WATCH: Reporter Comically Invites Psaki to Call Ted Cruz’s SCOTUS Objection Racist

Huffington Post correspondent Jen Bendery asked comically leading questions of White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on the subject of Ted Cruz’s objection to President Joe Biden’s pledge to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court.

Over the weekend during his podcast, Cruz told his cohost “The fact that he’s willing to make a promise at the outset, that it must be a Black woman, I’ve got to say, that’s offensive,” and added “You know, Black women are what, 6 percent of the U.S. population? He’s saying that 94 percent of Americans, I don’t give a damn about you. You are ineligible. He’s saying, if you are a white guy, tough luck. If you are white women, tough luck. You don’t qualify.”

Psaki delivered a blistering rebuttal to that objection at Tuesday’s briefing, and at Wednesday’s press briefing, Bendery revisited the subject — and even read back part of Psaki’s response from the previous day:

Some Republican senators, like Ted Cruz, are criticizing Biden for saying he’ll pick a Black woman for the Supreme Court. He said it’s, quote, unquote, “offensive,” because somehow the Black woman he chooses wouldn’t be the most qualified for the job.

But Republicans like Cruz also celebrated when Trump picked Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court, with Cruz telling Barrett during her confirmation hearing, quote, “Your children have been wonderfully well behaved. I think you’re an amazing role model for little girls. What advice would you give little girls?”

Here’s the exchange that Psaki and Bendery described:

Bendery followed that windup with a question whose thrust was rather obvious, deliberately so:

So, my question for you is: Why do you think Republicans like Ted Cruz are acting so angry about Biden picking a Black woman for the Supreme Court, when they were very happy when Trump picked Amy Coney Barrett for the Court?

A clearly amused Psaki replied by also highlighting the discrepancy, and placing the onus on Cruz to explain the difference:

I read that exact quote yesterday. I’m glad lots of people are following it. You know, I think that’s really a question for Senator Cruz. But it is important to note, as you just did in your question, that there has never — there was never an objection by Senator Cruz to Donald Trump promising he’d nominate a woman in 2020. You noted what he said to the woman he nominated in the hearing and how he applauded her in the hearing.

The notion — the President’s view is the notion that there has not been a Black woman ever on the Supreme Court in 230 years is a problem with the process, not a lack of qualified, credentialed people to consider and nominate.

And, you know, that’s his view, but I think that’s a question best for Senator Cruz.

Bendery took another more on-the-nose shot at it, asking “Why do you think — what’s the difference between Trump picking Amy Coney Barrett and saying he’d pick a woman in advance, and Biden picking a Black woman and saying…”

“That’s exactly why I called out this issue yesterday,” Psaki said, and cracked “But I am blissfully not a spokesperson for Senator Cruz, so he can best answer that question.”

The clear implication — barely unspoken — is that Cruz did not object to Trump’s promise because he knew the nominee would turn out to be White. But it could be lots of other things.

Watch above via CNN.