My must read of the day is "Another Misguided Cruz Missile," by Kimberly Strassel in the Wall Street Journal:
There's a new dividing line in the conservative movement—between a majority who'd like to win against President Obama, and a handful who'd like to win some scalps. It was on vivid display last week during the Senate debt-ceiling vote. Republicans were looking to avoid a fight they were destined to lose. Democrats had the votes to pass the bill with a simple majority, meaning they also would have owned their president's refusal to tackle the debt.
In walked Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to demand a 60-vote majority to pass the increase. Mr. Cruz has subsequently claimed he alone was attempting to get Mr. Obama to agree to spending reforms. Odd, given that he didn't publicly present any reforms to attach to the debt bill. He didn't take to the floor to escalate the issue. To the contrary, he agreed to speed up the vote.
There was only one point to Mr. Cruz's action: To force Republican colleagues, in particular Mr. McConnell, into voting "yes" to proceed to the actual bill. Mr. Cruz has admitted as much, bragging to radio host Mark Levin the next day that his colleagues' "heads exploded" because he'd "forced" them to "tell the truth"—namely, that they "wanted" to give Barack Obama a "blank check to raise our debt." Never mind that every Republican, once past the Cruz show vote, opposed the increase on final passage.
Sen. Cruz is taking symbolic stands, and perhaps doing exactly what his constituents want—but for someone who seemingly has presidential ambitions it might not be the best tactic. It certainly doesn’t make for many friends.
Do friends matter? Yes.
The one criticism the left and right seem to agree on when it comes to President Obama is that he has difficulty working with Congress, even on simple legislation, in large part because he didn’t make many friends while he was in the Senate. That’s why he has to send Joe Biden to schmooze lawmakers when he wants something done. Cruz is risking the same difficulties, even if he doesn’t run for president.
To be a good and productive leader, you have to build decent relationships with colleagues. You’ll need their help down the road.