I'm not really sure why. Perhaps he doesn't want to be upstaged by his fellow Kentuckyan:
Republican leaders in the Senate will use a must-pass highway bill to start another fight over the president's signature healthcare law.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to introduce an amendment to the transportation bill to fully repeal Obamacare.
McConnell's spokesman says that would set up a likely vote on the healthcare amendment on Sunday.
The Senate is rushing to complete the highway legislation before States face a cutoff of highway and transit aid one week from now.
It might also be a way to upstage and humiliate Ted Cruz, who is spending the day ripping Mitchie The Kid as a "liar," which I interpret as an effort to (1) boost his book sale numbers, (2) defibrillate his moribund presidential bid, and (3) regain his former mantle as chief intra-Republican basher from Donald Trump, whose over-the-top biliousness has made the Texas junior senator look as staid and buttoned-down as....well, Senator McConnell himself. No wonder Cruz is pissed.
Mostly, though, I think this is another episode of "Failure Theater," as there's no way that any transportation bill, those universally Beltway-beloved porcine armies, is ever going to be so easily derailed, much less at the last minute like this. It's just anesthesia for the frustrated GOP base. The ObamaCare repeal amendment, like Rand Paul's Planned Parenthood defunding amendment, will be voted on, won't clear cloture, and be stripped right back out before final passage. They know it, we know it, everybody knows it.
But hey, at least the Senate is voting on full ObamaCare repeal - for the first time. It isn't much, but it is progress, no matter how pyrrhic.
You're not buying that?
Well, I tried, Senator McConnell. Ball's back in your court.
UPDATE (7/26): McConnell blocked Paul's Planned Parenthood defunding amendment. I guess it really is good to be the king.
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