Was Ted Cruz Talking About the Jews When He Slammed ‘New York Values’?
Image by Getty Images
(JTA) — In the very first episode of “The West Wing,” some of the president’s advisers engage in a heated argument with a group of Christian activists. Among the advisers are two of the show’s most prominent Jewish characters: White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler (played by Richard Schiff) and the Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (played by Bradley Whitford).
One of the Christian lobbyists — who had recently clashed with Josh on national television — accuses the White House staff of employing a “New York sense of humor” and thinking they’re “so much smarter” than everyone else.
“She meant Jewish,” Toby says with a sarcastic grin, “When she said ‘New York sense of humor.’”
Now, some are interpreting Sen. Ted Cruz’s invocation of “New York values” at Thursday night’s Republican presidential debate in a similar way.
Cruz accused Donald Trump, a New York City native whom he trails by about over 10 percentage points in national polls, of having such values during a night of sparring between the two candidates. He had made the accusation repeatedly in the week leading up to the debate.
“There are many, many wonderful working men and women in the state of New York. But everyone understands that the values in New York City are socially liberal, pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage and focus on money and the media,” Cruz said to the crowd at the Fox Business Network debate in South Carolina.
Trump came to New York’s defense, citing its response to the Sept. 11 attacks.
“When the World Trade Center came down, I saw something that no place on Earth could have handled more beautifully, more humanely than New York,” Trump said to applause. “We rebuilt downtown Manhattan, and everybody in the world watched and everybody in the world loved New York and loved New Yorkers.”
Trump is not Jewish, but he does have plenty of Jewish ties, including to his daughter, Ivanka Trump.
Jezebel writer Joanna Rothkopf slammed Cruz’s rhetoric as anti-Semitic on Friday, comparing him to an “in-house comic at Fuhrer headquarters.”
“Babe, just say what you mean: Jewish, black, gay values,” Rothkopf wrote.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news. All donations are still being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000 until April 24.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
