White House Mocks Ted Cruz For Successful Obama Nominations

White House Mocks Ted Cruz For Successful Obama Nominations

The White House is mocking Sen. Ted Cruz now that President Obama’s nominee for Surgeon General has been approved by the Senate.

Obama officials appeared happy to ridicule the Texas Senator after his Senate colleagues complained to the media that he helped keep lawmakers in session over the weekend. Many say that cleared the way for Harry Reid to call a vote for the confirmation of Vivek Murthy.

When asked about that during the White House Press Briefing today, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest admitted he was “no expert in Senate floor procedure,” but pointed to reports that suggested Cruz was responsible for the successful vote. 

“I do understand, based on the news reports that I have read that some of the shenanigans that he carried out on the Senate floor did create an opening and additional time for these highly qualified nominees to be confirmed,” Earnest added. “And if that’s the case then it may be an indication that Sen. Cruz doesn’t know much more about Senate floor procedure than I do.”

Earnest added that the White House was “certainly pleased” with the outcome of the vote.

White House Senior advisor Dan Pfeiffer also skewered Cruz for the successful vote.

But according to Cruz’s office, that’s not the case. His staff says Sen. Reid signaled on many occasions that he planned to drive home as many nominations as possible before the Senate adjourned for Christmas.

Frazier indicated that the sudden rush to blame Cruz for the nominations was to distract from the important vote on the unconstitutionality of President Obama’s executive amnesty, a vote forced by Cruz and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT).

According to Politico, Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell had “hoped” that Reid wouldn’t force through nominations in the beginning of the week, but Democrats called up the votes anyway.

McConnell himself tried to adjourn the Senate on Monday, but Reid objected.

Only 22 Senate Republicans voted with Cruz and Lee on the point of constitutional order.

Sen. Cruz responded to the criticisms aired by many of his Senate colleagues during an appearance on the Mark Levin Show on Monday night.

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