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Who's got two thumbs and Some Word-Choice Thoughts about Ted Cruz's terrible "statement"/apologia?
Yes, my sweet internet babies, I am going to Do A Thread to this monstrosity. Mute if you love America's Soggiest Hot-Dog Bun or hate FREEDOM.
So, nu. Here's what we've got. As usual, what is not said reveals far more than what is. But I'mma look at both! 2/n
So, nu. Here's what we've got. As usual, what is not said reveals far more than what is. But I'mma look at both! 2/n
He/his comms team begins by calling the week "infuriating for Texans." Interesting word choice: what has filled them with fury, Ted-o? Not weather, surely, but the collapse of Texan infrastructure?
Golly, do we know anyone who might could do something about that? 3/n
Golly, do we know anyone who might could do something about that? 3/n
"Food lines," "gas lines," "people sleep at the neighbors' houses." All true, but "food lines" and "gas lines" is Republican shorthand for the evils of "socialism." What do you see in Cuba? USSR? Venezuela? This is not _quite_ a dog whistle, but it's close. 4/n
The Republican line is that food/gas lines are the result of a too-powerful government seizing free-market solutions away from people, and interfering to enrich themselves or their own interests. Watch for these to come up again when Repubs blame this on the Green New Deal. 5/n
Moving on! "Our family lost heat and power too. With school cancelled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends."
Kids and people, it is very hard to type while facepalming. 6/n
Kids and people, it is very hard to type while facepalming. 6/n
What is not said, but should be:
1. Cruz and his family have the ability to escape this thing that is literally killing his constituents.
2. It's Ted's _job_ to stay and work his connections for his constituents! Yes, Ted, even when you would rather be in Cancun! 7/n
1. Cruz and his family have the ability to escape this thing that is literally killing his constituents.
2. It's Ted's _job_ to stay and work his connections for his constituents! Yes, Ted, even when you would rather be in Cancun! 7/n
3. You have bad friends if you can't tell them, "Look, something came up at work, I'll need to cancel our trip." Especially when it is a STATE-FUCKING-WIDE EMERGENCY.
4. His girls wanted to take a trip to CANCUN? My children are adults and might not even know where Cancun is? 8/n
4. His girls wanted to take a trip to CANCUN? My children are adults and might not even know where Cancun is? 8/n
Some more carefully crafted yet wholly inept spin: "Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon."
I'm not touching the "good dad" bit, but let's look at the careful use of tenses: "flew down" and "am flying." 9/n
I'm not touching the "good dad" bit, but let's look at the careful use of tenses: "flew down" and "am flying." 9/n
Now, if Buckaroo Sad-Eyes here had always intended to fly back right away, you had better believe his comms team would have said that at the top of paragraph 1 and said as much when asked to comment. That's what a comms team does! I know! I did comms for a while! 10/n
So it's clear that Ted made this decision when he got caught not doing his job and skipping out to Cancun instead. He's hoping to appeal to your sense of humanity by being "a good dad" (ALLEGEDLY) whose "family lost heat and power too" (VERY ALLEGEDLY). 11/n
And there is also this point that @KateHarding made while I was checking my tweet for typos! Mexicans are really fuckin' sick of your pandemic tourism! 12/n https://twitter.com/KateHarding/status/1362478972118925314
(Source: journalists I know in Mexico, reporting on this very thing.)
But Ted's still workin'! He and his staff are in constant communication with leaders about all this to "get to the bottom of what happened."
So, coupla things. 13/n
But Ted's still workin'! He and his staff are in constant communication with leaders about all this to "get to the bottom of what happened."
So, coupla things. 13/n
1. CONSTANT! COMMUNICATION! but only with leaders, not with each other? No comment on your trip for _hours_? <gob_bluth_cmon.gif>
2. We know what happened, Ted. The infrastructure collapsed. What we want to know is _why_, and _how_ you, the Powers That Be, let it happen. 14/n
2. We know what happened, Ted. The infrastructure collapsed. What we want to know is _why_, and _how_ you, the Powers That Be, let it happen. 14/n
"We want our power back, our water on, and our homes warm." Oh, no, honey, you do not get to skip out to Cancun and then use the communal first-person plural to try to rally support behind your sorry vacation-taking, mistake-making, power-raking ass. 15/n
"continue using all our resources"
Gurl, I went through your Twitter account, and all you have done is retweet praise of Rush Limbaugh, NWS weather reports, and posted one mea culpa for being a dick about California.
Ted. Between you and me: your comms team is bad? 16/n
Gurl, I went through your Twitter account, and all you have done is retweet praise of Rush Limbaugh, NWS weather reports, and posted one mea culpa for being a dick about California.
Ted. Between you and me: your comms team is bad? 16/n
If my client went on vacation in the middle of a global pandemic and a historic infrastructure failure in his state, I would be tweeting EVERY. SINGLE. GODDAMNED. THING he had done to show how much he's doing for his constituents. The lack of this speaks volumes. 17/n
Yes, I know, this thread was 10x longer than the actual statement. Sometimes it takes a while to explain why trash is trash!
To sum up: don't be Ted Cruz.
To sum up: don't be Ted Cruz.
