Top Democratic lawmakers in Washington are trying to contain the political fallout caused by sicko socialist Zohran Mamdani, the controversial New York City mayoral nominee, by urging him to distance himself from the inflammatory slogan “globalize the intifada”—a chant widely denounced as antisemitic. While Mamdani has agreed in private settings to discourage its use, he has refused to explicitly condemn it, according to a report in The New York Times.
This slight retreat came following vocal concerns from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both representing New York and both of whom are Jewish. At a closed-door session with key figures from the New York business world, Mamdani reportedly promised not to personally promote the phrase and said he would “discourage” its use by others.
Mamdani’s refusal to outright denounce the phrase has dealt a serious blow to his standing among Jewish voters and has led to hesitation among some congressional Democrats. His campaign has struggled to build momentum among centrist and pro-Israel constituencies, putting Democratic leaders in an awkward position ahead of a competitive election.
So far, Schumer and Jeffries have withheld their endorsements of Mamdani, a move that insiders say reflects deep unease about alienating Jewish constituents across New York.
Ahead of a scheduled meeting with Mamdani, Schumer commented on the controversy. “What ‘globalize the intifada’ means is really wrong and should be condemned, and I look forward to my discussions with Mr. Mamdani,” Schumer said.
President Donald Trump and many conservatives have slammed Mamdani’s evasive stance, noting that forcefully rejecting antisemitic rhetoric should be a basic and obvious move for any political figure. Yet Mamdani has consistently stopped short of doing so.
In a recent interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Mamdani maintained, “globalize the intifada” was “not language that I use,” but he pointedly refused to say that others should refrain from it.
“I don’t believe that the role of the mayor is to police speech,” Mamdani told the network, triggering a wave of backlash from Jewish organizations, Republican officials, and moderate Democrats alike.
Mamdani’s surprise victory over Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary forced the former governor to mount an independent campaign for the general election, where he will face off against Mamdani and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is also running as an independent.
With three major candidates vying for votes on the left, Democrats fear a splintered electorate could allow a Republican upset in a city historically dominated by Democrats in low-turnout races.
That fear appears more grounded in reality now, as Republican contender Curtis Sliwa is celebrating a HarrisX poll showing him neck-and-neck with both Mamdani and Cuomo, making the race a true toss-up.
Tuesday’s gathering between Mamdani and 150 influential business leaders didn’t reassure everyone in the room. Some came away deeply concerned about his qualifications and worldview.
“Today’s meeting made it clear to me that I need to do everything in my power to make sure Zohran Mamdani does not become mayor of New York City,” said Jon Henes of the C Street Advisory Group, speaking to The New York Times. “His complete lack of executive experience, his naïve understanding of how the world works and his rigidly ideological views, including socialism, would be dangerous for the city’s future.”
{Matzav.com}