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Ted Cruz Embraces 'Wacko Bird' Label

Freshman U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas began an old-fashioned talking filibuster this afternoon, to try to get the rest of the Senate to go along with his plan to defund Obamacare.

He will probably not be at a loss for words.

A new profile by Jason Zengerle in GQ magazine calls Cruz “the most despised man in the U.S. Senate” but also a dazzling orator, who as Texas Solicitor General won four out of eight arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Republican leaders such as John McCain, who has called Cruz a “wacko bird,” intensely dislike Cruz for his take-no-prisoners political style and staunch anti-government views. And Ted Cruz has been office less than a year.

Zengerle joins Here & Now to talk about the senator.

Guest

  • Jason Zengerle, senior staff writer for Politico and author of the profile of Cruz in GQ. He tweets @zengerle.

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