Cruz. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

During the Republican campaign, Donald Trump attacked Ted Cruz’s father and wife and branded him “Lyin’ Ted,” and Cruz attempted to demonstrate his manhood by declaring, “Donald, you sniveling coward.” But times have changed, and now Cruz has been called upon to write a public tribute in Time magazine to the man who bullied him and attacked his family.

In his entry for the magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2018, Cruz omits such Trumpian achievements as getting to the bottom of the Kennedy assassination and marrying a hotter babe than Ted Cruz could snag. Instead, he credits Trump with triggering the liberals:

President Trump is a flash-bang grenade thrown into Washington by the forgotten men and women of America. The fact that his first year as Commander in Chief disoriented and distressed members of the media and political establishment is not a bug but a feature.

The same cultural safe spaces that blinkered coastal elites to candidate Trump’s popularity have rendered them blind to President Trump’s achievements on behalf of ordinary Americans. While pundits obsessed over tweets, he worked with Congress to cut taxes for struggling families. While wealthy celebrities announced that they would flee the country, he fought to bring back jobs and industries to our shores. While talking heads predicted Armageddon, President Trump’s strong stand against North Korea put Kim Jong Un back on his heels.

President Trump is doing what he was elected to do: disrupt the status quo. That scares the heck out of those who have controlled Washington for decades, but for millions of Americans, their confusion is great fun to watch.

Now that is some sniveling cowardice. Literally every single sentence of this tribute, which I have reproduced in its entirety, mentions the fact that some enemy of the Republican tribe is upset. The Washington Establishment, wealthy celebrities (Trump himself not included), pundits, and on and on, Cruz argues that Trump is great because he triggers their enemies.

But the thing is, Trump has also triggered Ted Cruz.