Rand Paul to join Cruz in Senate floor protest against ObamaCare

[jct74]

Rand Paul to join Cruz in Senate floor protest against ObamaCare

By Alexandra Jaffe
09/24/13 04:03 PM ET

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is planning to head to the Senate floor to support Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-Texas) attempt to delay a Senate vote on the House-passed government funding measure that defunds ObamaCare.

Cruz is speaking on the Senate floor "until I am no longer able to stand," he said, as a protest intended to prevent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) from stripping the bill of the provision that defunds ObamaCare.

A Paul aide said that the senator, who famously launched a talking filibuster of John Brennan's nomination as CIA director to focus attention on President Obama's policy on drones earlier this year, will join Cruz on the floor to offer "reinforcements" sometime later today. It's unclear how long Paul will talk, or what he's expected to say.

...

read more:
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-actio...inst-obamacare

[jkr]

that'll boost ratings...

[WD-NY]

Ok, that's more like it - still, this definitely isn't ideal for Team Rand (re: path to GOP nomination in 2016 requires locking down tea-party/conservative grass roots early... before today, Rand had a lock on their support... going forward, Cruz is going to be the "1st choice" of a much larger block of these voters)

[Jeremy]

I guess the media was spreading rumors.

[lib3rtarian]

Ok, that's more like it - still, this definitely isn't ideal for Team Rand (re: path to GOP nomination in 2016 requires locking down tea-party/conservative grass roots early... before today, Rand had a lock on their support... going forward, Cruz is going to be the "1st choice" of a much larger block of these voters)

Exactly. Rand stood have sided with Cruz and Lee from the beginning. He waffled a lot and will pay the price. Stupid move.

[FSP-Rebel]

Exactly. Rand stood have sided with Cruz and Lee from the beginning. He waffled a lot and will pay the price. Stupid move.

Rand has been sporting the leading role on many things recently and been traveling around giving speeches and raising money. This is the perfect opportunity for Cruz and Lee to get their attaboys w/ Rand playing a supporting role. Everyone will get credit that helps this cause and Rand won't suffer from not doing a mostly solo 13 hr gig. Rand was in Jersey raising money as I said and Cruz wasn't. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Cruz, Rand and Lee are allies and they all complement each other. Some are suspicious of Cruz and don't trust him, that's fine and they're entitled to their opinion.

[WD-NY]

Exactly. Rand stood have sided with Cruz and Lee from the beginning. He waffled a lot and will pay the price. Stupid move.

Yep.

I've been worried that Rand was going to try and undermine this effort (for the reasons stated above and in my other post on the NBC report)... but still find it hard/impossible to believe that be openly sided against Cruz & Lee in yesterday's Senate conference.

I get the risks a stronger Cruz presents, but Rand could've mitigated them considerably by supporting their "kamikaze mission" 110%. Today's NBC story + yesterday's AP story + Sunday's Benton's denial story are no doubt going to create rifts between Rand & Cruz/Lee... which is exactly what the establish GOP wants.

/sigh

[WD-NY]

Rand has been sporting the leading role on many things recently and been traveling around giving speeches and raising money. This is the perfect opportunity for Cruz and Lee to get their attaboys w/ Rand playing a supporting role. Everyone will get credit that helps this cause and Rand won't suffer from not doing a mostly solo 13 hr gig. Rand was in Jersey raising money as I said and Cruz wasn't. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Cruz, Rand and Lee are allies and they all complement each other. Some are suspicious of Cruz and don't trust him, that's fine and they're entitled to their opinion.

This x100.

The stronger Rand+Cruz+Lee become, the better. They need to be a TEAM for Rand to win 2016 primary.

Unfortunately, it's beginning to look like Team Rand felt otherwise? (not openly of course, but Cruz & Lee will no doubt note anything/everything he did to undermine their attempts to score a talking filibuster and create another #standwithRand-esque event... which was surely goal #1 from the start)

[radiofriendly]

Rand Paul is asking for questions to ask Senator Cruz on the floor:

Tweet me with questions for @SenTedCruz and I will ask these questions on the Senate floor #MakDCListen

More here: http://iroots.org/2013/09/24/live-se...ing-obamacare/