Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has been firmly put in his place after trying to present himself as an expert on Australia’s pandemic response. In a tweet last week, Cruz flipped out over a new wide-ranging vaccine mandate for workers in Australia’s Northern Territory, writing: “I’ve always said Australia is the Texas of the Pacific. The COVID tyranny of their current government is disgraceful & sad. Individual liberty matters.” The Northern Territory chief minister, Michael Gunner, then issued a statement Monday that effectively told Cruz he has no idea what he’s going on about. “We don’t need your lectures, thanks mate,” the chief minister wrote. “Nearly 70,000 Texans have tragically died from COVID. There have been zero deaths in the Territory. Did you know that?... You know nothing about us. And if you stand against a life-saving vaccine, then you sure as hell don’t stand with Australia.” Gunner concluded: “I love Texas (go Longhorns), but when it comes to COVID, I’m glad we are nothing like you.” Cruz has not responded to Gunner’s humbling message.
