Cruz: More 'Wacko Birds' in Senate than Suspected

On the Senate floor on Thursday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said there may be more conservative, pro-liberty “wacko birds” in the Senate than suspected.

Cruz said “it has been suggested” that “those of us who have been fighting to defend liberty” and “fighting to turn around” the out-of-control debt and spending while defending the Constitution were “wacko birds.”

He was, of course, referring to comments Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) made about Cruz and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) after Paul’s 13-hour filibuster of John Brennan’s nomination to head the CIA.

“If that is the case, I will suggest to my friend from Arizona there may be more ‘wacko birds’ in the Seante than suspected,” Cruz said. 

Cruz and McCain have been sparring in recent days over sending the Senate’s budget to conference. Cruz has objected to doing so unless conferees agree not to raise the debt ceiling, which he said Democrats would attempt to do with a simply majority under reconciliation rules. Cruz has been on the same side as senators like Paul, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY), Mike Lee (UT), Pat Toomey (PA) and Marco Rubio (FL). McCain has said those like Cruz were “ridiculous” for not trusting Senate and House conferees to negotiate with Democrats.