New York gubernatorial candidate and former “Sex and The City” star Cynthia Nixon defended running campaign advertisements on the anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks.
Nixon appeared on WNYC’s “The Brian Lehrer Show” on Tuesday and addressed the controversy.
“You are getting a knock from a few reporters today … which is a time that most politicians don’t run ads,” Lehrer noted.
Nixon justified the ads, explaining that they are “a very positive message” and focus on her goal to “come together” as New Yorkers.
“We are running ads that are a very positive message about my vision for New York state — a vision for all of us, a New York in which we can end cash bail, a New York in which we can have single payer health care and 100-percent renewable energy,” the candidate said.
“To me, there is no more patriotic thing that we can be doing on 9/11 than coming together [with] ads showing all different kinds of New Yorkers from all walks of life coming together wanting a New York that works for all of us,” she said.
A union representing New York City’s EMTs and paramedics criticized Nixon for running ads on 9/11, stating, “We call upon Ms. Nixon to immediately cancel those advertisements which should not be running on a day of remembrance for our state and country.”
“The State of New York, out of respect for the sanctity of the day moved the primary election from 9/11 to 9/13. Why should any political candidate cheapen the meaning of this remembrance day by running self-serving political advertising?”
The Nixon campaign did not return a request for comment.
The Daily Caller News Foundation’s Joe Simonson also contributed to this report.