I disagree with your take on Mamdani. Mamdani's victory isn't as disastrous as you think it is. Fox News will breathlessly cover him nonstop and warn of the dangers of socialism. I suspect a right-wing freakout. He is a better candidate than Andrew Cuomo, a tired, old hack. Mamdani ran a great campaign. He was laser-focused on economic issues and made promises to try to deal with those issues. (He may not be able to keep those promises, though.) You compare him to Brandon Johnson, which is unfair to Mamdani, who is assertive and well-spoken. Mamdani will do much better than Johnson, even if he is unable to lower the rent or the cost of the bus service. He did what Democrats don't really do: campaign forcefully for things that people want and stay focused on those issues and avoid all the other stuff. He stayed on his game in a way that Harris was not able to do. (You could say that Harris had no game to stick to, perhaps.) Let's listen to the young people this time. Let's give them a chance to improve the Democratic party. Give this young man a chance and see what he can do. Do you really think Cuomo would have offered anything of value to New York City?
There is also one more issue: young people whom I talk to don't agree with the way that Israel has handled the war in Gaza. They see overkill. They see too many deaths and not enough humanity. Voting for him was a way to protest the war in Gaza.
Mamdami won the support of a majority of voters earning incomes between $55k and $150k. In NYC that’s the broad middle class. Democrats need to stop emulating Republicans in hopes that a sexual predator is acceptable to their base.
Can't we even consider the posibility that after being told for over 20 years that Iran was close to a nuke, that they would already have one if they wanted to?
For those who don't know or understand what "low confidence" means-- indicates that the intelligence analysis is based on uncertain or limited information, making the conclusions less reliable.
operative words-- limited information. Over the coming days it will become more apparent how much damage was done. just pay attention to the commercial imagery from the three sites. It was quite amusing watching the orange turd and his drunken pal get over wrought trying to discredit the preliminary information.
as for NYC, the republican candidate, is, how can I put this, an unserious attention whore.
giving Mamdani’ crap because he wants to actually distribute wealth down instead of up seems awfully rethugnican of you Charlie...I will assume you were lost in the exhuberance of your French family visit...
given your take on NYC, you sound to be in lock step with Turtle McConnell's comments about shredding the safety net...
Being a big city mayor is hard. I’d argue the hardest job in politics.
All these cities have complex legacy systems (both physical and human) that take time to learn inhibiting political outsiders from efficient and effective governance.
State and federal laws, regulations, and funding impact cities dramatically, but mayors have no control over those levers.
Off year elections and one party rule increase the political power of financial interests, political organizations, and other insiders.
Anyway, Republicans will always have unpopular mayors to run against. Mamdani is at least charismatic.
All such good thoughtful comments today I went back and reread them all. Thank you!
I voted Republican my entire adult life until a few years before the 2016 election because I just saw the republican party getting cruel inhumane corrupt. I saw the racism.
I saw the systemic misogyny and the bigotry.
I hated it. I didn’t want to be any part of it anymore.
As I get older, I just think we need to have empathy and compassion for everybody that doesn’t mean you’re turning socialist.
Focus moves away from money and onto having your eyes open to the suffering and needs of people around you .
I do think as we age we are supposed to move in that direction, emotionally, spiritually having obtained wisdom and knowledge. To be able to role model and give wisdom to the younger generation.
Instead of teaching them all about success, obtaining material things, and as much money as you can make.
Young families can’t even make ends can’t even pay the bare necessities for their families. Cannot make ends meet always living under high levels of stress . It’s just not right.
"Democrats will exaggerate and misread the significance of Mamdani’s victory in a deep blue city that has a long track record of shitty mayors."
I'm not sure how a deep-blue city is defined but NYC had both Bloomberg and Giuliani, and Trump did better there in 2024 than he did in the true deep-blue cities. Some of Trump's 2024 numbers:
I have heard Mamdani speak. He does not frighten me. I heard AOC speak; she did not frighten me, though I did think she was too extreme for my tastes -- she has a learning curve, and possibly a good mentor in Bernie. Bernie never frightened me, though I usually thought he was spitting in the wind, he often spoke for my own heart. I'm pretty centrist, overall. What I want MOST is men and women of honor, honesty, trustworthiness, statesmanship, even nobility. I do not CARE about their POLICIES as much as their CHARACTER. This is truer today than it has ever been! Because every sexual predator corrupt criminal politician of any kind, and pretty much every Republican one, scares me to death!!!!! They are destroying us, ALL of us/US.
After yesterday,....... lucky dogs ! At least, what you don't know will come as a complete surprise.
I disagree with your take on Mamdani. Mamdani's victory isn't as disastrous as you think it is. Fox News will breathlessly cover him nonstop and warn of the dangers of socialism. I suspect a right-wing freakout. He is a better candidate than Andrew Cuomo, a tired, old hack. Mamdani ran a great campaign. He was laser-focused on economic issues and made promises to try to deal with those issues. (He may not be able to keep those promises, though.) You compare him to Brandon Johnson, which is unfair to Mamdani, who is assertive and well-spoken. Mamdani will do much better than Johnson, even if he is unable to lower the rent or the cost of the bus service. He did what Democrats don't really do: campaign forcefully for things that people want and stay focused on those issues and avoid all the other stuff. He stayed on his game in a way that Harris was not able to do. (You could say that Harris had no game to stick to, perhaps.) Let's listen to the young people this time. Let's give them a chance to improve the Democratic party. Give this young man a chance and see what he can do. Do you really think Cuomo would have offered anything of value to New York City?
There is also one more issue: young people whom I talk to don't agree with the way that Israel has handled the war in Gaza. They see overkill. They see too many deaths and not enough humanity. Voting for him was a way to protest the war in Gaza.
Mamdami won the support of a majority of voters earning incomes between $55k and $150k. In NYC that’s the broad middle class. Democrats need to stop emulating Republicans in hopes that a sexual predator is acceptable to their base.
The underlying question is how do Dems get themselves beyond Mamdani and Cuomo as their standard bearers? Oy vey.
So nice to see Will Saletan referenced! Bring him on as a regular on your pod, Charlie. I miss the ponies. (Or maybe there aren’t any anymore…)
Can't we even consider the posibility that after being told for over 20 years that Iran was close to a nuke, that they would already have one if they wanted to?
Do Eli and Augie jump in the water and swim?
One more time, it appears Chump is a failure! He succeeds at lying and grifting. Period! Full stop!
Trump will repeat over and over about this bombing he did and Iran as being “obliterating”
Like General Mark Hertling said that is nothing but hyperbole. It’s not a word the military uses. It’s not a doctrine word or a military word.
He’s over at the NATO conference repeating over and over
Just like we hear about Russia hoax Russia, hoax, Russia, hoax
How he won the 2020 election we won the 2020 election over and over
Add it to the long list of things that he just keeps repeating over and over obsessed with
For those who don't know or understand what "low confidence" means-- indicates that the intelligence analysis is based on uncertain or limited information, making the conclusions less reliable.
operative words-- limited information. Over the coming days it will become more apparent how much damage was done. just pay attention to the commercial imagery from the three sites. It was quite amusing watching the orange turd and his drunken pal get over wrought trying to discredit the preliminary information.
as for NYC, the republican candidate, is, how can I put this, an unserious attention whore.
giving Mamdani’ crap because he wants to actually distribute wealth down instead of up seems awfully rethugnican of you Charlie...I will assume you were lost in the exhuberance of your French family visit...
given your take on NYC, you sound to be in lock step with Turtle McConnell's comments about shredding the safety net...
Throwing this out to everybody
Mitch McConnell and the Republican said go ahead and cut Medicaid Medicare all the cut cuts
“ they will get over it”
We need to redo their contracts for employment as elected representatives paid for by the taxpayers
They work for us the people paid for by the people.
TO EXCLUDE HEALTH CARE BENEFITS
They will get over it
Being a big city mayor is hard. I’d argue the hardest job in politics.
All these cities have complex legacy systems (both physical and human) that take time to learn inhibiting political outsiders from efficient and effective governance.
State and federal laws, regulations, and funding impact cities dramatically, but mayors have no control over those levers.
Off year elections and one party rule increase the political power of financial interests, political organizations, and other insiders.
Anyway, Republicans will always have unpopular mayors to run against. Mamdani is at least charismatic.
All such good thoughtful comments today I went back and reread them all. Thank you!
I voted Republican my entire adult life until a few years before the 2016 election because I just saw the republican party getting cruel inhumane corrupt. I saw the racism.
I saw the systemic misogyny and the bigotry.
I hated it. I didn’t want to be any part of it anymore.
As I get older, I just think we need to have empathy and compassion for everybody that doesn’t mean you’re turning socialist.
Focus moves away from money and onto having your eyes open to the suffering and needs of people around you .
I do think as we age we are supposed to move in that direction, emotionally, spiritually having obtained wisdom and knowledge. To be able to role model and give wisdom to the younger generation.
Instead of teaching them all about success, obtaining material things, and as much money as you can make.
Young families can’t even make ends can’t even pay the bare necessities for their families. Cannot make ends meet always living under high levels of stress . It’s just not right.
"Democrats will exaggerate and misread the significance of Mamdani’s victory in a deep blue city that has a long track record of shitty mayors."
I'm not sure how a deep-blue city is defined but NYC had both Bloomberg and Giuliani, and Trump did better there in 2024 than he did in the true deep-blue cities. Some of Trump's 2024 numbers:
New York City 30%
Boston 22%
Denver 21%
Philadelphia 20%
San Francisco 15%
Baltimore 12%
Wow, heavy stuff today!!!
I have heard Mamdani speak. He does not frighten me. I heard AOC speak; she did not frighten me, though I did think she was too extreme for my tastes -- she has a learning curve, and possibly a good mentor in Bernie. Bernie never frightened me, though I usually thought he was spitting in the wind, he often spoke for my own heart. I'm pretty centrist, overall. What I want MOST is men and women of honor, honesty, trustworthiness, statesmanship, even nobility. I do not CARE about their POLICIES as much as their CHARACTER. This is truer today than it has ever been! Because every sexual predator corrupt criminal politician of any kind, and pretty much every Republican one, scares me to death!!!!! They are destroying us, ALL of us/US.
I agree
Excellent, Suze. I agree wholeheartedly.