Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz Prefers Country Music Because Of 9/11

2016 Presidential hopeful Ted Cruz has revealed his music preferences: he’s a Country Music fan, thanks to 9/11, Slate is reporting.

The Republican candidate appeared on CBS This Morning on Tuesday to talk about his candidacy, and to give a few glimpses into his personal life. Host Gayle King asked what kind of music he likes.

“You know, music is interesting. I grew up listening to classic rock and I’ll tell you sort of an odd story. My music tastes changed on 9/11. And it’s a very strange—I actually, intellectually, find this very curious, but on 9/11, I didn’t like how rock music responded. And country music collectively, the way they responded, it resonated with me and I have to say, it—just as a gut level, I had an emotional reaction that says, “These are my people.” And so ever since 2001 I listen to country music, but I’m an odd country music fan because I didn’t listen to it prior to 2001.”

Salon writer Heather Digby Parton isn’t buying Ted Cruz’s claim that rock & roll didn’t respond to 9/11 as well as the country music community.

“But I’m hard-pressed to think of any rockers, classic or otherwise, who were disrespectful in the aftermath of 9/11. Certainly it wasn’t Bruce Springsteen or Paul McCartney or Neil Young or Fleetwood Mac or literally dozens of other rock and pop artists who penned heartfelt songs about the event.”

She’s also not buying Cruz’s declaration that country music speaks to Americans hurt and saddened by 9/11. Rather, she believes he’s pandering to potential Republican voters who are still angry.

“But then Cruz undoubtedly didn’t want to hear poetic songs about loss and pain. He wanted songs of revenge and killing, like Toby Keith’s famous anthem, ‘The Angry American, which featured the kind of language that gets Cruz and his voters very, very excited.”

Do you believe, as Ted Cruz claims, that Country Music more accurately described America’s feelings after 9/11? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

[Image courtesy of: Getty Images/Andrew Burton]