Any rational person can see the obvious. The shutdown is an ongoing political bloodletting for the GOP and the wound flows more freely with every passing day. The polls have been universal in that fact and today brought the Gallup polls with the news that the GOP's approval ratings have fallen to record lows. (And by the way, that's record lows for either party.)
But, of course, none of this registers with Ted Cruz, who, it is pretty clear, exists in his own little world, along with his House teabagger groupies and his loyal puppy Mike Lee. Indeed, Cruz, as is typical in his Bizarro World views, sees the opposite:
Sen. Ted Cruz during a closed-door lunch on Wednesday argued to his Republican colleagues that the campaign he led to defund Obamacare has bolstered the GOP’s political position in dealing with the government shutdown.
Huh?
Now, lest you think Cruz has gone nuts (or simply been listening to his cuckoo for Coco Puffs daddy too much), he's got a poll to prove it!
Republicans who attended the weekly lunch hosted by Senate conservatives confirmed that Cruz presented a poll that the Texan paid for. Cruz’ pollster, Chris Perkins, was there for a portion of the discussion to help walk members through the poll and discuss the party's messaging strategy. Perkins is a partner with Wilson Perkins Allen, a GOP polling firm with dozens of Republican clients
So he's got the numbers to back him up! And what do they say?
The survey’s findings mirrored other national polls: More voters blame the Republicans for the government shutdown than blame President Obama or the Democrats
(crickets chirping)
Okay...so, how are you going to explain this as a good thing, Teddy?
But Cruz argued, based on the poll, that Republicans are in a much better position than they were during the 1995 shutdown because this impasse is defined by a disagreement over funding for the Affordable Care Act as opposed to a general disagreement over government spending.
And that's...better how?
By the way, here's TPM with how much more of an "improvement" the GOP's number this time around is (and this is according to Cruz's GOP-slanted poll):
Cruz's poll found that 46 percent blame the 2013 shutdown on Republicans, while 51 percent blamed the 1995 shutdown on Republicans, according to the Examiner.
Oh yeah. Compared to 1995, you're a political Goliath, Ted.
Ted, I would like to introduce to a new friend. His name is Mr. Reality. Kindly become acquainted with him and soon. And don't forget to give your puppy Mike a Milk Bone.
3:17 PM PT: Given his and Ted's similar connection with reality, I'm surprised he didn't employ Dick Morris as his pollster.