NYC mayoral candidate Eric Adams says America is not a 'socialist' country: 'let's be clear on that'

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New York City mayoral candidate Eric Adams criticized the far-left during an appearance on Bill Maher’s HBO show, saying America "is not a socialist country."

"This is not a socialist country, let’s be clear on that," Adams, a Democrat, told Maher Friday evening. "This is a country that believes in giving people the opportunities [so] that they will be able to succeed and excel in this country."

His comments come after he said earlier this week at a campaign event that he was running against a Democratic Socialists of America "movement." 

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"I’m no longer running against candidates. I’m running against a movement. All across the country, the DSA socialists are mobilizing to stop Eric Adams," he told a crowd in Queens on Monday evening. 

"They realize that if I’m successful, we’re going to start the process of regaining control of our cities."

He said later that the comments were not aimed at noted socialist lawmaker, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, though admitted they "gave the appearance that there was a personal attack on Alexan … Congresswoman Cortez."

"Her name was never mentioned by me," Adams said, according to the New York Post.

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The former NYPD captain added on Maher’s show that he will work to "rebuild that trust" between the police and the community, following Democratic lawmakers across the country, including Ocasio-Cortez, calling for departments to be defunded in the wake of George Floyd’s death last Memorial Day.  

"I am going to have the backs of my officers but they are going to have the backs of the people of this city they swore to serve and protect," he said.

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"We see what’s happening in America. We see the demonization of public safety, which I believe is the prerequisite to prosperity," he said. "We see the demonization of those who are high-income earners."