Ted Cruz, that is. Collins begins her New York Times column this morning like this:
It is possible that the high point of this week in Washington came when Senator Dianne Feinstein told Senator Ted Cruz to stop treating her as if she were in middle school.
She goes through the now famous interchange on the Judiciary Committee about the proposed assault weapons ban, including, after noting the Democrats who jumped in to support Feinstein, that
Interestingly, none of the Republicans came to Cruz’s support. Do you think they ever take a vote for Colleague We’d Most Like to Avoid Meeting in the Elevator? I think we have a candidate.
There are more nuggets. But the power of the column comes in its final paragraph, offered after reminding people of the four "points" Cruz insisted on making at the end of the exchangge:
Do you think, people, that this is a key to the stupendous impact the Tea Party continues to have on Congress, even now that it’s proved itself to be a loser when it comes to elections? If you combine a lack of a sense of humor with an absence of humility and then stir in a cup of self-righteousness, you are definitely not working on a recipe for cooperative achievement.
And that is the key right now, for the Senate Dems and for the President. Recognize that the Tea Party has no interest in cooperation, that the Republican leadership in the House and Senate cannot control their own members, then put it bluntly: are you willing to work for the American people or are you captives of your own worst element? IF you will not cooperate, we will move forward on our own, starting with filibuster reform right now in the Senate. And if, because of the Hastert Rule, you will not bring necessary legislation to the floor in the House because you know some Republicans would vote with the Democrats and it would pass and become law, then we the Democrats, starting with the President and his bully pulpit, will begin running against you on that right now, beating you silly with your cowardness and weakness of leadership. We will remind you that more Americans voted for Dems for the House than for the Republicans.
Draw a line Mr. Reid. Draw a line President Obama. Use Ted Cruz as exhibit one. And let the games begin.