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Donald Trump has been out of office for just over a month, but though he’s no longer around to generate headlines, he should be pleased to know his minions have picked up the slack. Of these, the most prolific news magnet has been, and by a country mile, Ted Cruz. The Texas senator has always been a fixture of fun on social media, but in the last few days he’s amped that up severalfold. And for good reason: While his state was engulfed in a freak winter storm, which left millions without power, he was caught gallivanting off to Cancún for a swanky family vacation.
The fallout was quick and painful — so severe that he was forced to return almost as soon as he landed. Even when he returned, tail between legs, he wasn’t off the hook: People camped outside his home, mocked his attempts at sincerity, even discovered that he has a poodle that’s actually named “Snowflake.” Now even his attempts to right the wrong by delivering water to fellow Texans isn’t going well.
#TexasStrong pic.twitter.com/gK4DHtsvLU
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) February 21, 2021
On Sunday, on day four of the debacle, Cruz posted a series of pictures of him doing the thing that folks like Beto O’Rourke have been doing since day one: helping people out on the ground. The photos show him handing out cases of water, as clean H2O is something many in the state don’t currently have. But though Cruz was seeking a pat on the back, not everyone felt like congratulating him for (finally) doing the right thing.
Some pointed out that it was someone else who helped raise the money to pay for that water Cruz for which he’s taking credit.
.@AOC has used her social media to raise more than $4 million for the people of Texas. Ted Cruz used his to share a photo op of him placing a single case of water into a car. https://t.co/T15yQqXhWX
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) February 21, 2021
Ted Cruz photo op of him carrying water that AOC helped buy for Texas.
She’s raised over $4 million since Feb 18th for Texas. @AOC is now our Congresswoman for all of us. https://t.co/ksd6s2XQ1F
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) February 21, 2021
Others called out what they saw as his fake compassion.
I’m glad someone in Ted Cruz’s Senate office finally instructed him on how to fake compassion, humanity, and creating the illusion that he cares about the people he was elected to serve. https://t.co/6JuuzUzpf2
— Melissa Ryan (@MelissaRyan) February 21, 2021
Hey Ted, We already know your character. No need to fake compassion now. You should have stayed in Cancun. Your fake Christian base will stick with you as long a you regulate my uterus. #TedCruzisADisgrace https://t.co/vUIz6VyOBt
— Sara Spector (@Miriam2626) February 21, 2021
Or called BS.
“Just look like I said something one of those humans who care say while they take the pic. Not asking for the world here, lady.” pic.twitter.com/AwWPOBf21p
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) February 21, 2021
I can’t believe this clown @tedcruz thinks he can get everyone to forget his Cancun disaster by handing out a few bottles of water.
What a pathetic POS. https://t.co/Fc78stQNlP
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) February 21, 2021
Many said it was just a photo opp.
Photo opportunity for Ted in a vacant parking lot. pic.twitter.com/wByQIyjAHU
— 𝕊𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕖 𝔾𝕦𝕣𝕝 (@Sundae_Gurl) February 21, 2021
After flying to Mexico while constituents died in a historic cold snap, Ted Cruz on Saturday — the same day Rep. @aoc visited the Houston Food Bank after raising more than $4 million to help Texans — posted photos of himself also engaging in relief efforts. https://t.co/j0vZhVCc3C
— St. John Barned-Smith (@stjbs) February 21, 2021
Others pointed this out: Someone who’s just flown out of the country really should be quarantining, not getting close to strangers.
The CDC rules when returning from Mexico require and #COVID19 test AND a minimum 7-day quarantine.@tedcruz is violating these rules. #Texas https://t.co/H1UcwgH1OY pic.twitter.com/5n44R2k1XJ
— Peter Gleick (@PeterGleick) February 21, 2021
Why is Ted Cruz allowed to be out in public?.. He legally should be in Quarantine for leaving the country and returning!!
— Dennis Buchholz (@Denis_Buchholz) February 21, 2021
And there were other jokes.
Ted Cruz is going to need a vacation after all this hard work. https://t.co/N2aDlenzgE
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) February 22, 2021
Meanwhile, back at the Cruz home, protesters up and brought out a mariachi band.
They brought a mariachi band to Ted Cruz’s house
pic.twitter.com/sURfKqN2ap
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) February 22, 2021
So, citizens in Houston sent a Mariachi Band to Ted Cruz’s house. pic.twitter.com/EVWpLyyAsn
— jvharris_1965 (@jvharris_1965) February 22, 2021
Meanwhile, this isn’t the only scandal plaguing Cruz. He’s also still under fire for helping foment the failed MAGA coup of January 6 — another violent event for which he has yet to apologize or atone.
