So much for that whole
Eleventh Commandment thing about Republicans not speaking ill about one another. But then it's Ted Cruz, so following that commandment would be pretty challenging for anyone, including
his Senate colleagues who question the version of recent history he includes in his new book.
That includes how he remembers rival Rand Paul's participation in his fake filibuster that led to a government shutdown. Which he is still proud of. No wonder the rest of the GOP hates the guy. Anyway, Cruz writes "Paul seemed intent on bolstering the GOP leadership’s 'skeptical attacks,' which were 'deliberately designed to undermine our efforts.'" Paul finds that "curious," because after Paul participated in the fauxlibuster, he says Cruz "sent me a really nice, handwritten congratulatory note thanking me for my help. […] I don't understand."
But it's Cruz's deliberate portrayal of himself as a lone challenger to entrenched Republican leadership, valiantly fighting The Man in pursuit of true Republican principles that has his colleagues irked.
The 44-year-old Cruz, who is running for president, also writes that "members of the GOP leadership" made it "clear" to Washington lobbyists and corporate political action committees that they would be "frozen out" if they gave campaign cash to the Texas freshman. Yet Republican leaders strongly deny that’s the case.
"Any suggestion that Leader McConnell intervened to 'freeze out' potential supporters of Sen. Cruz is pure fantasy," said Brian McGuire, a top aide to McConnell. "The leader's primary political objective in the last cycle, as any close observer will attest, was to build and preserve a Republican majority in the Senate." […]
Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) said he was dismayed that a senator would reveal the caucus' off-the-record discussions.
"No one is going to want to talk up something on a personal issue or a contentious issue if they think they are going to read about it the next day in the paper or it’s going to be released in the press," Coats said. "It really undermines any sense of team or any sense of cooperation."
Hahahaha. "Team." "Cooperation." Ted Cruz. Hahahahah. Somehow I don't think appealing to Cruz's sense of loyalty to his colleagues is gonna curb Cruz, or his ego, or his Nixonian paranoia. Government shutdown, here we come.