As expected, Zohran Mamdani was elected as the next Mayor of New York City.
Regardless of the inevitability, Mamdani remains a lightning bolt of controversy.
He's a game changer!
He's a socialist!
There goes New York City!
The city needs change!
I've found myself neutral on the topic of Zohran Mamdani and all of the madness surrounding him. For starters, politics can't be nuanced anymore - but we already know and live this. Second, while this native New Yorker now lives on the other side of the Hudson River and has other local issues in New Jersey to worry about, I still work in the City, and my mother remains in the greatest place on Earth Brooklyn. Lastly, politics has become about noise - I'm trying to be better at having more moments of silence to take my own temperature.
So yeah, I've been on the outside. However, it was Mamdani's victory speech that really pulled me in - on both sides of the Mamdani Madness. Here are some quick thoughts:
Overall Victory Speech
Overall, I thought his speech was very strong, very direct, and in an age of so many politicians attempting to copy President Trump's...ummm, unique style of communication, a strong verbal politician feels refreshing, bordering on ultra impressive.
Side note: Someone needs to let Republicans know, there is only one Donald Trump.
He's a damn good speaker, charismatic, poised, with an effective cadence, and understands the audience in the moment. That jumped off the screen to me.
Ultimately, his grassroots movement got him to this point.
And also, it's why so many on the right are afraid of his ascension.
"Thank you to those so often forgotten by the politics of our city, who made this movement their own. I speak of Yemeni bodega owners and Mexican abuelas. Senegalese taxi drivers and Uzbek nurses. Trinidadian line cooks and Ethiopian aunties. Yes, aunties."
Mannnn, I've never heard a politician in New York so easily grab the soul of New York - and not Wall Street - with such a sentence. I'm not drinking the Kool-Aid, but as a son of two immigrants from the West Indies, that sentence felt like it came from someone who understands the neighborhoods.
By the way, loved the "Yes, aunties".
"To every New Yorker – whether you voted for me, for one of my opponents or felt too disappointed by politics to vote at all – thank you for the opportunity to prove myself worthy of your trust. I will wake each morning with a singular purpose: to make this city better for you than it was the day before."
We need more of this in politics.
Also, shout out to Andrew Cuomo as well for his concession speech, especially where he shut down the booing of Mamdani. We need to get back to some sense of civility in politics.
"This will be an age where New Yorkers expect from their leaders a bold vision of what we will achieve, rather than a list of excuses for what we are too timid to attempt. Central to that vision will be the most ambitious agenda to tackle the cost-of-living crisis that this city has seen since the days of Fiorello La Guardia: an agenda that will freeze the rents for more than 2 million rent-stabilized tenants, make buses fast and free, and deliver universal childcare across our city."
Ah yesssss, the good stuff. Where we either despise Mamdani or dare to dream big.
Look, all of this sounds great. I want it for my city, my home. Especially universal childcare. There are too many people I know who left NYC for that very reason.
Do I think it is possible? Ehhhh Doable? Doubtful.
But here is where my issue with Mamdanoi lies - it's not the overly new space that borders socialism. It's the lack of communication that such ideals won't be free. At all. However, a NYC grocery store line that purchases and sells goods for no profit and for the purpose of simply redistributing it to New Yorkers? That's more possible.
But free? Come on.
Free buses? I'm not sure I need it to be free. As all New Yorkers would likely admit, just give us improvements in the Subway system and on the Bus lines.
"Now, I know that many have heard our message only through the prism of misinformation. Tens of millions of dollars have been spent to redefine reality and to convince our neighbors that this new age is something that should frighten them. As has so often occurred, the billionaire class has sought to convince those making $30 an hour that their enemies are those earning $20 an hour."
This...right here? It is where Mamdani hooked me and pulled me in.
It's where I find myself in the political realm. Over the identity politics. The culture wars. All of it...
This all feels like it is about class. Two sides are distracting and dividing us while the rich get richer.
This was my favorite part of the speech...obviously.
"They want the people to fight amongst ourselves so that we remain distracted from the work of remaking a long-broken system. We refuse to let them dictate the rules of the game anymore. They can play by the same rules as the rest of us."
Word up.
"So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up."
Wheew. Very intentional.
Not. Backing. Down.
"I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older. I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this."
If the 8-Mile "here, tell them something they don't already know about me" was in a political speech.
This is it.
"We will leave mediocrity in our past. No longer will we have to open a history book for proof that Democrats can dare to be great."
Clearly, he is owning this new chapter of the Democratic party, and is also pointing out the stagnant guard on the left.
Have I mentioned how intentional this speech felt? No subliminals.
"New York will remain a city of immigrants: a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants and, as of tonight, led by an immigrant."
Such a great line. When watching it, I knew it would be provocative.
"Together, New York, we’re going to freeze the rent together, New York, we’re going to make buses fast and free together, New York, we’re going to deliver universal childcare.
Let the words we’ve spoken together, the dreams we’ve dreamt together, become the agenda we deliver together. New York, this power, it’s yours. This city belongs to you."
I mean, good luck.
Truthfully, I'm not sure I know what Cuomo ran on other than being "Not Mamdani", which is something we see a lot of in Politics. We just saw that last year, didn't we? Trump vs. Not Trump (aka Kamal Harris).
It was an inspiring speech that drove home hope in this new leader. He gets it. I can't remember a mayor who "felt" like a New Yorker. He does. And he's different. In many ways. And he's articulate.
I'm also convinced many people don't know what socialism is. And those who do may not understand how unlikely it is. Both can be true in the current environment, and sadly, it is true.
Gotta love political trigger words...
Overall, I completely understand the Mamdani madness. I do.
I have some reservations about his ideals and goals, but I hope he succeeds.
I'll forever love New York City. It'll always be home. And yes, it's in need of change.