Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) is struggling in the polls after he voted against a bill that would protect birth control in the state. He’s down by one point and apparently feeling rather grouchy about it. He’s certainly not in the right mood to answer questions from pesky reporters, especially those who ask what he and his fellow Republicans have done to “help Joe Biden in all this?” regarding the border situation.
Cruz became defensive, cutting the journalist off with “Okay, alright, so that’s a ridiculous and silly question.”
Questions about border issues don’t seem silly or ridiculous to me since we do need to find a way to deal effectively and fairly with the flow of migrants across the border, but hey, what do I know?
“I want to commend you for being the media and telling a Democrat policy. So let me ask you something…” Another journalist jumped in with “Come on man, that’s been going on for 20 years.” Then a fusillade of words flew back and forth before Cruz finally interjected, “Okay, okay, let me ask you something, let me ask you something—what rate of illegal immigration did we have in 2020? Do you know anything?”
Because of course, deflecting is always the best way to go when you’re feeling defensive. He did this continually during the tense exchange, without offering any meaningful discourse. But that’s typical for Ted “Green Eggs and Ham” Cruz. After all, why answer a perfectly good question when you can avoid doing that entirely?
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This led the journalist to ask the senator “How long have you been in office?”
“I’ve been in office 11 years now and this is okay,” Cruz said as the reporter tried to ask another question, only to get abruptly interrupted because Cruz was definitely in a snappy mood by this point.
“Okay, you don’t get to argue with me. You asked your question. You want to hold a press conference you can do it over there.”
Another journalist tried to jump in but Cruz shot back “So hold on, I’m going to answer his question.”
Call To Activism noticed the fun repartee and decided to add a whole other dimension to the combative exchange in a post on X (formerly Twitter):
“Ahaha Ted Cruz was just asked what he has done in the last 11 years and he got mad.
Cruz is now losing his race by a point in recent polls after voting against a wildly popular bill to protect birth control.
What do you say to him? Best comment wins.”
Ahaha Ted Cruz was just asked what he has done in the last 11 years and he got mad.
Cruz is now losing his race by a point in recent polls after voting against a wildly popular bill to protect birth control.
What do you say to him? Best comment wins.
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) September 30, 2024
Boy, that’s a difficult choice. There were so many.
@Metz4Real quipped:
“Teddy, the way this works is: reporters ask questions, then you lie. But you don’t get to ask the questions. 11 years should’ve taught you that.”
Teddy, the way this works is: reporters ask questions, then you lie. But you don't get to ask the questions. 11 years should've taught you that.
— Metz (@Metz4Real) September 30, 2024
@RealJoeBonanno added, “Ted, you should pull out now and save Texas.”
Ted, you should pull out now and save Texas
— JoeyBonanno (@RealJoeBonanno) September 30, 2024
Ouch!
@DMLaBar offered this:
“Puny bullies gonna bully.”
Puny bullies gonna bully. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/QYNsBt7rVm
— 𝔻𝕒𝕚𝕤𝕪 𝔻 🌼 💙 ☮️ (@DMLaBar) September 30, 2024
@Iasion quipped: “There’s two kinds of people, people who can’t stand Ted Cruz and Ted Cruz and there is significant overlap in the Venn Diagram of these two groups.”
There's two kinds of people, people who can't stand Ted Cruz and Ted Cruz and there is significant overlap in the Venn Diagram of these two groups.
— Saint Cuthbert of the Fellas of the Bonking Cudgel (@Iasion) September 30, 2024
@codeslubber added “A JD from Harvard Law people, argues like he’s 8 years old. Rhetoric is so dead in this country, jesus, there are smarter people on TikTok.”
A JD from Harvard Law people, argues like he's 8 years old. Rhetoric is so dead in this country, jesus, there are smarter people on TikTok.
— Rob Williams (@codeslubber) September 30, 2024
And lastly, there’s @snowbirdb1, who wrote:
“Of course he objects to birth control and abortion, his mom is still trying to abort his ancient butt 50+ years post-birth.”
of course he objects to birth control and abortion, his mom is still trying to abort his ancient butt 50+ years post-birth
— 🐧 (@snowbirdb1) September 30, 2024
Now it’s time for me to jump in here. Cruz is the type of man who decided it was best to flee to Cancun during a deadly freeze that killed 246 Texans and left millions freezing and without power, The Texas Tribune reports. That alone should get his azz booted out of office but there’s also this: He’s notoriously against abortion and has helped his state adopt draconian laws aimed at restricting women’s reproductive rights. As noted by The Guardian, his tough anti-abortion has created a real tragedy in the state.
“Cruz hasn’t just been a cheerleader on the sidelines of the abortion wars; he was a key player in transforming the judiciary to pave the way for Dobbs and enable his own state to punish and essentially torture pregnant women the way they are doing now,” the publication notes. “He can avoid questions on the subject, but there’s really not much more he needs to say: the crisis in Texas already belongs to him.”
Perhaps this is why Rep. Colin Allred, his Democratic foe in the Texas senate race has blown past him, at least according to one poll, per Newsweek. A poll recently conducted by Morning Consult, which surveyed 2,716 likely voters shows Allred ahead of Cruz by one point (45 to 44 percent.) Forecasters and experts are naysaying this, however, saying they expect Cruz will prevail in this competitive race.
Well, I hope they are wrong. I hope Cruz begins to understand that people in his rearview mirror are larger than they may appear.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery.
