Ted Cruz Mocked for 'Ridiculous' Pat Benatar Comment

Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas on Wednesday mentioned rock singer Pat Benatar while describing a fantasy scenario involving child sacrifice, which resulted in a flood of derisive social media posts directed at Cruz.

During an appearance on Joe Pags' syndicated talk show, Cruz was asked by the conservative host if the U.S. Senate would vote to convict President Joe Biden if he were ever to be impeached.

"I don't think Senate Democrats, if you had video of Joe Biden murdering children, dressed as the devil under a full moon while singing Pat Benatar, they still wouldn't vote to convict," Cruz said.

Video of his reply to Pags' question went viral, and Benatar's name trended high on Twitter Thursday as a result.

"This is laughably ridiculous. And what the hell did Pat Benatar ever do to Ted Cruz?" one Twitter user said.

Republican Accountability, a political initiative started by Republicans who oppose former President Donald Trump, posted a clip of Cruz's interview with Pags on Twitter.

"Speaking disrespectfully of Pat Benatar is one step too far Ted Cruz! You sir, have lost my vote," writer Mark Allen tweeted about the clip.

Some people, including comic book illustrator Darick Robertson, speculated that Cruz latched onto Benatar's name due to the singer's 1980 hit, "Hell Is for Children."

"He was probably thinking of 'Hell is for Children,' which, if he'd actually listened to the song, is anti-child abuse. But who cares about facts?" Robertson tweeted.

"There are so many black metal bands Ted Cruz could have used here, and yet his idea of satanic music is ... Pat Benatar," another Twitter user said.

"I'm still thinking about this. Ted Cruz graduated high school in 1988. Pat Benatar released albums consistently from 1979 throughout the '80s," author Ali Davis tweeted. "And apparently the WHOLE TIME, Young Ted was building up resentments to those hard-rock, murderous, Benatar-listening hooligans."

Multiple people made reference to Will Smith's altercation with Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards in 2022. While presenting at the ceremony, Rock made a joke about Smith's wife from the Oscars' stage. Smith responded by storming the stage and slapping the comedian. Smith then told Rock to "keep my wife's name out your f****** mouth!"

"Ted Cruz, KEEP PAT BENATAR'S NAME OUTYA DAMN MOUTH!" read one of the tweets that alluded to the slapping.

Cruz did have some defenders on social media, though.

"I loved Pat Benatar in the 80s," read one tweet. "But, forget about her for a second. What Ted Cruz said was 100% True."

Newsweek has reached out to Cruz and Benatar's management via email for comment.