In the red corner: second-term Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, fresh from a bout with former Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner over COVID-19 policy. In the, er, other red corner: Elmo, a small, fuzzy, allegedly three-and-a-half-year-old Muppet.
Yes, it seems like everyone’s least favourite US Senator (with the possible exception of his immediate family) is at it again, only this time he’s picking fights not with Australian politicians but with the cast of Sesame Street.
In a video from Sesame Workshop, Elmo and his Dad Louie talked about getting the jab, with Elmo showing off his “super duper bandages” and Louie addressing parents directly, saying he’d had “a lot of questions”.
“Was it safe? Was it the right decision? I talked to our paediatrician so I could make the right choice. I learned that Elmo getting vaccinated is the best way to keep himself, our friends, neighbours and everyone else healthy and enjoying the things they love,” the grown-up monster said.
Enter Ted Cruz, who’d already complained about Big Bird being vaccinated earlier this year and was now gunning for Elmo.
“Thanks, @sesamestreet for saying parents are allowed to have questions! You then have @elmo aggressively advocate for vaccinating children UNDER 5. But you cite ZERO scientific evidence for this,” he fumed on Twitter.
Perhaps we might suggest Mr Cruz go back to picking on people his own size – or failing that, actually doing his job?
