Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz appears to think Big Bird is a government plant.
The "Sesame Street" staple announced Saturday that he had gotten his COVID-19 vaccine, just days after the FDA approved the Pfizer shot for children ages 5-11.
“My wing is feeling a little sore, but it’ll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy,” the supersized bird tweeted.
It was seemingly a joyous enough celebration for the childhood icon, who is perpetually 6 years old. But conservative politicians and pundits weren’t so pleased.
“Government propaganda…for your 5 year old!” Cruz tweeted, apparently unaware that Big Bird is not actually on the White House payroll.
Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe falsely claimed that children are not at risk from COVID-19, while Newsmax host Steve Cortes similarly accused the kids’ program of “propaganda.”
"Sesame Street," of course, is not government propaganda but rather a product of nonprofit organization Sesame Workshop, which is explained on its website as “a community built on diversity, equity, and inclusion, where creators, educators, partners, and unforgettable characters come together on a mission to help kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.”
Big Bird specifically has been advocating for vaccinations since at least the 1970s and even pointed out Saturday that he has been “getting vaccines since I was a little bird.”
Elmo also announced Saturday that he plans to get his shot “soon.”
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