The partial government shutdown entrenched divides in the Republican Party, which were further underscored Wednesday when Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz interrupted news coverage of the deal by holding his own press conference at the same time Sen. Mitch McConnell was speaking on the Senate floor. CNN abruptly switched its coverage to Cruz just as McConnell began to talk.

Sen. Mitch McConnell: “This has been a long, challenging few weeks for Congress and for the country. It’s my hope that today we can put some…”

During his remarks, Cruz praised House Republicans and criticized the Senate deal to reopen the government.

Sen. Ted Cruz: “The House of Representatives has taken a bold stance listening to the American people, but unfortunately the United States Senate has refused to do likewise. The United States Senate has stayed with the traditional approach of the Washington establishment of maintaining the status quo and doing nothing to respond to the suffering that 'Obamacare' is causing millions of Americans.”

Cruz staged a marathon filibuster last month to defend the Republican push to defund the Affordable Care Act, an effort which led to the government shutdown.