Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., called said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, as acting like a "schoolyard bully" on the Senate floor on Monday.
Cruz objected as Reid attempted to name members to a House-Senate conference committee on the budget.
Cruz, a freshman and tea party favorite, said he worried that the conference report, which cannot be filibustered, would raise the country's debt ceiling. Reid countered that Cruz had a chance to amend the Senate's version of the budget when it was on the floor and accused him of trying to change the rules because his side had lost.
"Now he wants us to adopt the losing side’s view or we cannot go to conference," Reid said.
"My friend from Texas is like a schoolyard bully. He pushes everybody around and is losing and instead of playing the game according to the rules, he not only takes the ball home with him, but he changes the rules that way no one wins except the bully who tries to indicate to people that he has won."
"Mr. President," Cruz responded, "I wasn’t aware that we were in a school yard. Reserving the right to object. Mr. President, I object."
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