "essential tool" to keeping Americans safe.

"I completely disagree with Ted Cruz on this. This is a part of a comprehensive strategy to protect the homeland. Civil liberties are not being violated, and to have the NSA have this information is part — an essential tool to be kept safe."

Bush also hit Cruz over his recent comment the U.S. doesn't have a "dog in the fight" in the Syrian civil war.