January 29, 2015 11:46 AM UTC

As budding Senate BFFs, Gardner cites Cruz, Moran, Paul, and Thune

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• by: Jason Salzman

(The company Cory keeps – Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Most people groan when media figures toss soft-ball questions at public officials, but not all softballs are created equal.

As you'd expect, during a Jan. 27 interview, KNUS talk-radio host Krista Kafer thew a bunch of eye-roll-inducing questions at Colorado's new Republican Senator, Cory Gardner, like has he been surprised by anything?

But one of Kafer's softballs was illuminating. She asked, "Who ya hanging out with?"

As his emerging Senate BFFs, Gardner mentioned some of the most radical right wingers in the chamber.

Gardner spotlighted his budding relationship with Tea-Party leader Ted Cruz of Texas, saying he "sat next to Sen. Cruz over the past several policy meetings that we've had, talking about issues like what we're going to do on health care…." (Cruz, of course, led the charge for a government shutdown to stop Obamacare.)

Also cited by Gardner, in answer to Kafer's question, were anti-environmentalists John Thune (R-SD) and Jerry Moran (R-KS).

You know a Senator by the company he keeps. And in Gardner's case, his company of obstructionist right wingers reflects what we've heard from him in Washington as well. The name of a moderate Republican or Democrat did not come out of Gardner's mouth.

Good on ya, Krista Kafer, for at least one of your softballs.