A CNN journalist took Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) to task Thursday for continuing to use “New York values” as an attack on presidential rival Donald Trump, saying the remarks are a thinly veiled anti-Semitic slur.
“Let’s be honest. He said, New york values are about money and they’re about the media,” CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said. “That’s an anti-Semitic trope from 100 years, it’s been around for a very long time, everyone in the whole country understands what he was saying.”
CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer responded Cruz has said the remarks are about Democratic politicians, citing Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY).
“Oh really,” Toobin said sarcastically. “They have nothing to do with money and media. Money and media is Jews. This is just an old-fashioned anti-Semitic stereotype, a derogatory term, and everyone understands it.”
The Texas senator started using the line earlier this year, when he said in a victory speech that when he campaigns around the country, voters understand “what New York values are,” an attack on Trump, a New York native.
“Everyone understands that the values in New York City are socially liberal or pro-abortion or pro-gay marriage. Focus [is] around money and the media,” Cruz said in January.
Cruz has only doubled down on the remarks while campaigning ahead of the New York primary, saying he doesn’t “remotely” regret the attack.
But Cruz hasn’t received an especially warm reception in New York City. His visit to a Bronx charter school on Wednesday was cancelled after the students threatened to walk out over Cruz’s “misogynistic, homophobic, and racist” views.
Watch Toobin’s remarks via YouTube:
Gee, what a surprise, Blitzer “immediately responded”. Not.
Blitzer: “Gotta defend the GOPer! Gotta defend the GOPer! Or at least make it look like I am!” This is the sort of crap Blitzer and Todd pull when a GOPer is attacked but when it is a Democrat they quickly move on to the next topic or conveniently run out of time to say anything. Stephanopolos is also quite famous for doing this.
In 11 days, I’m going to be showing Bernie Sanders what I think of his unwarranted attack on Hillary’s qualifications. I dearly hope my Republican friends and neighbors will be showing the gasbag Cruz what they think about his attack on our values. Despite my feelings about Trump, I can’t imagine anyone less deserving of elected office than Ted Cruz.
The “New York values” line is despicable, unconscionable, and unpresidential. But I don’t know that Cruz is anti-Semitic…he’s just an a$$hole to anyone who doesn’t share his opinions.
I don’t think “New York values” is an antisemitic comment. I’ve never heard of that and it’s odd that if was as universal a slur as Toobin says that it took near a month for it to draw ire. Cruz is a lot of things but I don’t think he’s an anti-Semite.
It’s not all that. The comment reefers to Liberal values. Hard core GOP’ers consider NYC a festering liberal den and calling it that plays well with their base. Same for California. Both those states have voted GOP’ers out of statewide office and can move on without that drag.