BY BEN JOHNSON

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 25, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Senator Ted Cruz's 21-hour epic floor speech to defund ObamaCare may have won him no friends in the media or GOP leadership, but pro-life and conservative leaders are enthusiastic about his efforts.

“Thank you Senator Cruz for giving a voice to all of us!” said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, this morning.

Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, simply said, “Ted Cruz is the man!”

Other conservatives praised Cruz's actions, contrasting his passion with that of the president.

“Ted Cruz stayed up all night to fight ObamaCare,” Congressman Steve Stockman, R-TX, quipped on Wednesday morning. “Obama went to bed while Ambassador Stevens [of Libya] was being murdered.”

Others on the other side of the aisle were less receptive.

California Democratic Congressman Mark Takano, a supporter of abortion-on-demand, tweeted a photo parodying Kanye West's interruption of Taylor Swift's video awards' acceptance speech: “Ted Cruz, Ima let you finish but Wendy Davis had the greatest filibuster of all time!”

A veritable host of news outlets and pro-life leaders pointed out how the media's coverage of Cruz's speech conflicted with its prior reports of Wendy Davis' 11-hour filibuster in the Texas Senate, in which they lionized the pro-abortion Democrat for temporarily stalling the passage of a 20-week abortion ban and tighter health standards for abortion facilities.

The New York Times described Davis' speech as “The Great Abortion Filibuster,” while yesterday's editorial headline derided “The Embarrassment of Senator Ted Cruz.”

The Huffington Post called Davis' actions “The Filibuster Heard 'Round the World,” while saying,“Cruz Hijacks Senate.”

Talking Points Memo writer Josh Marshall called Cruz an “arrogant jerk.”

Even Politico acknowledged a double-standard.

At the time of Davis' filibuster, Cruz told the media that most Texans still oppose abortion. Wendy Davis declined to comment on Cruz's speech.

Davis is mulling over whether to run for governor of Texas, a decision she will make by October 3.

Cruz clearly has an eye on his own political aspirations. Polls showed the freshman senator a leading contender for the 2016 Republican Party presidential nomination before the speech, but the speech has boosted Cruz's stock in the eyes of crucial primary voters.