Paper pulls cartoon showing Cruz's children

David Jackson | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Cruz responds to cartoon of daughters as monkeys A Washington Post editorial cartoon portrayed Ted Cruz's daughters as monkeys. The cartoon was later taken down. Video provided by Newsy

The Washington Post has pulled a cartoon that depicted Ted Cruz's two daughters as trained monkeys, a response to a Cruz ad featuring his children.

"It’s generally been the policy of our editorial section to leave children out of it," said a note from Post editorial page editor Fred Hiatt. "I failed to look at this cartoon before it was published. I understand why (the cartoonist) thought an exception to the policy was warranted in this case, but I do not agree."

Washington Post retracts cartoon that depicts Cruz's daughters as trained monkeys: https://t.co/Bqx9O9GB4T pic.twitter.com/dk49MA5tnG — The Hill (@thehill) December 23, 2015

Among the critics of the cartoon: Cruz himself.

"Classy," the Texas senator said in a Twitter post. "@washingtonpost makes fun of my girls. Stick w/ attacking me--Caroline & Catherine are out of your league."

Classy. @washingtonpost makes fun of my girls. Stick w/ attacking me--Caroline & Catherine are out of your league. https://t.co/N61ys6z8w1 — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 22, 2015

Cruz also sent out a fundraising appeal based on the cartoon with the headline "They attacked my children!" and calling on supporters to "help me fight back."

The cartoonist, Ann Telnaes, noted that Cruz used his children in an ad attacking President Obama, Hillary Clinton and other Democrats.

"Ted Cruz has put his children in a political ad- don't start screaming when editorial cartoonists draw them as well," she said on Twitter.

Ted Cruz has put his children in a political ad- don't start screaming when editorial cartoonists draw them as well. https://t.co/7hafBacOiK — Ann Telnaes (@AnnTelnaes) December 22, 2015

Even some of Cruz's political opponents criticized the cartoon and the defense of it.

Said Marco Rubio on Twitter: "Wash Post cartoon featuring @tedcruz’s children is disgusting. The Post saying the kids are 'fair game' is even worse."

Wash Post cartoon featuring @tedcruz’s children is disgusting. The Post saying the kids are “fair game” is even worse. — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 23, 2015

The ad that inspired the cartoon features Cruz -- who once read Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham from the Senate floor during a filibuster — reading faux holiday stories to his daughters, with political titles like "How Obamacare Stole Christmas."

Another "story" took a shot at Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton: "The Grinch Who Lost Her E-Mails."

Cruz, meanwhile, has sent out a fundraising e-mail off the flap, telling supports the Post has "declared my daughters 'fair game.'"