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Cruz 's fans say it 's because he stands on principle . 
In the three years since he arrived in the U.S. Senate , Ted Cruz has become easily the most hated man in Washington -- a fact he 's now using to his advantage as a presidential candidate . 
Is it true , as Cruz would have it , that the dreaded GOP establishment pays lip service to shrinking the federal government and repealing Obamacare , but actually would prefer to preserve the status quo ? 
Or do Cruz 's Beltway critics have a point ? 
Cruz has n't hesitated to take polarizing stances , even when doing so means taking on his Republican colleagues . 
Lee is also Cruz 's best friend -- maybe his only friend -- in the Senate . 
In his memoir , Cruz writes that no one stood by him "more courageously or indispensably" than Lee during his 21-hour anti-Obamacare speech that preceded the 2013 government shutdown . 
When Lee brought up his bill in the committee hearing , he was n't sure if he 'd have Cruz 's support . 
Cruz attacked the bill as dangerous and politically poisonous . 
Cruz went on to warn his fellow senators that if they voted for the bill , they would imperil their careers . 
Essentially , Cruz was saying that the legislation would let dangerous people out of prison , they would commit more crimes , and the senators would be subject to Willie Horton-style attack ads . 
Lee , who was sitting right next to Cruz , could not believe what he was hearing . 
Lee 's communications director , Conn Carroll , confirmed to me that Lee and his staff had no advance warning that Cruz was planning to brutally attack -- and , in Lee 's view , misrepresent -- his friend 's bill . 
The bill made it out of committee that day , but now it appears to be in trouble , with several other Republican senators taking Cruz 's line against it at a Senate lunch last week . 
Today , Lee has conspicuously joined every other sitting senator in declining to endorse Cruz 's presidential run . 
And while Lee and Cruz are still friends , the episode vividly illustrates Cruz 's talent for irritating other senators . 
Another telling episode came during the 2013 government shutdown , which Cruz spearheaded , insisting that if Congress defunded Obamacare , the president might go along . 
As McKay Coppins reports in his new book , The Wilderness , Cruz 's own staff never actually expected the gambit to work . 
To Cruz 's colleagues , it was a pointless and damaging exercise , but grassroots conservative groups cheered the effort . 
Cruz is close to the Fund and has appeared in its ads . 
At a private lunch of Republican senators , New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte waved the document in Cruz 's face and demanded that he disavow it . 
When he declined , several other senators , including then-Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , took Ayotte 's side and denounced Cruz . 
In my conversations with Republican policy types and Senate aides about Cruz , this lack of regard for his colleagues , and for the niceties that have traditionally governed the upper chamber , was a common theme . 
As Trent Lott , the former Senate majority leader , told me last week , referring to the time Cruz called McConnell a liar on the Senate floor : "You just do n't do that . 
Another criticism of Cruz is that his antics are disruptive and damaging to the Republican Party . 
Cruz does have policy differences with the business wing of the party : Unlike the Chamber , he opposes comprehensive immigration reform , would like to kill the Export-Import Bank , and -LRB- in a reversal -RRB- opposed a recent free-trade bill . 
In Iowa , Cruz has been subjected to millions of dollars in attack ads and personally criticized by the Republican governor , Terry Branstad , for opposing ethanol subsidies . 
But a Republican policy expert close to a number of top GOP operatives and donors insisted it 's not about Cruz 's style or his positions . 
But the effort does n't result in smaller government or the end of Obamacare -- all it achieves is drawing attention to Cruz . 
You can see how these complaints look from the perspective of Cruz and his fans : like features , not bugs . 
But what about the criticism that Cruz 's efforts have n't gotten any results ? 
The Cruz camp did n't reply to my query , so I put the question to Amanda Carpenter , who was Cruz 's communications director during much of his time in the Senate , including the shutdown . 
Carpenter said Cruz had sent a message . 
Cruz has shown that one person can make a difference ." 
But as they see it , the difference Cruz has made in the Senate has not been a positive one .
Ted Cruz

Scott Brunton had just gone through a bad breakup when actor George Takei offered to take him out on the town . It was the summer of 1981   and Takei   then 44   was well - known for his role as Lt . Hikaru Sulu on Star Trek . The two men knew each other socially . “ It was a very hard breakup for me   and he said   ‘ Well   let me take you out to dinner and the theater and we will talk  ’" said Brunton   who was 23 at the time . “ And I thought   OK   that would be nice .” The two men — who hadn ’ t spent time together one - on - one before — spent the evening out before returning to Takei ’ s Los Angeles condo for a cocktail   Brunton said . Takei prepared a drink in the kitchen and brought it out to Brunton   who was in the living room . Brunton recalled that Takei served it in a Star Trek glass   which he found “ a bit cheesy .” “ I ’ m pouring my heart out on my sleeve to him ” talking about the breakup   Brunton said . “ He is very sympathetic . And then he asked if I would like another drink and I said   ‘ Sure .’” But by the second cocktail   Brunton said he felt like he was going to pass out . “ I was shaky  ” he told BuzzFeed News in an interview . “ I said   ‘ I have to lie down .’ He said   ‘ Come over here and sit .’” Brunton recalls sitting down on a yellow beanbag chair . He doesn ’ t know how much time passed   but the next thing he remembers is waking up   his pants down around his ankles   and Takei on top of him pushing his hand down his underwear    Brunton  said . “ He ’ s on top of me   trying with his hand down my underwear [ to ] pull my underwear down  ” said  Brunton  .  Brunton  said  he  then pushed Takei off and asked what he was doing .  He  said Takei told him he was trying to make him comfortable .  Brunton  said  he  told Takei  he  had to go home   though  he  was “ still a little bit out of it .” Takei told  him  that  he  was in no condition to drive    Brunton  said   and he agreed but told the older actor he was leaving anyway . " I got my pants up   composed myself   and I just couldn ’ t believe this whole thing happened  "  Brunton  told BuzzFeed News . " I went out to my car and I sat in it and that was that ." A representative for Takei denied multiple detailed requests for comment   saying the actor was traveling . After this story was published   Takei tweeted on Saturday morning   saying the events  Brunton  described " simply did not occur ." He also said he did not remember  Brunton  . " I want to assure you all that I am as shocked and bewildered at these claims as you must feel reading them  " Takei said . " The events he describes back in the 1980s simply did not occur   and I do not know why he has claimed them now . I have wracked my brain to ask if I remember Mr .  Brunton    and I cannot say I do ." Takei said he took the claims very seriously and wanted to provide a thoughtful response . " Right now it is a he said / he said situation   over alleged events nearly 40 years ago . But those that know me understand that non - consensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices   the very idea that someone would accuse me of this is quite personally painful  " Takei said . Five of Brunton ’ s friends independently told BuzzFeed News that they have heard  Brunton  tell the story at various times over the years . One of those friends   Jan Steward   told BuzzFeed News she recalled  Brunton  telling her the story at the dinner table roughly a decade ago . “ It was clearly very   very upsetting to him  ” she said .
Scott Brunton

(Reuters) -  U.S. Senator Al Franken   trying to salvage  his  political career  said on Sunday  he  does not plan to resign but called  himself  âembarrassed and ashamedâ by  his  behavior toward women who have accused  him  of groping or inappropriately touching them.
FILE PHOTO:  Senator Al Franken (D-MN)  meets with constituents at Minnesota Farmfest in Redwood County  Minnesota  U.S. August 6  2014. REUTERS/Craig Lassig/File Photo
 Franken   a Democrat and former comedian who has represented Minnesota in the Senate since 2009  said in a round of media interviews -- his first since the allegations surfaced on Nov. 16 -- that he looked forward to returning to his job on Monday.
âIâm embarrassed and ashamed. Iâve let a lot of people down and Iâm hoping I can make it up to them and gradually regain their trust â  Franken  told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
 Franken  resisted comparisons between  his  behavior and that of Roy Moore  the Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat from Alabama who has been accused of improper conduct involving teenage girls decades ago.
âIâm going to take responsibility. Iâm going to be held accountable through the ethics committee â said  Franken   whose behavior is being investigated by the Senate ethics panel. âAnd Iâm going to hopefully be a voice in this that is helpful. ... Again  I respect women. What kills me about this is it gives people a reason to believe I donât respect women.â
When asked if he had considered resigning   Franken  said: âNo  no. The ethics committee is looking into this and I will cooperate fully with it.â
Pressed about stepping aside and allowing a woman to take his seat   Franken  told Minnesota Public Radio  âIâm committed to working as hard as I can here in the Senate for the people of Minnesota.â
 Franken  was first accused of sexual misconduct by radio broadcaster Leann Tweeden.  She  said  Franken  had forcibly kissed  her  during a 2006 USO war zone tour  and a photo showed him with his hands over  her  chest while  she  was sleeping.
Four days later  a woman named Lindsay Menz told CNN that  Franken  had touched  her  buttocks while the two were being photographed in 2010 at the Minnesota State Fair.
 Franken  has apologized to Tweeden  and has said  he  does not remember the incident with Menz. Last week  two other women told the Huffington Post Franken had touched their buttocks in separate incidents. The article did not provide the names of those two accusers.
âI donât remember these photographs  I donât â  Franken  told the Star Tribune. âThis is not something I would intentionally do.â
âI have been reflecting on this â  Franken  told Minnesota Public Radio of the allegations. âI want to be a better man.â
 Franken  is among a long list of celebrities and politicians who have been accused of sexual misconduct. The recent wave of accusations  some of them dating back for decades  began in October.

Al Franken