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Home Front: Politix
Who else does Ted Cruz's triumph help?
2013-09-27
[NYPOST] In the last hour, even as he said he grew "weary" as his time arguing against ObamaCare was coming to a close, he found himself in a debate with the able and smart Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin
...Senator-for-Life from Illinois and Democratic Party Whip. In April 2006, Time magazine identified Durbin as one of America's 10 Best Senators, so what's that tell you? He was the first United States Senator to support the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama, then the junior senator from Illinois....
 on the Congress's generous health-care plan.

Durbin complained that Cruz wanted to deny health care to the uninsured; did he not, Durbin asked, enjoy the benefits of the generous congressional health-care package himself?

Cruz said he wouldn't answer Durbin until Durbin first replied to three questions Cruz had posed. Durbin, with an "a-ha" gesture, responded by saying it was clear Cruz was simply refusing to answer his embarrassing question.

He'd walked into Cruz's trap. For then Cruz said, no, Senator, I'm eligible for the congressional plan -- but I'm not enrolled in it.

Durbin thought he had Cruz cornered by bringing up his reliance on the absurdly generous health package for Congress. But since Cruz doesn't rely on it, Durbin humiliated himself in what was supposed to be his gotcha moment.

Despite his marathon of speaking and standing and arguing, after nearly a day on his feet, Cruz -- there is no other term for it -- squashed Durbin like a bug.

All in all, the Cruz performance was great political theater, and Cruz was astoundingly impressive both in demeanor and in the cogency and saliency of his arguments against ObamaCare. If there'd been any question before Tuesday about what a formidable presence he's going to be in Washington and in the Republican party going forward, it has been laid to rest.
Posted by:Fred

#10  Don't list Murkowski as a Repucblican. She is an Independant who caucuses with the Republicans whenever Reid doesn't need her vote.
Posted by: Woodrow Guelph8541   2013-09-27 19:22  

#9  Saxby Chambliss is retiring.

Sam Nunn's daughter is running on the D side, it's scrap on the R side. I just they don't damage each other to much
Posted by: Beavis   2013-09-27 18:40  

#8  Senators up for re-election in 2014

1. Alabama - Jeff Sessions (R)
2. Alaska - Mark Begich (D)
3. Arkansas - Mark Pryor (D)
4. Colorado - Mark Udall (D)
5. Delaware - Chris Coons (D)
6. Georgia - Saxby Chambliss (R)
7. Hawaii - Brian Schatz (D)
8. Idaho - Jim Risch (R)
9. Illinois - Richard Durbin (D)
10. Iowa - Tom Harkin (D)
11. Kansas - Pat Roberts (R)
12. Kentucky - Mitch McConnell (R)
13. Louisiana - Mary Landrieu (D)
14. Maine - Susan Collins (R)
15. Massachusetts - John Kerry (D)
16. Michigan - Carl Levin (D)
17. Minnesota - Al Franken (D)
18. Mississippi - Thad Cochran (R)
19. Montana - Max Baucus (D)
20. Nebraska - Mike Johanns (R)
21. New Hampshire - Jeanne Shaheen (D)
22. New Jersey - Frank Lautenberg (D)
23. New Mexico - Tom Udall (D)
24. North Carolina - Kay Hagan (D)
25. Oklahoma - Jim Inhofe (R)
26. Oregon - Jeff Merkley (D)
27. Rhode Island - Jack Reed (D)
28. South Carolina - Lindsey Graham (R)
29. South Carolina (special to replace Jim DeMint) - Tim Scott (R)
30. South Dakota - Tim Johnson (D
31. Tennessee - Lamar Alexander (R)
32. Texas - John Cornyn (R)
33. Virginia - Mark Warner (D
34. West Virginia - OPEN SEAT (Jay Rockefeller retiring)
35. Wyoming - Mike Enzi (R)
Posted by: JohnQC   2013-09-27 18:00  

#7  Cruz, Paul, Christie came out in that order in a poll taken after the Senate vote (on funding Obamacare) of potential Presidential candidates. The poll was with done with Republican primary voters. The Rinos who voted with Reid may get payback at election time. They may not know the pulse of their constituents.
Posted by: JohnQC   2013-09-27 17:33  

#6  Fok'n lovely! Now the despicable Champ, Reid, and the other communists can announce they've clearly got bipartisan support.... and they do !

Posted by: Besoeker   2013-09-27 15:38  

#5  Chambliss and Isakson...spit, SOB's. My apologies to fellow confederates and free men everywhere.
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-09-27 15:33  

#4  or in text RINOS:
Alexander (R-TN)
Ayotte (R-NH)
Boozman (R-AR)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Chiesa (R-NJ)
Coats (R-IN)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Graham (R-SC)
Hoeven (R-ND)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Johnson (R-WI)
Kirk (R-IL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Thune (R-SD)
Wicker (R-MS)
Posted by: 3dc   2013-09-27 14:30  

#3   List of the RINO senators who voted with Reid today. I note Kirk(Ill) is on the list as a RINO
Posted by: 3dc   2013-09-27 14:29  

#2  I always love it when Rush calls him "senator turban."
Posted by: M. Murcek   2013-09-27 10:28  

#1  there is no other term for it -- squashed Durbin like a bug.

But unfortunately, only figuratively speaking.
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-09-27 05:18  

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