Ted Cruz’s tribute to Ronald Reagan goes hilariously wrong

Ronald Reagan, America’s 40th president, died 11 years ago today. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)—who, like every other Republican presidential candidate, wants to be seen as the next Reagan—marked the occasion by tweeting that he missed Reagan and asked his followers to share their favorite memories of the conservative movement’s hero.

We miss you, Mr. President. What is your favorite Reagan moment? pic.twitter.com/oWkQe0KNdG

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) June 5, 2015

But while conservatives remember Reagan’s presidency fondly, the rest of America remembers the things he did that his disciples would rather forget or mischaracterize. Cruz’s tweet offered Reagan’s critics the perfect opportunity to sound off with the requisite Twitter snark.

https://twitter.com/joebirbigs/status/606853745331339265

https://twitter.com/Blob_Fish/status/606839643506655232

https://twitter.com/Bro_Pair/status/606852267095035904

https://twitter.com/Bro_Pair/status/606846555992301568

https://twitter.com/Bro_Pair/status/606846709478658048

.@SenTedCruz when he invented crack to destroy low income communities.

— Godzilla Shammgodzilla (@FanSince09) June 5, 2015

@SenTedCruz @Bro_Pair His race-baiting presidential campaign kickoff at Neshoba County County Fair comes to mind… #gipper

— 47 Rhônen (@JohnQBoxler) June 5, 2015

https://twitter.com/asabat88/status/606850409249009666

https://twitter.com/MikeGianella/status/606850009087254528

https://twitter.com/ThisAlbumSucks/status/606847460678340608

https://twitter.com/MrE_Ben/status/606847091793534978

And then some flat-out macabre stuff.

https://twitter.com/RiosJose559/status/606838959696547840

But it’s worth remember that as much as Reagan did to promote a conservative vision for America and the world, there are still people on the extreme fringe of the right-wing movement who think he didn’t go far enough.

@SenTedCruz the one where he raised taxes. Oh nono, the one where he granted immigrants amnesty. Waitwait, the one where he didn’t send troo

— Bukayo Saka Liker (@3k_) June 5, 2015

Photo via ctbto/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)