Cruz blames Obama for worsening racial tensions but offers no solutions

Cruz blames Obama for worsening racial tensions but offers no solutions

Cruz bashes Obama, offers no solutions of his own

Ted Cruz, a Republican candidate for president in 2016, had a 90-minute interview on Wednesday in which he was asked how would he deal with the violence in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody, a situation that has garnered worldwide attention.

“President Obama, when he was elected, he could have been a unifying figure,” Cruz said. “He’s made decisions that I think have inflamed racial tensions — that have divided us rather than bringing us together.”

The interview was with Javier Palomarez, president and chief executive of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. It clearly was an attempt for Cruz to reach out to the Hispanic community.

Palmoarez twice tried to get Cruz to directly answer the question being asked: what solution would you as president propose for America’s racial tensions?

Under such duress, Cruz made vague comments about the need for changes in the criminal justice system that arrested minorities at higher rates than whites. He then went on to discuss the “vilification of law enforcement.”

However, for the most part, he used this opportunity to insult President Obama.

“He has exacerbated racial misunderstanding, racial tensions. From back at the beer summit to a series of efforts to pit Americans against each other,” Cruz said.

Cruz tried to blame Baltimore on the Obama administration by digging up an old quote that Vice President Joe Biden said while on the campaign trail. Biden said that if Obama lost, the Republicans are “going to put you back in chains.”

“That is deliberately dividing and inflaming tensions,” Cruz said.

When asked to specifically explain how Obama has made tensions worse, Crus responded “He has not used his role as president to bring us together. He has exacerbated racial misunderstandings, racial tensions.”

It is characteristic of Cruz to provide no real content in his comments. In general, he merely repeats catchy sound bites and expressions of how American he is.

When asked after the interview what Palomarez thought of Cruz, the executive dutifully gave Cruz credit for seeking his Chamber as a way to connect with Hispanics. Yet, he also politely pointed out Cruz’s lack of solutions.

“The real question was what would he as president do, not what does he think President Obama has done wrong,” said Palomarez.

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