http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/330783-cruz-rails-against-obamacare-website-announces-effort-to-build-grassroots-armyCruz calls for 'grassroots army' to trample ObamaCare
By Rebecca Shabad - 10/26/13 03:39 PM ET
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Saturday that his 21-hour Senate speech was a long time, but that’s almost as long as it takes signing up on the ObamaCare website.
He was taking a shot at HealthCare.gov’s technical setbacks, referring to his 21-hour floor speech in which he attacked the law ahead of the government shutdown.
Cruz made the comment in his keynote speech at the Defenders of Freedom event in Le Mars, Iowa Saturday afternoon.
“I seem to recall two weeks ago when every newspaper, every political TV station was saying that it is impossible for the president to delay any part of ObamaCare. You guys are nuts,” the freshman senator said. “This week, the president and the Democrats are saying ‘holy cow, this thing is really not working.’”
President Obama, members of his administration, and Democrats on Capitol Hill addressed the website problems this week. The Department of Health and Human Services said Friday it should be running smoothly by the end of November.
Cruz said Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), who hosted the event, made a good indication that it’s a good example of ‘our president leading from behind.’
The Tea Party senator said he’s trying to build a grassroots “army” of Americans to surround the U.S. Capitol, and bring down ObamaCare.
Cruz said he launched a national website, MakeDCListen.org, for people to submit their stories about how the healthcare law is hurting them. The URL leads to another: JobsGrowth.org.
“Telling people’s stories about how ObamaCare is hurting real people, right now. That’s how we’re going to do this,” he said, referring to his effort to repeal the law.
Besides the healthcare law, he also railed against his colleagues in the Senate, and even made fun of Vice President Joe Biden.
He said he’d soon return to Texas in time for his daughter Catherine’s birthday tomorrow.
“We’re having a princess party. I’m going to be surrounded by an awful lot of pink. It’s actually a lot like serving in the Senate.”
When touching on the gun debate, Cruz said “Vice President Joe Biden,” which drew a widespread laughter from the audience.
“You don’t need a punch line,” he said. “Just say his name and people laugh.”
Before the event, Cruz joined King at his annual pheasant hunting fundraiser.
“There were some great shots, a whole lot of misses,” Cruz said. “There were some birds we scared the living daylights out of. They’re going to be in therapy for years. A whole lot of Dick Cheney jokes.”
