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Liam O'Dell
Aug 10, 2021
In the latest edition of politicians engaging in false equivalence, controversial congressman Madison Cawthorn tried to compare Barack Obama’s birthday bash to the outcry over Republican Ted Cruz’s visit to Mexico in February – right when his constituency of Texas was facing a weather crisis which left more than 100 people dead.
Cawthorn, a North Carolina representative who once described a visit to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest vacation house as “such a good time”, made the remarks on Monday, after the former president celebrated turning 60 at his home at Martha’s Vineyard on Saturday.
Writing on Twitter, Cawthorn said: “Democrats were outraged when Ted Cruz took a trip to Cancun, but remain silent about Obama’s birthday bash… funny how that works.”
People reports that black masks were provided for guests - though many chose not to wear them – but mandatory for those staffing the celebration, which was “scaled back” due to concerns over the Delta variant of the coronavirus.
They add that a medical professional was consulted to ensure all Covid guidance was adhered to, and that the outdoor event was attended by around 200 people – all of whom were family and close friends.
Meanwhile, David Axelrod, a former Obama adviser, told The New York Times that guests – which reportedly included celebrities such as John Legend, Alicia Keys, Oprah Winfrey and couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z – were asked if they had been vaccinated, and to provide a negative Covid test ahead of the event.
In contrast, Cruz decided to jet off to Mexico in February, right when Texas was facing a major disaster after storms hit the US state. He was memed, forced to return to Texas following a backlash and later nicknamed ‘Cancun Cruz’ – which he clearly didn’t like.
So, when you put it like that, it really isn’t funny at all.
Twitter didn’t see the funny side, either:
Looks like the only bash taking place here is Twitter users pointing out the flaws in Cawthorn’s tweet.