Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, has had a spotty record for the first two months of 2021 which just keeps getting spottier.
On January 6th, Cruz and fellow Republican Senator Josh Hawley came under scrutiny for their role in inspiring the insurrection at the United States Capitol. Just a few weeks ago, Cruz again came under fire when he was spotted fleeing to Cancun on a plane while Texas citizens had no power or running water and/or received multi-thousand dollar electric bills.
And then came the Conservative Political Action Conference, aka CPAC, where he did....this:
i'm sorry https://t.co/wRWpU0fNGB— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1614356215.0
What?
In addition to his bizarre end to his speech (yes, this was in fact the END of his speech) Cruz also mocked mask wearing:
"This is just dumb" -- Ted Cruz on mask wearing during a pandemic https://t.co/Styhyx1a6Q— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1614355726.0
Said Orlando was "not as nice as Cancun":
“I gotta say, Orlando is awesome. It’s not as nice as Cancun...” says Ted Cruz, joking about that time he abandoned… https://t.co/ush0FSnN6Z— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1614357663.0
Made fun of Jerry Seinfeld:
"Jerry Seinfeld doesn't do comedy anymore because any joke that's funny is canceled." - Ted Cruz inadvertantly expl… https://t.co/fzCoT7vfiU— Max Steele (@Max Steele) 1614355646.0
And made fun of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for being frightened for her life during the Capitol insurrection he drew criticism fof helping to incite:
First CPAC mention of the domestic terrorist attack on the capitol comes from Ted Cruz. He makes fun of AOC for being scared.— Tim Miller (@Tim Miller) 1614355050.0
But it really is the bizarre William Wallace from Braveheart scream of "FREEDOM!" at no one in particular that is the oddest moment of the entire chain of bizarre.
@atrupar here's cruz and howard dean exuding similar energy https://t.co/pP9BCJje6H— Zach••• (@Zach•••) 1614356739.0
@HelenKennedy @atrupar You’re right, that’s a lot of yelling. https://t.co/bw9NPvKsoX— Levi Fishman (@Levi Fishman) 1614362105.0
@atrupar FFIIIIRRRSSSSTTTT DDOOWWWNN!! https://t.co/7mniUfXRt4— McNeil (@McNeil) 1614364403.0
@atrupar I clicked on this and he woke up my baby.— Peter Sagal (@Peter Sagal) 1614358644.0
The irony of the "freedom" comment is not lost on Twitter, considering Cruz worked to overturn a free and fair election in hopes of installing Donald Trump, an unelected autocrat, into the office of President.
when you're running away from a crisis, take your seat on your flight to Mexico and hear the gate has closed https://t.co/OBJmMWj1DM— maura quint (@maura quint) 1614358603.0
Was he screaming like that all the way to Cancun? https://t.co/JOE1PA0StJ— Julia Davis (@Julia Davis) 1614359517.0
This week Senator Ted Cruz screamed "freedom" on a stage literally shaped like a Nazi symbol at a conference where… https://t.co/wwnUlOnrm2— Laura Bassett (@Laura Bassett) 1614454546.0
Freedom to Ted Cruz means going to Cancun and never having to say you're sorry. https://t.co/TTNgddMs8B— Bill Kristol (@Bill Kristol) 1614357508.0
The stage at CPAC was shaped like an odal rune, a Nazi-appropriated symbol. There was a golden idol of Donald Trump wearing American Flag boxers in the room.
Ted Cruz screamed "FREEDOM!" at the top of his lungs and refused to acknowledge Joe Biden won a free and fair election.
Though the GOP may not be in control of the country any longer, more worrying signs of their particular brand of populism continue showing themselves.