Senator Cruz has returned to the Hill. And CNN’s blandly titled Ted Cruz Plans to Run for Re-election in 2018 published Wednesday May 11, 2016, 8 days after Senator Cruz suspended is campaign for President has some veeerrrry juicy nuggets in it for the knowledgeable watcher of all things palace intrigue.

Reminder: Cruz is widely and constantly reported to be haaaaaaated on the Hill. Not just hated, but loathed, despised, and wished a slow, torturous death. Preferably at the hands of a fellow Senator. On the floor of the Senate. In broad daylight. To loud applause. That kind of hated.

Fair observers note, correctly, that this is because he threatens their corrupt little fiefdoms. Cruz, ‘cravenly’ ambitious or not, really does believe his own bulls**t. He really does want to run a vice raid on the whore house – er – Hill. So to read that he was received “warmly” with “applause” from his fellow Senators, and that Senate President Pro-tem Senator Hatch said something nice about him is nothing short of a nuclear event. It just can’t be overstated how significant this is. It is, no doubt, why the headline was so bland. Gotta bury that news. Busts up the narrative.

No. Senator Cruz returned TRIUMPHANT to the Hill. Now hush. Mustn’t draw attention to that fact… but I will. The relevant paragraphs are below.

…Cruz sat down for lunch with Senate Republicans, according to several senators who were at the meeting. Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who endorsed Cruz for president, made some introductory remarks, and Cruz himself addressed the group. The senators who were present said Cruz — who often railed against what he said was the “Washington cartel” during his presidential campaign — was warmly received and received a round of applause.

…When he arrived for a morning roll call (on the floor of the Senate), he spoke briefly with ..(some) senators (and) said hello. Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia gave him a fist bump on his arm to get is attention and then spoke for a few minutes. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Indiana, said “welcome back.” Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, stood talking with him for several minutes.

…Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, who is the most senior Republican in the chamber, pulled Cruz aside to have a heart-to-heart discussion about what Cruz had been through and what he will do now that he’s back to his legislative duties. “I was encouraging him to really get to work here,” Hatch told CNN later. “He’s got a lot of talent, a lot of ability.”

Hatch, who chastised Cruz last year when the Texan called McConnell a liar, said he didn’t tell Cruz he should make amends with his fellow senators but he did say he should be more open to the views of others. “I just encouraged him to understand that people have differences of opinions,” Hatch said. “He’s got a big role to play here if he wants to.”
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