Cruz Fires Back at Newspaper With His Own Cartoon

Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz, who frequently criticizes the mainstream corporate news media, has released a cartoon depicting two major newspapers as dogs on a leash held by Hillary Clinton.

Yahoo reported that the Texas senator was angry at The Washington Post for publishing a cartoon of the candidate, as an organ grinder, with leashed monkeys representing his daughters. The artist was lampooning Cruz for having used the two young girls in a television advertisement aired during “Saturday Night Live.” One of his daughters slammed Hillary Clinton in the clip.

Yahoo speculated that Cruz had multiple motives for responding with his own cartoon, which ridiculed the Post and The New York Times. He was able to make his point about the newspapers while also suggesting that Clinton receives preferential campaign coverage. The senator may already be looking forward to a possible general-election contest against the former secretary of state, who holds a commanding lead over Bernie Sanders in national polls of Democratic primary voters.

Cruz, a first-term lawmaker once considered a longshot for the presidency, has risen to second place in most recent polls of Republican voters. While Donald Trump continues to lead the race, Cruz has a slight edge in Iowa, where the first votes in the nominating process will be cast on Feb. 1.

Photo: Salon