Fool's errand or heroic stand? The bipartisan compromise on Wednesday to avoid a financial default and end a 16-day partial government shutdown cast a spotlight on Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah, who had precipitated the crises with their demand that President Barack Obama gut his 3-year-old health care law. Other Republicans who repeatedly had warned the two about their quixotic move took little pleasure in saying "I-told-you-so." The final deal hardly nicked the health care law, while the shutdown and near default left the GOP reeling. "He's the one who got us into this. He had no strategy. And it caused us to waste 16 days and get ourselves killed in the polls," Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said of Cruz. "All for a guy who was fraudulent from the start." With a heavy dose of gallows humor, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Republicans' poll "numbers have gone down, Obamacare's somehow mysteriously have gone up. And other than that, this has been great." Cruz, a freshman who engaged in a 21-hour talkathon and egged on House Republicans for the fight, was unapologetic. "This battle will continue to provide real relief for the millions of Americans who are hurting, who right now still don't have a voice in the United States Senate," said Cruz, surrounded by a pack of reporters. His defiance has been wildly cheered by outside conservative groups that have made money on the months-long dispute and the far right flank that hails Cruz and Lee for what they call a principled, courageous stand. Cruz, a potential presidential candidate in 2016, has seized the headlines and collected nearly $800,000 for his political action committee in the past three months. Read more http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/fools-errand-heroic-stand-gop-cruz-lee-20590109
