The strong words former Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) had for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has made for quite the interesting story. Boehner would reportedly go off script from recording his audiobook, "On the House" to curse the senator out. Earlier this week, feud turned into more than just a war of words, when Sen. Cruz received a signed copy of the book.
Some smart-ass dropped off a copy of Boehner’s new book at my office. It’s even signed!
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 13, 2021
I filed it in the appropriate place. pic.twitter.com/dQGxofdcCf
The book is neatly displayed in a fireplace. No, it's not lit. There is no indication of book burning.
He's continued to address the signed copy of the book.
Ted Cruz Milks Boehner's Negative Memoir For Humor & Fundraising:
— John Fund (@johnfund) April 15, 2021
“In an email to supporters, the Texas politician said he also might machine-gun or chainsaw the memoir, depending on how much his supporters paid for the privilege.”
Cruz added that he would livestream the event.
VOTE here! https://t.co/zKNbBLskaH https://t.co/gjDpVWnwe4
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 15, 2021
If you’re going to re-tweet my fundraising email, make sure to include the LINK: https://t.co/zKNbBLskaH
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 15, 2021
And VOTE on whether I will (1) machine gun, (2) chain saw, or (3) light cigars with Boehner’s garbage book! https://t.co/WvBHyCzDG2
Reporting on such viciousness has only been going on since earlier this month, though it seems like it's been a lot longer. In one memorable recording, Boehner told Cruz to go "f**k himself."
When @SpeakerBoehner was recording his audiobook I was told by sources that during these wine-soaked sessions he would deviate from the book’s text and insert random violent attacks on @tedcruz. Well, here’s some tape (listen to the end): pic.twitter.com/NFCQ2QFdTT
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) April 2, 2021
Sen. Cruz had his own clever responses.
If you don’t speak Swamp-creature, here’s the translation: “stirring up some of the crazies of my own caucus to cause all kinds of problems” means
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 12, 2021
“encouraging elected Members of Congress to actually honor the promises they made to the voters & DO WHAT THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO.” https://t.co/CIBpfxHUZQ
The Swamp is unhappy.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 9, 2021
I wear with pride his drunken, bloviated scorn.
Please don’t cry. https://t.co/c90Ve2EOGq
The back-and-forth even got the attention of CBS Sunday morning; Cruz responded to one of the clips in an above tweet.
Boehner's book was released on Tuesday.
Barton Swaim with the Wall Street Journal opined Boehner "could have used a ghostwriter" and that "Occasionally the writing is dreadful. "But as a work of history, the book falls short," Julian E. Zelizer of the New York Times wrote.