I can only explain it to you as it was intended. I can't understand it for you. Cruz explained his comment and it is not what you posted.
I worked in marketing for 40 years and taught communications at the college level. Perceptions are always, always more influential with the electorate than good intentions gone awry (assuming good intentions, which I don't -- he was trying to land a grenade on Trump and it backfired in his own face).
Even if your assertion were true, bad communications are those that have to be explained later. Good communications are understood immediately without resistance or do-overs. He messed up. Accept it. He has a jealous, envious, spiteful and disrespectful streak towards people he regards as his rightful inferiors that he needs to heal in order to succeed better in the future. I wish him well.