CHARLOTTE, N.C. — During a Republican counter-convention press conference Thursday afternoon, Texas Republican Senate candidate Ted Cruz lamented the identity politics and demagoguery he believes has been a central force at this week’s Democratic National Convention.
Cruz blasted Democrats’ focus on individual groups, instead of on Americans as individuals, as divisive and unproductive.
“I think the biggest difference between the two conventions, last week and this week, is last week in Tampa every speaker worked to unite people, to bring us together on values that matter for all of us: freedom, opportunity, the belief that free men and free women can accomplish anything if given the chance,” he said.
Instead of focusing on unity, Cruz said,tDemocrats have been appealing to interest groups’ specific fears, scaring them into voting against Romney.
“This convention unfortunately endeavors to divide Americans,” the Romney surrogate said. “To take seniors and scare them — tell them that Medicare will be taken away — to tell Hispanics that we’re not welcome, I think that is a cynical strategy, and for a president who four years ago ran an inspirational, uplifting campaign. It is really sad how far it’s gone.”
He added that Vice President Joe Biden has been one of the administration officials at the forefront of fomenting that division.
“You think about this administration’s record: It really is contrary not just to the values of the American people, it’s contrary to the traditions of the Democratic party,” he said, recalling President John F. Kennedy’s tax cuts and President Bill Clinton’s reduction of the capital gains tax.
“Tonight Barack Obama will tell Americans that he wants to raise taxes,” Cruz added. “Now, he will use the strategy of division. He will just claim it’s on millionaires and billionaires, but he’s already passed a tax increase on every single American in Obamacare. On every American.”
“And you cannot find a credible economist that says when the economy is teetering on the back end of one recession and potentially entering another one, that it makes any sense to jack up taxes on job creators.”
