Cruz slams CNN for graphic saying he was ‘afraid’ of network

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Thursday fired back after a CNN graphic accused him of being afraid to appear on the network, noting the town hall debates in which he’s participated over the past year.

Cruz responded to a tweet from CNN media correspondent Brian Stelter, who posted a screenshot of a graphic the network broadcast during the network’s morning news program, “New Day.”

“‘What are they afraid of?’ CNN calling out @FLGovScott, @TedCruz, @MarcoRubio for avoiding interviews,” Stelter wrote, prompting Cruz’s response less than an hour later.

“What are they afraid of?” CNN calling out @FLGovScott, @TedCruz, @MarcoRubio for avoiding interviews pic.twitter.com/cizvTyU5XP

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 15, 2018

“Gosh, I seem to recall doing not 1, not 2, but THREE town hall debates w/ @BernieSanders on @CNN Each 90 min long. You can accuse me of many things, but being afraid of CNN is not one of them….,” Cruz shot back.

Gosh, I seem to recall doing not 1, not 2, but THREE town hall debates w/ @BernieSanders on @CNN Each 90 min long. You can accuse me of many things, but being afraid of CNN is not one of them…. https://t.co/we6HBY0oQ9

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 15, 2018

{mosads}Cruz has appeared on CNN for town halls with Sanders as the two 2016 presidential candidates have debated tax reform and health care. The town halls occurred in February, October and November 2017.

During an appearance on another network early Thursday, Cruz accused Democrats of seizing on mass shootings to push a political agenda.

“The reaction of Democrats to any tragedy is to try to politicize it,” Cruz said on “Fox & Friends.” “So they immediately start calling that we’ve got to take away the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. That’s not the right answer.”

The senator’s comments came one day after 17 people were killed in a school shooting in South Florida.