Anderson Cooper Trashes Ted Cruz’s Attempt At Damage Control

CNN’s Anderson Cooper explained Friday why he’s not buying Sen. Ted Cruz’s apology for his controversial Cancun trip — nor the Texas Republican’s subsequent attempt at damage control.

Cruz faced fierce backlash for fleeing to Mexico with his family this week as his home state was hit by winter storms and mass power blackouts and water shortages. Cruz cut short his trip, returning by himself Thursday night, and admitted it had been a mistake.

But, as Cooper noted, Cruz soon tried to change the narrative by lamenting the “divided” state of the country and suggesting the media focus not on his scandal but on helping to solve the unfurling weather emergency.

“For damage control, he’s shifted that into cruise control,” quipped Cooper.

In an interview, the senator said:

We’re at a very divided place in our country, where people are screaming vitriol and hate. And you know what? I think that is a sad sign of where are. I don’t do that to other people. You don’t see me screaming at people I disagree with that they need to resign. And one of the things I’m most dismayed about how the last 24 hours played out is this whole thing has dominated the airwaves instead of focussing on let’s solve the problems.

“I’m sure he’s dismayed at the coverage, but not for the stated reason,” Cooper responded. “Because truth be told, it has not dominated the airwaves. It may feel that way to him because it’s so mortifying, but the airwaves have actually been dominated on local and national news outlets with hours and hours of reporting on the actual crisis, the one you were tired of hearing about and dealing with and were trying to escape from, Senator Cruz.”

“As for the country being, as you say, in a divided place. Coming from the guy that did all he could to perpetuate the lie that the election was stolen, the guy who voted to challenge the outcome of the legitimate election even after the Capitol was attacked?” Cooper added. “It’s a little rich.”