The View Scolds Ted Cruz Over Big Bird Vaccination Flap

Texas Senator Ted Cruz found himself in The View's crosshairs this morning after he labeled a tweet from Sesame Street's Big Bird "propaganda" over the weekend.

Cruz was responding to a post on Big Bird's official Twitter account Saturday morning in which the Sesame Street character announced that he'd gotten the COVID vaccine, writing that his wing was "feeling a little sore, but it'll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.”

"Government propaganda... for your 5 year old!" wrote Cruz later that afternoon, handing the The View panel a nice slab of red meat, which they vigorously chomped down this morning as the daytime talk show show kicked off a new week.

"I think the fact that he didn't watch Sesame Street is apparent from the way he lives his life," offered Sara Haines, who pointed out that the show has been airing episodes aimed at calming children's fears over getting shots for fifty years now, under governments of both parties.

"Why is this propaganda, but to tell (kids) about measles vaccination is not propaganda, I don't get that." added Joy Behar. "It's only this particular vaccine that they claim is propaganda."

"Why die on this hill?" asked an incredulous Sunny Hostin, who explained that Big Bird — as a six year-old — just became eligible to get the COVID vaccine last week, so "it makes perpect sense that (he) got the vaccine." (Her point is well taken, although it went unmentioned that there's no evidence that birds can get COVID.)

TED CRUZ SAYS BIG BIRD VACCINATION IS ‘PROPAGANDA’: The senator claimed that children are getting “government propaganda” from #SesameStreet’s Big Bird after the character’s Twitter posted about vaccines — the co-hosts and @MorganOrtagus react. https://t.co/cVclFZyKV0 pic.twitter.com/PKHrPtGQ49

— The View (@TheView) November 8, 2021

Guest panelist (and State Department spokesperson under the Trump Administration) Morgan Ortagus struck a more conciliatory tone, offering that while she herself "of course" got the vaccine, "vaccines are so intimidating, so let's have a conversation — not make people feel like an idiot for not getting it — but help them get educated."

"Here's the thing to remember," said Whoopi Goldberg, getting in the last word. "This is Big Bird talking to litle kids about getting the shot in their arm. They're not going to walk up to the doctor's office and say 'give me a shot.' A parent needs to bring them. But kids need to know what's happening and why.... So leave Big Bird alone!"

Elsewhere on The View... It was an inauspicious start for Morgan Ortagus, whose two-day tryout in The View's fifth seat began with Whoopi Goldberg seemingly flummoxed by her last name, introducing her simply as "Morgan." In stark contrast to Michele Tafoya last week, Ortagus was a quiet presence on the panel, speaking most passionately about being "enormously proud" of the Trump Administaton's role in operation warp speed. Day 2 tomorrow.

Jed Rosenzweig is the Founder and Publisher of Primetimer.