Sen. Ted Cruz doubled-down Friday on his taunting criticism of chief rival Donald Trump's
"New York values" – offering, instead, an apology to "the millions of New Yorkers let down by the liberal politicians in that state."
The Texas lawmaker was cornered by reporters in South Carolina one day after Trump answered
Cruz's blast with an evocative tribute to the response of New Yorkers after the 9/11 terror attacks.
Asked if he wanted to say he was sorry, Cruz instead laid out things for which he'd rather apologize,
CNN reports.
"Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and [New York Gov.] Andrew Cuomo and [New York City Mayor] Bill de Blasio have all demanded an apology, and I'm happy to apologize," he said.
"I apologize to the millions of New Yorkers who have been let down by the liberal politicians in that state."
He then attacked Cuomo for his opposition to fracking, and de Blasio for his policies on taxes, charter schools and policing.
"I apologize to all the cops and the firefighters and 9/11 heroes who had no choice but to stand and turn their backs on Mayor de Blasio because Mayor de Blasio over and over again stands with the looters and the criminals rather than the brave men and women of blue," he said, CNN reports.
Separately, Cruz campaign spokeswoman Catherine Frazier responded to the growing criticism of the "New York values" insult in an email asking: "The question is, do we want our future leadership to look like that of New York City's?"
The Hill reports.
"Where the government mandates how much soda you can drink, where it is illegal to protect yourself with a firearm, and where its elected officials say that people who value unborn life aren’t welcome?"
"Or do we want our next president to embrace the values that get government out of the way, that reward hard work, that champion faith, family, and individual liberties?" Frazier added.
"There is no doubt that America wants more of the latter."
Frazier added: "It is Donald Trump who first said that his New York values are different from Iowa’s. That is what this is about — the values and principles that guide the candidates' positions and form their policies."
Meanwhile, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani joined the growing chorus of New York politicians offended by the Cruz remarks.
"After all we have been through as a city and as one undivided nation, to have a United States senator running for President paint New York as a city consumed with greed, sin and media obsession is shocking," Giuliani writes in
the New York Daily News.
"Sen. Ted Cruz should apologize to the people of New York for his remarks and to the people of the United States for his crass attempt to divide us."
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