McCain: Cruz and I Have a 'Friendly Relationship'

Though the GQ article on Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Sen. John McCain “f***ing hates Cruz,” the Arizona Republican claimed this morning that he and his Lone Star colleague have “a good relationship.”

McCain said on CBS this morning that Cruz’s 21-hour floor speech this week “certainly didn’t match the meaning of the word” filibuster.

“Second of all, we are dividing the Republican party rather than attacking Democrats and maybe trying to persuade those five or six Democrats that are in states that are leaning Republican. We are now launching attacks against Republicans funded by commercials that appear — Senator Lee and Senator Cruz appear in, and so it’s very dysfunctional,” he continued.

“The American people by 80 to 20 do not want the government shut down. And I was around the last time we did it, and there was a very big backlash. And I’m proud of the fight that we waged against Obamacare, but right now, as Senator Coburn, our most conservative Republican senator has said, this exercise will not achieve the goal that we seek doing it in this fashion.”

When asked if Cruz was doing this for “personal ambition,” McCain said he couldn’t “describe his motives.”

“He and I have a good relationship. We have a friendly relationship, and I can’t question his motives. But I do question whether the outcome is going to be as he is promising people, which is impossible as long as the Democrats control two of the three bodies of government,” McCain added.

The Arizona senator said he hadn’t seen this sort of party infighting since first assuming his seat in 1987.

“I think that it argues for us to be more united and spend our time with — against our adversary because we all share the same principles and values. And I’d like to see us do that,” McCain said.

“I’ve not said anything personally, but I did take exception when Senator Cruz likened people who weren’t taking his position to those appeasers prior to World War II… that’s just over the line.”

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