Biden Spox Jen Psaki Cuts Down Reporter’s Question About Ted Cruz Cancun Saga

While Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s Cancun debacle has seemingly been all anyone could talk about for days, White House press secretary Jen Psaki was apparently in no mood to field questions about the saga when asked.

During a press briefing aboard Air Force One en route to Kalamazoo, Psaki delivered detailed responses to issues like the U.S. relationship with China and Russia, the coronavirus vaccination plan, the Iran nuclear deal, and others.

But toward the end of the gaggle, there was one question she did not appear interested in engaging.

“Have you talked to the President at all about how Senator Cruz has been handling the situation in Texas and, sort of, the backlash around his travel to Mexico and back?” Psaki was asked.

“I can assure you that with millions of people in Texas still suffering, we’re not spending any time, energy, or breath analyzing Senator Cruz’s whereabouts or his — or his group chat,” she responded.

On the other hand, that ostensible refusal to engage the Cruz debacle cut to the heart of the outrage surrounding it — that Cruz jetted off to Cancun while millions of Texans continued to suffer. Although closely intertwined, the backlash against Cruz at times seemed to veer away from concern about the suffering in Texas in favor of dunking on the senator.

Cruz took a very public beating on Thursday when photos began circulating that purported to show the senator jetting off to Cancun while his home state remained (and remains) in the throes of a deadly winter weather disaster, photos  of a trip that was later confirmed, and which Cruz tried to pass off as an overnight drop-off that was forced on him by his daughters, which he later admitted was planned to last the remainder of the week.

The leaking of group texts between Heidi Cruz and some neighbors added to the intrigue.