Ted Cruz slanders war hero, embarrasses Texas and violates Armed Services Committee tradition

{mosads}The support for Hagel was offered by former Sens. John Warner (R-Va.) and Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), both onetime Armed Services Committee chairmen. The cheap shot slander of war hero Hagel was offered by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), whose service in the Senate is measured in days, not decades, and who was properly reprimanded directly by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and indirectly by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who vouched for the intense patriotism of Hagel. 

The Senate Armed Services Committee has a long and proud tradition of bipartisan statesmanship that was violated by the Tea Party freshman senator who tried to smear a war hero who not only served his country with courage but also has battled for veterans and military families in Texas and nationally for a generation. 

Nationally, the shameful performance by Cruz, who acted like Joe McCarthy in short pants with his insults of war hero Hagel, illustrates why Republicans keep losing elections, why the Republican and Tea Party brands are in such disrepute, and why the so-called Republican reboot (which I have called the Republican retoot) is still not close to credible.

In Texas, veteran voters know that Hagel is enthusiastically supported by the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and groups speaking for veterans of Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Presumably while Hagel was battling as a decorated war hero and fighting for all living veterans, Cruz was being cheered at Tea Party seminars and eating popcorn at war movies. 

Cruz’s performance at Armed Services was disgraceful and appalling.  He violated the proud tradition of a great bipartisan committee and did no service to the countless veterans and war heroes of Texas and the nation who know that Hagel is a great friend and member of the band of brothers and sisters  who serve Texas and America with valor.