In response to Jeb Bush gun tweet, NY mayor posts Jewish deli sandwich

NEW YORK (JTA) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio responded to Jeb Bush’s controversial gun tweet by posting a photograph of a Jewish deli sandwich with the caption “America.”

Bush on Tuesday tweeted a photo of a handgun engraved with “Gov. Jeb Bush” and also captioned “America.” The tweets highlight the two politicians’ very different views of their country.

America. pic.twitter.com/211oQK5qeU

— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) February 17, 2016

Bush, a former Florida governor and 2016 Republican presidential candidate, was widely mocked online for the tweet, and The New York Daily News called him “Dolt .45” on its cover Wednesday morning.

De Blasio’s contribution was conceived by his spokesman, Peter Kadushin, after the mayor attended an event celebrating the reopening of Carnegie Deli, according to The New York Times. The famed Jewish deli had been closed from last June until earlier this month after its owner, Marian Levine, was fined for stealing gas for cooking and heating for over six years.

“The mayor and I talked, and agreed that America could use more pastrami sandwiches and less firearms,” Kadushin told The Times. The tweet received nearly 1,300 likes and was generally well received.

@BilldeBlasio Dude, Katz’s… — Max Nisen (@MaxNisen) February 17, 2016

@MaxNisen @BilldeBlasio or the new 2nd Ave Deli.

— Next Month Is Marsch (@101singer) February 17, 2016

@BilldeBlasio @chrislhayes @JebBush A gift from the Jews. — Jane Eisner (@Jane_Eisner) February 17, 2016

A New York Health Department spokesman cautioned in jest that the sandwich’s high sodium content makes it something to be eaten “in moderation.”

De Blasio’s jab came in the wake of the recent discussion about “New York values” — a phrase used by GOP presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to criticize his opponent Donald Trump at a debate last month. Some saw Cruz’s remark as coded anti-Semitism.