Union Leader - Cruz, in Rindge, Laughs off Paul's Criticism

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By Meghan Pierce

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas laughed off Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul's "capitulating Canadian" tag after a gathering at Franklin Pierce University Friday night.

The new ad by the America Liberty PAC spins the U.S. Senate's upcoming session tonight for a vote on the USA Freedom Act as "the biggest brawl for liberty, of the century."

The Kentucky senator is plugged as "The Defender of Freedom, Senator Rand Paul." The Texas senator is pegged as one of many "so-called-conservative accomplices" to President Barack Obama's assault on privacy rights as the "capitulating Canadian."

"Well, I have say, I chuckled, I'd never seen myself portrayed as a big world wrestling federation person even though I guess it was one that was not supposed to win," Cruz said during a brief meeting with the press after the town hall. "In politics, people choose to throw rocks and go to the mat. My consistent pattern is I have no intention to reciprocating. I like Rand Paul. He's a friend of mine. He's been a fantastic voice for liberty. And I've been pleased to stand with him and fight side by side many, many times, and I expect to continue fighting side by side with Paul for a long time."

Cruz said he is a co-sponsor of the original USA Freedom Act and hopes it passes the Senate tonight or later in the week. The bipartisan legislation would end the bulk collection of phone records by the government, he said.

"I think that's the right thing to do. I think under the Fourth Amendment, the federal government should not be randomly and indiscriminately collecting people's phone records," Cruz said.

At the same time, the USA Freedom Act leaves law enforcement and national security "the tools" needed when there is evidence to believe someone is contacting Islamic terrorists, he said.

"It's unreasonable to search or seize every law abiding citizen's records," Cruz said. "It is not only reasonable - it is consistent with the Bill of Rights - for national security to have the tools to stop radical Islamist terrorists before they carry out horrific acts."

Cruz added he opposes his Republican colleagues who are pushing to reauthorize the Patriot Act.

"It doesn't have to be an either/or. It doesn't have to be big brother or no law enforcement or national security tools. We can do both."

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