Ted Cruz Makes Himself the Victim of His Attack on New York Values

Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 06:42 pm

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So the Republican candidate from Canada who is being attacked for not being a real American said on a New Hampshire radio show this past week that Donald Trump embodies “New York values,” a Palinesque attack that means in Cruz’s mind, New Yorkers aren’t really Americans.

That is some funny stuff. But it’s what Ted Cruz is selling.

Ted Cruz Attacks ‘Ultra-Liberal’ New York To Get to Ultra-Conservative Trump . Think about that for a second. There, you already beat Ted Cruz in the thinking department. I mean, he had to work pretty hard to squeeze that one out, didn’t he?

“New York values,” was defined by him at Thursday night’s debate as “socially liberal, pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage and focus around money and the media.”

“Focus on the media,” huh? He’s the guy who belongs to the political party with its own media network, Fox News. And he was on Fox at the time he offered that definition, serving his masters.

And you’ve got to love the “focus on money” charge from a guy who illegally hid a huge New York loan, don’t you?

It has been suggested Cruz went too far by attacking “New York values.” Donald Trump said at Thursday’s debate that it was a “very insulting statement.” And look at the response of the New York Daily News:

drop-dead-ted

The Cruz campaign has tried to blow it off as much ado about nothing, with Benjy Sarlin of MSNBC telling us:

Cruz’s campaign aides pointed out the obvious after the debate: The supposed backlash over “New York values” likely looks a lot more widespread than it is because the national news media is concentrated in New York. Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, who moderated the debate, even mentioned her New York roots in her question to Cruz on the topic.

“I understand why the New York media defends New York — that’s fine, I love New York,” Cruz spokesman Rick Tyler told reporters on Thursday. “They are a little sensitive.”

And in an email signed by Cruz’s wife Heidi we see Cruz turned into a victim by the whole thing he started:

“It’s getting bad. Time is running short before the Iowa Caucus and we are being attacked from every angle by the liberal media. Look no further then the obscenity featured on this morning’s cover of the New York Daily News telling Ted to ‘Drop Dead!'”

Right. After he attacked their values. Cruz opened his mouth and the New York Daily News cover tumbled out. Cause, effect. Republicans have never been good at that.

Why all the talk about New York values anyway? As Cruz’s email response shows, the real problem is Republican values. They have none.

Of course, it’s not like the rogue Texan found himself alone.

Sean Hannity was more than happy to jump on the Cruz bandwagon Friday on Premiere Radio Networks’ The Sean Hannity Show:

“But Ted Cruz is right in his sense. I live in New York, and it — you know for those of you that don’t live in New York, I gotta tell you something. You have no idea what it’s like to live under communism. We have Comrade De Blasio.”

And Bill O’Reilly offered more of the same on Friday’s The O’Reilly Factor:

BILL O’REILLY (HOST): Look, I’m a New Yorker, too. When Cruz says New York values, I’m not offended. I understand that this city is an ultra-liberal city. Who’s the mayor? Mao Zedong. That’s who is the mayor now.

GERALDO RIVER (GUEST): Well, that may be

O’REILLY: Who is the mayor of new York? Come on.

What these clowns (and Cruz) don’t understand is it’s not just the New York Media. By Thursday night, the hashtag #NewYorkValues had more than 70,000 tweets. Yet, when demanded he apologize, Cruz continued his attack, saying,

“Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and Andrew Cuomo and Bill de Blasio have all demanded an apology and I am happy to apologize. I apologize to the millions of New Yorkers who have been let down by liberal politicians in that state.”

It appears Cruz is determined to ride his “New York values” line wherever it takes him. He’s positioned himself as God’s champion, after all. It isn’t like he’s left himself any wiggle room.

You either represent Iowa or New York and he’s chosen the state with far fewer voters. In fact, Iowa has 3 million people and New York City alone has 8 million of New York state’s 19 million people. Do the math when you ask whether he made a mistake.

Just keep in mind, as you do your sums, this is Republican math.

Photo: Screen capture, ABCNews

Hrafnkell Haraldsson


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