Ted Cruz, in a Captain Morgan pose, once reportedly finished 3 beers 'in a matter of minutes' on Joe Manchin's houseboat

At this point, it's no secret that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) resides on his houseboat, Almost Heaven, when visiting the nation's capital. But little did we know that the vessel — characterized by COVID-19 scares and strategy sessions with White House officials — has actually served as a hang-out for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to sing, eat, and even chug a beer...or three.

For example, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), while resting one foot atop a chair à la Captain Morgan, is reported to have once downed three beers "in a matter of minutes" while fraternizing with former senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, one of his "most liberal colleagues," per The Washington Post. Said former senator Mark Begich (D-Alaska), who was apparently awe-struck watching the moment: "[Cruz] was drinking those beers like water."

And on the party deck punctuated by wrought-iron chairs and tables with umbrellas, colleagues who clash on the hill are seen sharing pizza and pasta platters, sipping on moonshine, and singing and dancing to music like "SOB" by Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats, a reported Manchin favorite. The West Virginia senator prefers to swap suits and ties for Hawaiian shirts and shorts, which he dons while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) breaks into his own rendition of "American Pie." Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg might be seen chatting with the "Trump-allied" Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), in a blink-and-you-might-miss-it bonding moment sponsored by college football.

Article continues below

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Almost Heaven — the place for Washington, D.C. miracles. Read more at The Washington Post.

Explore More

Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.