◼ The Texas Republican rose in opposition to Obamacare Tuesday afternoon. He spoke for almost a full day. Here's what happened. - Matt Berman, Matt Vasilogambros and Dustin Volz/National Journal
By Wednesday morning, Cruz and some of his colleagues were still standing. He was cut off by a new day of Senate business at noon by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
It was not a filibuster. But it was a very, very long speech from the Texas senator who has been the center of attention in D.C.'s budget fight, and the Senate leader in a doomed-to-fail movement to strip funding for Obamacare out of any resolution that Congress passes to fund the government. If Congress fails to come to an agreement, the government will shutdown at the end of September.
Ted Cruz stood up to "make D.C. listen," he said repeatedly. "Washington depends on the American people not paying attention."
But what we heard during the duration of Sen. Cruz's speech was his view of how to be successful in modern American politics. And, in the reactions to his speech from members of his own party, we may get a sense of just how successful the ambitious senator can be.
◼ TED CRUZ’S LONG SPEECH - Powerline
◼ "Love him, hate him, doubt his strategy, embrace his strategy, you have to admire how he's going the distance for what he believes in." - Discussion at Lucianne
