Ted Cruz Under Fire

Ted Cruz under fire for fleeing the state of Texas during the energy blackout. Political psychologist Dr. Bart Rossi, Ph.D. provides thoughts on the short-term and long-term effects it may have on Cruz as a Senator.

People can debate whether Cruz heading off to Cancun Mexico on a family getaway during the Texas energy blackout was an issue, or not. But no one can argue that it happened. It was caught on video.

Here is what we do know.  The Texas energy grid failed during a winter storm, leaving millions without heat and water. Senator Ted Cruz then boards a plane with his family to Cancun Mexico.  Those are the base facts.

It certainly appears that he fled the cold for the warmth of Cancun with his family.

In his defense, Cruz says his kids asked if they could go somewhere warm, so he and his wife — wanting to be good parents — said, sure. The backlash came fast and furiously, from both sides of the aisle.

He then went into damage control and did the talk show circuit on Fox and others, where he again asserted that he responded to his kid’s request, and simply flew to Cancun to ‘drop off the kids’ and then return to Texas the next morning.

Ted Cruz Under Fire

But with each day there was a drip-dip of new revelations.  For example, records reveal that he had booked the trip for Thursday through Sunday. So he wasn’t ‘planning’ to return the next day. That seems to be the narrative to deflect the outrage. Hannity and conservative media however quickly came to his defense.  While interviewing Cruz. saying “I think you can be a Senator and a good father at the same time.”

Next, it was revealed — through text messages — that it was his and his wife’s idea. He also invited college friends to join them. And while he did later admit in hindsight that it was a bad idea, he seemed more vocal that his wife was pissed that the text messages were leaked to the press.

While millions were struggling the survive the storm and energy blackout, Cruz thought it a good time to go on a short holiday.  Still, there were plenty of those on the right that came to his defense. Ben Shapiro on his Podcast inquired, “What could he have done?”

The answer to that Ben Shapiro question was answered by Beto O’Roarke who ran a call center and got help to people in need. It was answered by AOC, the New York Congresswoman that the right loves to hate. She raised $5 million in aid and flew to Texas and helped the support efforts.

In the end, is there anything wrong with Cruz sending his wife and kids to Cancun? No. There isn’t. Did he have to go with them? No, his wife was perfectly capable — as demonstrated by the fact that they remained there without him for days.

Yet even with the empty apology and regret, he still went to CPAC and got on stage and made jokes about Cancun.

IN THIS EPISODE

Dr. Rossi assesses the damage that this may on Cruz’s political career.

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