Ted Cruz fancies himself a pop culture aficionado, although he generally misses the point, as he did with The Avengers and while completely misreading some evil environmentalist message into Watchmen. That’s consistent with his tendency to self-own on most subjects, although it was almost sad when he declared himself a The Princess Bride superfan and then completely fell on his face while feuding with the likes of Cary Elwes. Yet Ted is nothing if not persistent, which is why people are scratching their heads at his newest reference that makes zero sense.
Ted decided to mention Jason Bourne for some unknown reason while reacting to a “Humans of the CIA” video, in which a woman makes mention of her “intersectional” identity. Ted picked up the ball and ran with it, although it’s unclear what his goal was, other than to say that the woman in the video wouldn’t be intimidating enough to China, Iran, or North Korea? He then sarcastically (?) added, “We’ve come a long way from Jason Bourne.”
If you’re a Chinese communist, or an Iranian Mullah, or Kim Jong Un…would this scare you?
We’ve come a long way from Jason Bourne. https://t.co/HW8Eh9UdXa
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 4, 2021
This, of course, led people to wonder if Ted realizes that Jason Bourne (embodied by Matt Damon in five movies and a late 1980s take starring Richard Chamberlain, all of were adapted from Robert Ludlum’s novel-born character) is fictional. Surely Ted realizes that much, right? People weren’t in the mood to give Ted the benefit of the doubt, though. That’s probably because Ted didn’t articulate his point well, and for that matter, he failed to make any point at all. It’s clear, at the very least, that he doesn’t understand that Jason Bourne wasn’t, you know, a role model… he was brainwashed and molded into an assassin. Then again, Ted Cruz considers Watchmen‘s Rorschach to be a hero, so it’s safe to say that he didn’t think the Bourne reference through.
On today’s episode of Ted Cruz clearly understanding who the good guys are: pic.twitter.com/AMBcm5FX3W
— Rivers (@DrFrostyWalrus) May 4, 2021
Jason Bourne is a fictional character who illegally assassinated people after being programmed to do so through torture. Also, guys who flee their state to go to Mexico during an ice storm because it’s mildly inconvenient should just take a seat on “toughness” #FatWolverine
— Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) May 4, 2021
Ted Cruz probably saw a Jason Bourne movie on his way to Cancun. https://t.co/BaCFLv979L
— Wajahat “Fasting” Ali (@WajahatAli) May 4, 2021
Ted thinks the Jason Bourne movies were documentaries… yikes
— Dad Jokes Panda (@TrashPandaFTW) May 4, 2021
Good point about how we’ve come a long way from movies.
— Cody Johnston (@drmistercody) May 4, 2021
Ted Cruz finding out Jason Bourne is a fictional character pic.twitter.com/IcEWeVM2uC
— Washington Post TikTok Guy (@davejorgenson) May 4, 2021
Why am I not surprised that Ted Cruz thinks Jason Bourne is a real person
— Santiago Mayer (@santiagomayer_) May 4, 2021
Ted Cruz taking a minute for himself after he realizes Jason Bourne is played by Matt Damon who also played the guy who bought a zoo: pic.twitter.com/jFeb1ClzCN
— Pat Cunnane (@PatCunnane) May 4, 2021