Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, talks to reporters outside of the Senate floor on Oct, 16, 2013, in Washington. Senate leaders announced a bipartisan agreement to end the partial government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling. UPI/Kevin Dietsch |
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, continues to be the target of big business after leading a conservative-backed plan to shut down the federal government.
The most recent business leader to speak out against Cruz and his Tea Party allies was Tom Donohue, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a typically reliably conservative organization. Donohue said Monday in Washington that if Cruz were playing tennis instead of politics he'd be easily beaten.
"I sort of think about him as a tennis player," Donohue said. "You know, if you're going to rush the net all the time, you better have a lot of motion to the left and the right. He hasn't proved that to me yet."
The Dallas Morning News said business leaders across Texas have called on Cruz to revise his all-or-nothing stance against President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul, noting the Cruz-led effort to force Obama to repeal or delay the law by shutting down the federal government and threatening a first debt default failed. The Republican Party's poll numbers have suffered, as has the U.S. economy, and virtually no changes were forced to Obama's signature law.
Despite his critique, Donohue said he would still try to work with Cruz.
"We're going to try and work with him wherever we can," Donohue said. "Remember the issue. It's not the substance, it's what is the result and how are you going to try and get it done."
Donohue was pressed on how the business community would be able to work with Cruz when it appears their goal now is to get him to sit down and be quiet.
"That would be one of the things we could work on," Donohue said.
Cruz, appearing on ABC's "This Week," was typically unapologetic about his tactics and how he's perceived in Washington.
"Given the choice between being reviled in Washington, D.C., and appreciated in Texas -- or reviled in Texas and appreciated in Washington -- I would take the former 100 out of 100 times," Cruz said.
