Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and conservative Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, butted heads on the Senate Floor Monday. Reid was upset that Cruz, an outspoken freshman who has garnered much media attention in recent weeks, was objecting to Reid's plan to appoint a conference committee to debate budget-related issues.
Cruz previously voiced his concern with Reid's plan to appoint the bipartisan committee, saying that any findings produced in a report by the conference committee could not be filibustered by opponents.
Reid, commenting on his plans for the budget, took a swipe at Cruz while speaking on the Senate floor:
"[The] Senate passes something, the House passes something, you talk about regular order, that's it," Reid said, referring to Cruz' concern that responses to the committee's findings would be outside of regular Hill order. The Nevada liberal was none-too-pleased with Cruz' recent veiled threats of a possible filibuster, potentially similar to one he and Sen. Rand Paul carried out during a confirmation hearing for CIA chief John Brennan in recent months.
"My friend from Texas is like the schoolyard bully," Reid said angrily, "He pushes everybody around and is losing. And, instead of playing the game according to the rules, the not only takes the ball home with him, but changes the rules. That way, no one wins, except the bully!" Reid declared.
Sitting silently at this point, Cruz listened intently as Reid continue with his name-calling monologue: "I don't think it takes a lot of wizardry to figure out we know how the American people feel about this country. They want us on a pathway to growth: economic vitality has been hindered." Reid later continued: "I object to what my friend (Cruz) suggests. It's fairly ridiculous if you want the truth."
Cruz waited to respond until Reid had finished his criticism. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., the Senate's presiding officer at yesterday's session, asked in traditional decorum if there were any objections to Reid's statements on record.
"Mr. President," Cruz stood up. Donnelly then acknowledged him. "I didn't know we were in a schoolyard," Cruz quipped.
Reid then irritably interrupted Cruz' sentence: "I...there's either an objection or no objection. We've had enough of reserving the right to object!" he called, referencing that Cruz technically broke from official procedure by not noting a simple 'yea' or 'nay' on the grounds of objection to Reid's comments on-the-record.
"Regular order!" demanded Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif, from across the chamber. Without engaging Boxer or Reid, Cruz turned to Donnelly, and repeated Reid's call, "Reserving the right to object." Reid then angrily responded that there was no such procedure in the official rules of decorum. Exasperated, Cruz answered, "I object."
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