De Blasio: Trump 'Doing The Bidding Of Our Enemies,' Trump Calls De Blasio Worst Mayor In US
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio fired back Monday after Donald Trump called him the worst mayor in the country.
De Blasio first took a shot at the Republican presidential candidate when he tried to create a link with his audience Thursday, via his own family connections, during an address to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Washington.
"My father, Fred was always a big supporter,"(of Israel), Trump said.
His daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism. "The only bad news is I can't get her on Saturday," he said. "I call and call. I can't speak to my daughter anymore on Saturday!"
Trump didn't hesitate to invoke traditional Jewish stereotypes either.
As the New York Times reported, he made an attempt at flattery while discussing President Barack Obama's deal with Iran.
"Look, I'm a negotiator, like you folks," he said.
Trump also cited his thrifty approach to campaign advertising.
"I think you, as business-people, will feel pretty good about this, and respect it," he said.
In a statement on Sunday, de Blasio said said Trump's comments were based on "hateful stereotypes of the Jewish community" and have no place in our society.
"Donald Trump will go down as one of the worst demagogues in recent U.S. political history," de blasio said. "As with other shameful outbursts he has had about many ethnic groups, they are nothing short of dangerous."
Trump responded on Twitter Monday writing, "N.Y.C. has the worst Mayor in the United States. I hate watching what is happening with the dirty streets, the homeless and crime! Disgrace."
"Look, I don't care what he says about me," de Blasio told CNN Monday. "Here's what I'm concerned about – he goes before a Republican Jewish group the other day and starts using age-old horrible stereotypes of Jewish people out loud, and the kinds of stereotypes that have undercut the Jewish community for centuries. He says Muslims should be put on a list. We don't put people on a list – we don't put whole populations of people on a list in the United States of America, in a democracy. What he's saying is corrosive to our democratic values. It's dangerous. And I'll call him out, and I think more and more people are saying, you know what? It used to be to some people entertaining – it's not entertaining anymore, it's dangerous."
De Blasio went on to say Trump is falling into ISIS' playbook by being divisive.
"So it's time to say that, in fact, what Donald Trump is doing in one way or another is doing the bidding of our enemies, because we – our enemies, in particular ISIS, wants to see the American people divided, for example, against the Muslim-American community," de Blasio said. "That's the ISIS game plan, and what Trump is saying is falling right into that game plan."
New Yorkers recently expressed disappointment in the mayor's efforts to curb what they see as a burgeoning homeless problem. A New York Times/Siena College poll released last month found that 62 percent disapprove of how de Blasio is handling the homeless, while 29 percent approve.
On Nov. 18, de Blasio unveiled a $2.6 billion program to deal with the city's growing homeless problem. It aims to create 15,000 new housing units for the homeless over the next 15 years, and offer social services such as mental and physical health care, and substance abuse programs.
De Blasio later said one of his "greatest failures" was not adequately explaining the homelessness issue to the public, and making them understand he is addressing it.
