Leave Ted Cruz Alone [UPDATE]

Ted Cruz went to Cancun yesterday. Since the state he represents as a senator is in a state of emergency with millions of people in danger and without electricity or heat in the dead of the winter, many people disagreed with this being a good time for the Cruz family to go on vacation.

As the Internet did detective work and reporters confirmed that Cruz was, in fact, in Cancun, Cruz made the wise decision to return to Texas. While traveling back, he released a statement explaining that he was just trying to be a good dad, which sounds quite admirable.

So Cruz's official story is that his two tween daughters wanted to go on a spur-of-the-moment international vacation with some friends in the middle of a global pandemic and Cruz not only said yes, but took time out of the workweek without any warning to take an international flight and spend one night before returning to Texas, which again, is in a state of emergency.

There's a lot going on there! The most generous reading of this is that it is the rich guy version of dropping your kids off at the mall to see a movie when school is canceled. But, ya know, during a pandemic. Of course, it's already being reported that Cruz was originally scheduled to return on Saturday.

And then there's the luggage which looks a bit heavy for an overnight.

The truth is, this doesn't matter. Cruz is obviously powerless to help the people of Texas. If you want a review of a Marvel movie, he's your guy. But state of emergency? There's nothing he can do. That's just the red tape of bureaucracy.

It's not Cruz's fault that the state lost power. It's not his fault that it is cold or snowed. It's not his fault that his kids wanted to go on a trip with their friends. It's not his fault that people are nosy and take pictures at the airport. The only thing he's guilty of is thinking people would respect his privacy as he went to another country in the middle of the workweek in the middle of a pandemic while the people he represents are suffering. Just leave Cruz alone during this trying time. Do you have any idea how much it sucks to cut a vacation short?

UPDATE: Cruz returned to Texas today and told the media on multiple occasions that it was a last minute trip at his daughter's behest. The New York Times got a hold of a group text message that showed Cruz's wife trying to plan the trip that was supposed to last until Sunday. Cruz rebooked his flight home this morning, which means he's not telling the truth, in case I didn't convey the proper sarcastic tone in the original post.

The Times also spoke with "incensed" parents at the children's school. Via the New York Times:

"Two parents provided a copy of the written school policy for students not to return to classrooms for seven days after international travel, or to take a Covid test three to five days after returning, which would keep the Cruz children out of school for the following week."

Just an incredible performance from Cruz from every angle. He even finally admitted that he was planning on spending the weekend in Cancun which means he lied in a statement and in interviews.