Senate smackdown: Ted Cruz, Mike Lee efforts squelched by leaders

[TexasTowelie]

Ted Cruz just wanted a roll-call vote on Sunday. Instead, he got a smackdown.

Republican leaders, led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), delivered what senators described as punishment for Cruz’s brazen floor tactics — the Texas senator first accused McConnell of lying and later sought to change Senate procedures in order to push for an Iran-related amendment.

So when Cruz came to the floor looking for 16 senators to agree to hold a roll-call vote, only three raised their hands. McConnell, sitting at his desk, turned around and peered at Cruz, who looked stunned at what had just happened. The Senate dispensed with his effort by a voice vote and quickly moved on, doing the same to Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), a Cruz ally who sought to use arcane procedures to force a vote on defunding Planned Parenthood.

It all went down in an instant, but the message was clear: If Cruz doesn’t want to play nice with his Republican colleagues, they will respond in kind.

“You learn that in kindergarten: You learn to work well together and play by the rules,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, a close McConnell ally who was beaming after Cruz and Lee were handed such lopsided defeats. “Another thing you learn in kindergarten is to respect one another.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/senate-obamacare-repeal-ted-cruz-mike-lee-120637.html

[elias49]

1. I have no use for McConnell but I have even less

for Cruz. Let's have a school-yard brawl!

[spanone]

2. k&r...

[wilsonbooks]

3. Cruz is so sliimy that even his republican colleagues

can't stand him.

[DonViejo]

4. Love that line...

“You learn that in kindergarten: You learn to work well together and play by the rules,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, a close McConnell ally who was beaming after Cruz and Lee were handed such lopsided defeats. “Another thing you learn in kindergarten is to respect one another.”

I think Cruz's Senate colleagues are going to smack him down like they did Jim DeMint...politely get him a job (President, Heritage Foundation in DeMint's case), where he can make some big money ($1M per year) and shut him the heck up.

His Presidential campaign should be just about over and he's really isolated himself on the looney right of the GOP. But, hey, Trump runs as an independent, Carnival Crfuz will make a fine Veep candidate.

[Frustratedlady]

5. Don't you get called out on it if you lie in kindergarten:101, as well?

I guess McConnell missed class that day?

[lamp_shade]

6. Cruz... what an idiot...

How embarrassing. The pompous dope didn't bother to get the required 16 signatures (Rule 22) and he seemed pretty sure he'd get that many colleagues to raise their hands. Three hands raised. I actually felt a little sorry for the fool.

Politico posted this article on facebook. One commenter said: "I must be losing it: Why does McConnell remind me of (Dingy)Harry Reid?" to which I replied "Because he doesn't know the rules of the senate anywhere near as well as Reid (a brilliant parliamentarian) does... and I suspect he's depending on Reid for guidance... and that's a good thing."