I wonder if this is the Cruz daughter that tried to hurt herself?

[Laffy Kat]

I immediately thought about this clip when I heard the news. He obviously creeps her out. I know how she feels.

[Skittles]

1. horrible

I hope she will be OK

As much as I sympathize with anyone having to live with Ted Fucking Cruz, I wouldn't read too much into a brief clip of a cranky child...

[Laffy Kat]

4. In my mind it's more than a cranky child.

It's a little girl who is pushing away a father who is kissing her against her will. I can so relate to that situation. I think it's why that clip has stayed with me. Kids are so powerless.

[Skittles]

5. it's a terrible thing to accuse somone of without more proof than this clip

and believe me, I despise Ted Cruz

[Laffy Kat]

6. I'm not accusing him of anything, Skittles.

I'm pointing out that her father has pulled her up to him against her protests. That used to happen to me with male relatives--father included--and not only did I hate it, I had to feel guilty about hating it. Kids, especially little girls, have no personal agency.

[Skittles]

8. what I see is an asshole politiican using his kid for a photo op

and not very effectively.....

[NullTuples]

10. It's the same issue either way: consent

Yes, parents do a lot of things their kids don't consent to - often with good reason, especially when they're younger.
But once they are older and especially when they react that way, forced public physical displays of "affection" against their will raise red flags. So did his expression. I'm not accusing him of anything, I'm just saying that interaction creeped me out and raised my hackles.

[SheltieLover]

20. And this internalized lack of agency is likely why so many rapes go unreported.

[pnwmom]

18. At the very least he's using her for the cameras, which isn't good.

She's probably been a part of his act countless times.

[samnsara]

31. sounds like a pregnant child to me.....

..when one of my dtrs 14 yr old friends became pregnant and threatened suicide i drove her to the clinic myself....this was in the late 80s when abortion was safe legal and humane...

[Bucky]

15. Thank you

[cilla4progress]

2. I think

it is.

[elleng]

3. OH NO!!!

[ecstatic]

7. Yikes!

omg! OK I laughed, so yikes at my reaction too. I hope she's OK. I battled with depression as a kid too. My parents were no help whatsoever, but I found my way out through little victories here and there.

[applegrove]

9. God and she has him as a father if family therapy has to take place.

Vibes to her. I hope her pain is healed asap.

[Sympthsical]

11. Could we not?

Seriously. This is ugly and gross.

Suicide affects all kinds of families with all kinds of children. The parents could be the greatest parents in the universe and still have a child who dies of suicide. We never know what someone is dealing with, what their mental health may be like, what contributing factors are, etc. etc.

I've had two close family members die of suicide and plenty more in my social circles within the LGBT community.

Can people - just once - not be gross about such a serious issue that we're now going to start busting out media of a child to start speculating and passing judgements?

Just. Fucking. Once.

Delete this shit. If there's any decency at all.

[BlackSkimmer]

13. I agree.

Some of the responses here are vile.

[Sympthsical]

14. Shocked face

Who'd have thought?

Coincidentally, I'm about to take a final on women's mental health in a few (yes, at this hour).

Seeing the grossness is at least some nice personal motivation to do well with the topic since it's clear there are portions of humanity who will not make it easy for women - particularly adolescent girls - to have a moment's peace if they can help it.

We have shit to fling! And isn't what this is all about?

[BlackSkimmer]

22. I hear you.

There shouldn't be any threads about this poor child, but oh yes, there are.

Sad to see, but not surprised.

[LeftInTX]

24. I have got to wonder if they will be attentive to her needs

Ted totally lacks empathy

[Sympthsical]

25. I don't think

That wrapping up the crappiness that is poring over a political opponent's child's mental health issues with a cellophane mantle of signaled concern is as effective a look as it seems at first blush.

[Zeitghost]

40. Thank you

n/t

[Kennah]

12. I think that's the 11 year old. It was the 14 year old who attempted suicide.

[Bucky]

16. How horrible

Mental illness is everywhere and needs to be treated with compassion and love only.

I still remember when I read the news about George McGovern's daughter slow self destruction. The stresses of political life take a horrendous toll on the family life of politicians, regardless of party.

[Skittles]

19. oh dear, I remember Teresa

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/teresa-mcgovern-a-death-in-the-cold/2012/10/21/42ad26ca-1bde-11e2-ba31-3083ca97c314_story.html

[panader0]

33. Wow--I just finished that article. McGovern was my first vote, but I never knew about Teresa.

[Skittles]

34. I remember reading that article years ago

really struck a chord with me because of alcoholism and mental illness in my family

[Celerity]

23. that clip is almost 7 years old, it is from Feb 1, 2016

[honest.abe]

27. That makes no sense if that's his daughter.

She would be 7 years old in that vid if your date is correct. Clearly that girl is more than 7.

[Celerity]

28. well that is the date of the clip (well, technically the video is from January 31, 2016)

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/02/01/ted-cruz-and-his-daughter-are-incredibly-awkward_n_9130804.html

Link to tweet

[honest.abe]

36. I dont know. That girl looks older than 7 but maybe she is.

I thought she was walking but looking closer it appears someone is carrying her.

[rpannier]

17. Saw an article where a neighbor confirmed it is Cruz's daughter

[ZonkerHarris]

21. let it go.

[no_hypocrisy]

26. Some of the MAGA children just don't turn out "well":

Claudia Conway
Don Jr.
Ivanka
Eric

[AkFemDem]

30. There is quite a difference

Between growing up to be a horrible person with bad values and a sense of entitlement (eg the older Trump
Kids) and being non neuro-typical or having mental illness.

[AkFemDem]

29. Having a child who

Is touch averse and on the spectrum, this looks all too familiar. Parents who have children with touch aversion should know better than to foist touch on them- ESPECIALLY in a sensory loaded environment like being surrounded by crowds and cameras.

[AngryOldDem]

37. Exactly this.

My son is on the spectrum and this is exactly how he acted as a child. He’s gotten better as he’s gotten older, but he will never be demonstrative emotionally. But he has a big and kind heart, which is all that matters anyway. My daughter is also on the spectrum, and her issue is not picking up on emotional cues of others. She’s not demonstrative, either.

The child’s finger gestures in that clip make it clear to me that she has some form of autism or PPD, and Cruz didn’t pick up on it. I’m not conflating this with his daughter, and I don’t see the point, from my perspective, of the OP.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

32. Jesus Christ, this fuckin place

[BradAllison]

35. Of course, certain people are "offended" by this

They are so obvious.

Yesterday was a really, really bad day for them.....

[Sympthsical]

38. Imagine if this started up about Raskin's child

You'd be pissed at how awful people were being in that case.

Empathy isn't a conditional thing. If it is, it isn't empathy - it's opportunism.

Not everyone is completely broken by politics that that is all there is in this world.

And, for the record. I predicted Warnock by four yesterday, so it was a good day for me. Bonus: I never have to hear about Walker again. Not everyone sees this life purely through the political lens.

Occasionally we see other human beings and attempt to treat them as such.

Tribalism does quite the opposite.

[BlackSkimmer]

39. I don't see anyone "offended" by this.

I see decent people who think no one should gloat over a child’s distress.

[msfiddlestix]

41. ewwwe. what a sleaze for a father