The tea party overreached by pushing to defund Obamacare, but moderate Republican leaders now recognize they were right about the healthcare law, Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol told MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
"I think the tea party-types maybe overreached a little bit (leading to a government shutdown) in October. On the other hand, they are the ones who are saying Obamacare, Obamacare, Obamacare.
"And, a lot of establishment-types, who were too sophisticated to really dwell on that, have learned, 'You know what? Ted Cruz was kind of right about that,'" Kristol said Wednesday.
The problems with Obamacare are shaping up to be a central issue in the upcoming midterm elections in 2014. Kristol predicted the overreach by the tea party, and the recognition by moderates that they were correct about Obamacare, would lead to "a little more respect for each side of the party."
Kristol said he expected key Republicans, such as Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, to present alternative solutions to Obamacare early next year. He predicted both factions of the Republican Party would rally behind their plans.
"I think you will have a lot of support from both the conservatives in Congress and the moderate-types. And, it will take away, I think, the charge the Republicans have no positive alternatives," Kristol said.
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