What New Yorkers Think About Their Values
Ted Cruz has some ideas. New Yorkers have others.
— -- Sen. Ted Cruz may have used "New York values" as a punchline at earlier points in the campaign, but he's now scrambling to clarify his vague remarks less than two weeks before the state’s primary.
Even though Cruz never mentioned any names when taking shots at the state's “values,” the people “I was talking about are the liberal New York Democrats who have hammered this state,” he told ABC News this morning.
But when ABC News asked a random selection of people at New York's Grand Central Station today what they thought epitomized "New York values," their answers had little to do with politics.
They mentioned ambition and curiosity, also describing New Yorkers as energetic, accommodating, open and interesting.
Two people characterized New Yorkers as hardworking and fun.
Long Islander Tom Rottenberger, who was in the South Tower of the World Trade Center when one of the planes hit during the Sept. 11 attacks, took issue with the "over-simplification" of Cruz's comments.
"To attack [New York] based on some very close-minded views is just insulting," Rottenberger said.
"I mean, not that it's going to matter much, because I don't think he'll go far," Rottenberger said of Cruz.
Native New Yorker Donald Trump offered his take on Cruz’s comments at a Long Island rally Wednesday night.
"Do you remember during the debate, when [Cruz] started lecturing me on New York values, like we're no good,” Trump said. “And I started talking to him about the World Trade Center, the bravery, the incredible bravery of everybody, our police, firemen, our everybody.”