CNN's Dana Bash to Rep. Eric Cantor: Happy Holidays!

A testy, but friendly, bit of jousting between CNN's Dana Bash and Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., ended with jovial (perhaps) holiday greetings Monday.

Bash, sitting in for Jake Tapper on CNN's "The Lead,"  aired a previously recorded interview with Cantor Monday focusing on 2013's so-called "do-nothing Congress."

Cantor said that although many have called the just-finished session the least productive in 40 years, the House, where he serves as majority leader, passed more than 140 bills that the Democrat-controlled Senate ignored.

Bash countered that a third of those bills were to repeal or replace Obamacare. They were simply "showboats," Bash said, since Republicans knew they would never pass the Senate or be signed by President Barack Obama.

Bash also pressed Cantor on immigration reform before taking up the subject of Christmas, which many conservatives say is under attack. 

Bash noted that The National Republican Congressional Committee is selling T-shirts that say, "'Happy Holidays' is what liberals say" on the front and "Merry Christmas!" on the back.

"You're the highest ranking Jewish member in the Republican Party. Does that offend you that your party is doing that?" Bash asked.

"It's the holiday season, right?" Cantor responded. "People wish me Happy Hanukkah. I wish people Merry Christmas, Happy New Year."

"But are you a liberal if you say, Happy Holidays?" Bash asked.

Cantor said people shouldn't take themselves so seriously and just enjoy the holiday season.

"Well, in the spirit of that, Happy Holidays!" Bash said.

"And to you," Cantor replied. "Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year."