U.S. Sen Ted Cruz (R-TX) has been at the center of controversy for calling out a tweet made by the fictional character Big Bird in support of getting kids vaccinated against COVID-19.
Many Democrats have offered support for the Sesame Street character and today, failed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton added her two cents.
Sharing a picture of herself with Big Bird, Clinton insisted in a tweet, “It’s a bird that teaches children things. Like how to stay healthy. That’s it.”
Cruz jumped on the opportunity to mock Clinton and dubbed her “Oscar the Grouch” in a quote tweet.
“Captured in the wild, rare image of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch…” Cruz stated.
Captured in the wild, rare image of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch… https://t.co/DfPZfApyaX
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 9, 2021
Cruz has also been involved in a back-and-forth with activist actress Alyssa Milano over his original response to Big Bird, where he called Big Bird’s tweet, “Government propaganda…for your 5 year old!”
Milano tweeted out yesteday, “I didn’t have @tedcruz trolling Big Bird on my 2021 bingo card.”
“I didn’t have @JoeBiden enlisting muppets in his crusade to force everyone to get vaccinated on my bingo card either,” Cruz explained in a quote tweet.
Cruz insited, “The government should NOT force children to take the Covid vaccine. That should be a CHOICE for parents to make.”
I didn’t have @JoeBiden enlisting muppets in his crusade to force everyone to get vaccinated on my bingo card either.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 9, 2021
The government should NOT force children to take the Covid vaccine. That should be a CHOICE for parents to make.@Alyssa_Milano https://t.co/712inu8Mey
Then, this morning, Milano quote tweeted Cruz and said, “Hi @tedcruz! Should it be a choice to immunize against polio, diphtheria tetanus pertussis, and chicken pox? Every state mandates these.”
“Maybe when Texas secedes & Joe Rogan is your President you’ll be the ‘Iron Lung State’ but until then stop playing politics with saving lives,” Milano demanded.
Cruz then quote tweeted Milano back with a four part tweet in response.
1/x @Alyssa_Milano If everyone in America stopped screaming at each other, maybe we could have rational conversations (like you & I did on guns). You’re right, many vaccines are mandatory for kids. But those have been around for decades, and we know the risks. With Covid…
2/x the vaccine is new & experimental. I’m very glad we have it—developed in record time. I’ve taken the vaccine myself, as has Heidi & our parents. With kids, the cost/benefit analysis is different. The health risks to kids of Covid are relatively low & risks of side effects…
3/x …are significant. Nobody really knows what the effects of this vaccine 10 years later. For a 5-year-old, it’s personally reasonable for parents to decide not to take that risk.
4/x Now I assume you disagree. Fine. Then get your own kids vaccinated. It should be the choice of parents—not the government forcing you to inject your kids with an experimental vaccine.
2/x the vaccine is new & experimental. I’m very glad we have it—developed in record time. I’ve taken the vaccine myself, as has Heidi & our parents.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 9, 2021
With kids, the cost/benefit analysis is different. The health risks to kids of Covid are relatively low & risks of side effects…
4/x Now I assume you disagree. Fine. Then get your own kids vaccinated. It should be the choice of parents—not the government forcing you to inject your kids with an experimental vaccine.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 9, 2021
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