As should have been expected, and while it assuredly deserves no amplification whatsoever, Ted Cruz attempted to make light of the controversy surrounding his recent mid-pandemic (and mid-Texas tragedy) Cancun trip during a Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) speech on Friday.
“God bless CPAC,” Cruz, speaking in a sort of half-scream manner, said on Friday. “I gotta say Orlando is awesome. It’s not as nice as Cancun. But it’s nice.”
Elsewhere, though these additional items are also not in need of further amplification, Cruz attempted to mock Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s moving account of the fatal Capitol riot and tried to lambaste Bernie Sanders for wearing mittens.
And while more than half a million have died in the U.S. from COVID-19, Cruz felt his CPAC speech was the time to call mask policies “dumb” while simultaneously acknowledging that coronavirus is indeed “dangerous.”
If you absolutely must, the full thing can be seen below. At one point, someone in the audience erupts into a solo chant of what sounds like the word “freedom.”
As for the Cancun controversy, you may recall that Democrats in Texas called for Cruz’s resignation after the widespread circulation of photos showing the Republican on a flight en route to Cancun while millions in the state were suffering for days without water or electricity during a statewide weather emergency.
In a statement following the controversy, Cruz said the trip was the result of him “wanting to be a good dad” by flying down with his children.
The widespread criticism was given a boost on Friday, with some also making a point to note the emergence of what’s being referred to as the new version of the infamous Howard Dean scream.
