Why is Ted Cruz the only U.S. senator attending Mandela memorial?

Washington Examiner ^ | December 9, 2013 | Byron York

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Why Ted Cruz is not a typical freshman senator "..........Some old timers in the Senate have publicly criticized Cruz for his outspokenness, especially after the Hagel hearings.

Liberals have predictably pounced on Cruz. Last week, Washington Post opinion writer Dana Milbank even asked in his column, “Is there nobody who can tell Ted Cruz to shut up?”

But his allies in Congress argue the press he has attracted for his tense encounters during Senate hearings has given a false impression of the man. He gets along well with members of both parties, they say.

“He’s got a very collegial approach,” Lee of Utah said. “He’s got a very collegial manner that’s evident to anybody that gets to know him. And it’s different than the caricature, the heavily caricatured image, portrayed by some in the media.”

“One side of Ted people don’t talk about is he’s actually good company too,” said McConnell. “I took him to Afghanistan, along with a couple of other freshman back in January. You learn a lot about somebody if you spend a lot of time with them over a short period of time. He’s got a great sense of humor. Great company. Whip smart.”

Cruz says that despite his ardent feelings on issues, he never resorts to personal attacks against his opponents.......”

_________________

"[Sen. Ted Cruz] alongside Rev. Rob Schenck (from Faith and Action) and Rev. Frazier White (a Democrat and Obama supporter) praying for Saeed Abedini, who has been in an Iranian prison for one year. He is being persecuted for his faith to Jesus Christ." Source

[Fresh Wind]

Could it be that Cruz wants to meet and talk to some of the world leaders he will be dealing with once he becomes president in 2017?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Excellent point.

[Doogle]

...probably because Odungo could only stand in a few shadows...it tears him up, that HE is not the center of attention.

[Texas Fossil]

Bear in mind that Ted Cruz’s father was a political prisoner in Cuba.

That might color his perspective.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It will greatly pain the compliant Obama media to report on Cruz’s attendance.

[rovenstinez]

As I watch this funeral unfold, I’m thinking what it will compare to with the funeral of Billy Graham, and if the WH flies flags at half mast when he dies......

[Ronin]

Sounds like a good idea to me. If he is serious about running, or even thinking of it, he needs to burnish his foreign policy credentials. This is a good step in the right direction.

[dalereed]

Is he so dumb that he doesn’t know that Mandella was a dedicated communist and a terrorist?

The bastard should have died in prison and never been the head of So, Africa!!!

For anyone from this country to attend his funeral is a total discrace!

[1_Rain_Drop]

"Bear in mind that Ted Cruz’s father was a political prisoner in Cuba."

Thanks for that info. Explains a lot.

[sunmars]

This memorial service is the biggest tv mess, cameras all over the place, running very late and frankly is the biggest borefest as far as memorials go and Obama has not even started to bore us all to death and somehow inject himself into the narrative.

[ScaniaBoy]

Similar background to the Israeli representative:

"Edelstein, a former prisoner of Zion in the USSR, said he's "happy that in the end Israel has representation at this important event. As a former prisoner of conscience, I had the privilege of meeting Mandela as a minister in 1996, and we shared experiences from prison and the fight for our rights. This is a sort of closure for me.""

Israel finds someone to attend Mandela's funeral

[goodwithagun]

From your keyboard to God’s ears.

[Altura Ct.]

It is a disgrace that he is going at all. Of course this is part of the new and improved GOP.

[Fresh Wind]

Of course Cruz knows all those things. And yes, Mandela should have died long ago.

As for Cruz, FReeper GrandJediMasterYoda said it well on another thread:

"Exactly right, (Cruz) is playing the game. The constitutional republican is gone, what we live under now is a soft tyranny with a communist propaganda machine posing as our impartial media. The only real way to change that is to use guile and tact until you reach a position where you can start taking action to tear down all that crap the liberals and RINOs wrought these past 24 years since Reagan left office and it’s going to take time."

I assume he meant "constitutional republic", but other than that, he's spot on with that comment.

[onedoug]

Well, that wipes Cruz form my slate. Goodbye and good riddance.

[DoodleDawg]

So Cruz is at Mandelapalooza. I wonder if he’ll bring back a tee shirt?

[PghBaldy]

Was his father a commie terrorist too? I don’t think so. Mandela was not a political prisoner, IMO.

[tina07]

could be...past and present (choke, sputter, spit) presidents went, only natural that the future one is there too!

[tina07]

that will be interesting indeed...