Ted Cruz Bashes Democrats For ‘Political Gamesmanship’ In Odd Filibuster Twist Of Fate

Former Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz told the press on Thursday that he felt the Democrats’ filibuster on gun control wasn’t effective lawmaking and was instead “political gamesmanship.” At the heart of Texas Senator Ted Cruz‘s objections to the 15-hour stunt was he felt the Democrats were angrier about the lack of debate on the issue than they were at ISIS or Islamic terrorism. He added it felt like it was a “political show on the Senate floor.”

It’s possible Ted Cruz is most angry because the Democrats’ filibuster, which ran for 15 hours seemed to have been more productive when it came to gun control than his own filibuster a few years back. Ted Cruz has long had a problem with President Barack Obama’s health care initiative, and that dislike was best shown when he carried out a one-man filibuster against the law. During that filibuster, Ted Cruz read from some different off-topic stories and publications.

Ted Cruz, Mr. Conservative, is back, and he gave a great speech in defense of the Second Amendment in the Senate… https://t.co/oCBn04fp4F

— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) June 16, 2016

Among the most famous tomes Ted Cruz read during his little episode of political theater was Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham.” That filibuster went more than 21 hours and part of the aftermath of that filibuster eventually led to a 16-day partial shutdown of the federal government. The shutdown ended up costing the American taxpayers more than $1.4 billion, according to NewsMax. Perhaps it is going through that experience that has the junior Senator so up in arms about the way the Democrats carried out their filibuster.

“Democrat after Democrat standing for hours incensed not at ISIS, incensed not at radical Islamic terrorism — incensed that Americans have a right to keep and bear arms. This is political distraction. This is political gamesmanship.”

Cruz said on the Senate floor when it came to his turn to speak on the matter. His speech, in response to what the Democrats are doing, comes while Cruz seems to be trying to still drum up support from his own political party. There are still some in the Ted Cruz camp who are wondering if it wouldn’t be better for him to get back into the race, considering just how poorly the relationship with Donald Trump and the GOP is going right now.

.@marklevinshow:Only ONE Senator Is Standing Up To The Assault On Our Civil Liberties – @tedcruzhttps://t.co/ouk6VUjbdn

— Conservative Review (@CR) June 17, 2016

Vox points out that no matter how unpopular Donald Trump is among the same people who have to back him against Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz likely has him beat. Susan Collins has been the most vocal when it comes to underlining how hard some Republican senators have found it to work with the former Presidential candidate.

“With Ted, I’ve seen over and over again his playing to outside groups rather than trying to work with his colleagues. Those are words I probably should not say, since he’s going to come back and be one of my colleagues. But I think, because I know Ted Cruz, and I don’t know and have never met Donald Trump, that with Donald Trump I hope he can minimize his weaknesses, change his approach, knock off the gratuitous personal insults, and draw on his strengths.”

Collins recently said the above in an interview. It should be pointed out that when Ted Cruz staged his 21-hour filibuster, he got little support from other people in his party. It appears while the Texas Senator has little regard for the kinds of political games Democrats played with the Senate’s rules on Thursday, there are people in his own party who are not exactly huge fans of the kinds of games he’s willing to play. This doesn’t bode well for a run for the President the next time Ted Cruz decides to get into the race.

[Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]