Al Franken is making money off of Ted Cruz's current unpopularity
AlFranken.com
The Cancun controversy embroiling Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is benefiting former Minnesota senator Al Franken.
Cruz is on the receiving end of widespread condemnation after flying to Mexico for a family vacation while his state is dealing with a historic winter storm that has knocked out power, heating, and water supplies for millions of residents, resulting in the deaths of 36 people so far.
The senator – who has already faced calls to resign this year for being one of the most prominent voices in calls to overturn Joe Biden's election win, sparking the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 – flew back to Texas on Thursday as news of his trip spread, and admitted his decision to leave was "obviously a mistake."
Reaping the rewards of Cruz's latest moment in the national spotlight is Al Franken, whose disdain for his former senate colleague was famously described in his 2017 autobiography.
One particular passage that has been resurrected several times since its release is as follows: "I like Ted Cruz more than most of my other colleagues like Ted Cruz. And I hate Ted Cruz."
Franken has been selling mugs carrying that quote at The Al Franken Podcast online store since Nov. 9, and Cruz's current scandal has apparently seen sales go through the roof.
"My 'I Hate Ted Cruz' mugs are flying off the shelf! Could it be because Ted showed us once again that he’s a liar and a putz?!" Franken tweeted on Friday.
Franken announced his resignation from the U.S. Senate in December 2017, after being the subject of allegations of inappropriate touching by eight women, with Franken saying "some of the allegations against me are simply not true, others I remember very differently."
