In New York City, the battle has been joined between Democratic Party elites and the voters they are increasingly committed to suppressing, between money and democratic process, between power and the forces for change.
Zohran Mamdani at a DSA 101 meeting in New York City in November 2024. (Bingjiefu He /Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY-SA 4.0)
By Patrick Lawrence
ScheerPost
Maybe there was a time in the past when a candidate to become New York City’s mayor prompted as much fervor in some quarters and as much fear and loathing in others as Zohran Mamdani, but I do not recall it.
In the 100–odd days until the city votes Nov. 4, we — New Yorkers and the rest of us— are in for political warfare that could turn out to be epochal. This will be a riveting campaign season; in my read it is unlikely to be a pretty one.
Mamdani, who has served in the state legislature since 2020, wowed New York City and the rest of the country when, on July 1, he trounced the Democratic field to win the party’s nomination to run for mayor this autumn.
The Democratic establishment, which had put its money on Andrew Cuomo (literally and figuratively), was stunned. Cuomo, a machine pol who resigned as governor of New York four years ago amid accusations of sexual harassment, was considered a shoo-in and, reflecting this, ran a campaign we can kindly describe as complacent.
Then came the blow: Mamdani, with more than 50,000 volunteers campaigning for him, took 56 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary, to Cuomo’s 44 percent.
Figures don’t always lie and liars don’t always figure.
Mamdani is a true phenom, an energetic 33–year-old full of policy proposals that address the real problems of real people. A free bus system, a freeze on rents in half the city’s apartments, supermarkets run by the city, a properly redistributive tax regime to address the near to obscene inequality New Yorkers endure: These are good ideas, ideas with obvious appeal to Democratic voters, ideas expressive of his commitment to dynamic change.
Mamdani, I have to add right off, also takes a principled position against the Israelis’ shocking barbarities in Gaza and then America’s support of them.
But one’s strengths are at times also one’s vulnerabilities, as Mamdani is about to discover. On Monday, July 14, Cuomo announced in a brief video that, rather than step aside after his punishing defeat, he will stay in the race as an independent with the all-but-stated intent of preventing New York from falling “in the hands of the far left,” as The New York Times idiotically put it in a piece reviewing Cuomo’s renewed campaign.
Cuomo, whose term as governor reeked of opportunism and corruptibility if not proven corruption, is now the unseemly front end of an attack on Mamdani that is unlikely to relent until this race is decided.
Wall Street and the banks, hedge-fund billionaires, major corporations, New York real estate developers, the Israel lobby, corporate media, the Democratic mainstream: These are all lining up to make sure Zohran Mamdani does not win come Nov. 4. He’s a Marxist, a socialist, a Communist, a lunatic, of course an anti–Semite.
Zionist extremists and their sympathizers charge that Mamdani, a Muslim, will impose Shariah law on New York City. President Donald Trump has wondered aloud whether he should have Mamdani arrested, or whether he, Mamdani, should be stripped of his citizenship.
MAGA Italians vs “Italians for Zohran” in NYC; filmed by Ford Fischer for News2Share.
Financial and corporate interests spent $22 million on Cuomo’s failed primary campaign. There is every indication they will spend more this time.
Let us, then, view this in the large: The battle has been joined between Democratic Party elites and the voters they are increasingly committed to suppressing, between money and democratic process, between power and the forces for change that gather as we speak not only in New York but across the country.
We have been here before, of course. But the risk that the Democrats will destroy themselves as they attempt to destroy Zohran Mamdani is in my estimation greater than ever.
Here is Mamdani on “Meet the Press” Sunday, July 1, just after his victory:
“We can beat anyone that’s in this race because what we’ve shown is that this is a campaign that has the support of more than 400,000 New Yorkers. For too long, politicians have pretended to simply be bystanders to a cost-of-living crisis. They’ve actually exacerbated it. And our vision is one that will respond to it and make this a city affordable for every New Yorker.”
And Mamdani when asked about the Gaza crisis in an interview with Politico during his campaign in April:
“I think what is incumbent to do is to stop subsidizing a genocide. And that’s what we’ve seen over more than a year. And it’s what we’ve seen intensify right now with Donald Trump.
And it is hard for me to explain to my constituents, who live in the largest public housing development in North America, in Queensbridge, why they have to live in substandard conditions because the government refuses to fund public housing, all while we continue to find billions of dollars to drop bombs that kill tens of thousands of Palestinians over more than a year now.
And the sheer number of children that have been killed does not even capture the level of trauma for those that have survived. And that is a responsibility for us to speak up against, as the people who are financing it.”
Queensbridge, New York, housing projects, 2014. (Paul Sableman/Flickr/ CC BY 2.0)
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … it’s a political candidate who says what he means and what he means reflects the realities facing Americans in this, the third decade of our troubled new century.
I could not help noticing a couple of things in the news as Mamdani’s victory sank in.
One, there has been a spate of worry recently as various studies have come out indicating a radical shift in public opinion about Israel, Palestinians and the former’s campaign of terror against the latter in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Gallup and the Pew Research Center each weighed in this past spring to show roughly similar results — this shift most marked among Democrats.
Peter Beinart, who, among much else, opinionates at The New York Times, put it succinctly in a July 6 commentary. A dozen years ago Democrats polled by the Gallup Organization favored Israel over the Palestinians by a margin of 36 percentage points.
“This February,” he writes, “Gallup found that Democrats sympathized with Palestinians over Israel by a margin of 36 percentage points.”
How’s that for symmetry?
The headline atop Beinart’s column was, “Democrats Need to Understand That Opinions on Israel Are Changing Fast.” I thought Beinart’s commentary was O.K. so far as it went, but his headline writer seemed to me far off the mark. Of course mainstream Democrats understand that opinions on Israel are changing fast.
It is impossible to imagine otherwise. At issue here — and I detect what concerns Beinart subliminally — is that Democrats understand very well that opinions on Israel are changing fast and are utterly indifferent to this marked change in sentiment.
New York City Hall. (MusikAnimal/Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY-SA 4.0)
Two, just as I was putting these events side-by-side in my mind — the opinion polls on Israel, Mamdani’s brilliant rise to political prominence and the instantly frenetic response among various elites, The Grayzone published a six-minute segment concerning the annual retreat of the great and good that Allen & Co., a long-influential merchant bank that keeps well out of the public eye, has run for many years.
Here is Max Blumenthal, The Grayzone’s editor, on the occasion. The segment was published Tuesday, July 15:
“Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader [in the Senate] is heading for Sun Valley, Idaho, this week to meet with Hollywood elites and Big Tech elites in a semi-secret, off-the-record retreat .… and they’re basically all conspiring to determine who will be the next Democratic … I wouldn’t say ‘conspiring,’ but they’re discussing, one of the agenda items, is who the Democrats will put forward as their next candidate…. This is how it works.”
I don’t see anything wrong with “conspiring,” myself. And in this brief clip Blumenthal has certainly captured “how it works.” They are demonstrating how it works in New York as we speak.
Bill Ackman, the billionaire hedge-fund manager, promises hundreds of millions of dollars to support Eric Adams, New York’s current mayor, as the man to take down Mamdani. Adams, of course, faced federal corruption charges until President Trump ordered the case thrown out.
My question is how long this kind of anti-democratic ugliness can remain how it works.
Voters in New York, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a margin of six to one, have just told their party they favor a candidate who promises imaginative change.
They have announced, to step back a short distance, that they want America to be something new, another kind of America. But there is no reply from the party’s upper reaches. You would think these elites would listen and learn at this point, but they show no inclination to do either.
They continue to cast Mamdani as some kind of anti–Israel radical — lots of Islamophobia going around since he won the primary — but his position on the genocide in Gaza is in line with those polling numbers and appears to have contributed to his support even among New York Jews.
What we are looking at, to stay in the context Mamdani affords us, is Sun Valley vs. Queensbridge, the working– and middle-class district Mamdani represents. This is the unholy symmetry of American politics in this, the third decade of our new century.
I do not suggest this is any kind of new opposition. Neither is the mainstream Democrats’ effort to sink Mamdani’s ship anything we haven’t seen before. They did it to Bernie Sanders — twice, indeed, in 2016 and again in 2020 — and, with the assistance of the Israeli lobbies, they did it to Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, legislators from New York and Missouri respectively, when monied interests and the lobbies destroyed them in primary contests last year.
But Mamdani is a case of another order, in my interpretation. He is too exciting to too many voters, in a word. His ideas resonate too well beyond New York’s five boroughs. He stands — in his early thirties as against his early eighties — too effectively for another idea of America. The gang-up against him is too easily legible.
This puts the party’s elites and all the interests behind them in a bind. They cannot afford to allow Mamdani to take City Hall in New York, and I conclude with the greatest reluctance they won’t. A win for Mamdani in November would change the complexion of American politics too drastically.
At the same time, given the national attention his campaign has attracted, Mamdani has more or less instantly acquired a totemic significance in American political culture. Stopping him this autumn would almost certainly be an undemocratic mess.
To the extent the Democrats succeed in destroying this man, they will also destroy themselves.
Patrick Lawrence, a correspondent abroad for many years, chiefly for the International Herald Tribune, is a columnist, essayist, lecturer and author, most recently of Journalists and Their Shadows, available from Clarity Press or via Amazon. Other books include Time No Longer: Americans After the American Century. His Twitter account, @thefloutist, has been permanently censored.
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This article is from ScheerPost.
The views expressed are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.
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My only problem with Democrats destroying themselves is that they’re likely to leave the Republicans intact. Much thanks for another great read.
“To the extent the Democrats succeed in destroying this man, they will also destroy themselves.”
The Democrat Party has already destroyed itself. Third Way is the paradigm of the DNC, now. They thwarted B.Sanders’s campaigns twice. AOC won her race, but has since shifted into careerism. Kamela Harris refused to end the genocide, even after people warned her that they wouldn’t vote for such policy. I’m in Virginia, so can’t vote for Mamdani. In my state, the DNC didn’t even have a primary for the Governor race. For that campaign, the DNC has chosen the most anti-progressive Democrat to be the nominee – Abigale Spanberger. My attention will be for candidates like Kshama Sawant from now on.
“Mamdani, who has served in the state legislature since 2020,” should have, IMO, laid bare, “The Fix Is In” Act aka “Marine Le Pen’d,” The Act barring Cuomo & Adams from seeking public office for not only “five years;” but, for f/ever!!!
…. Mar 31, 2025 – French court on Monday convicted Marine Le Pen of embezzlement and barred her from seeking public office for five years — a hammer blow to the far-right leader’s presidential hopes and an earthquake for French politics.
…. Aug. 10, 2021 – “New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday he will resign after a withering report from the state’s attorney general documented multiple accusations of sexual harassment against women. The decision heads off his almost certain impeachment and conviction in the state Legislature.”
….. September 26, 2024 – “New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on five federal charges related to bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy and soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals, according to a 57-page indictment unsealed Thursday morning. The indictment alleges illegal actions stretching back to 2014, from when he was Brooklyn Borough president.”
Ironically, “the fix is in,” the DNC’s & RNC’s Board of Executioners will continue “lining up to make sure Zohran Mamdani does not win come Nov. 4. He’s a Marxist, a socialist, a Communist, a lunatic, of course an anti–Semite.” Patrick Lawrence.
Concluding, NYC’s Voters “running from the growling wolf; fleeing into the jaws of smiling fox,” Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat, is “NOT good. Buhlieve, me. Not, good!” p.s., “Zohran Mamdani’s 3 bills – It’s true that during the past four and a half years in the Assembly, only three of his bills got the governor’s signature. But that very short list doesn’t totally encompass his legislative achievements so far,” @ hxxps://www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2025/06/zohran-mamdanis-3-bills/406181/
Make sure to see Richard Wolff’s program on New York socialist mayors of the past snd what a difference they have made and can make!!!
Oddly enough, Milwaukee WI has had three socialist mayors, the last leaving office in 1960-together the 3 were in office 38 out of 50 years. Milwaukee also elected the first socialist congressman, however the house of representatives refused to seat him (he wrote editorials against entering WWI so technically a criminal under the federal Espionage act, something he was not convicted of). Milwaukee called a special election which was won by the socialist candidate again, and again the house refused to seat him. He eventually won and was seated, winning three consecutive terms. there were at one time 14 socialist members of the city council and for a time, the socialist had the majority of county seats. The socialist in Milwaukee were extremely successful. This is a link to a 3-part series written about our Socialist history as well as those of other cities and states: hxxps://midwestsocialist.com/2020/12/28/the-heirs-to-the-sewer-socialists-part-1/
Mamdani is already turning to the right and attempting to woo the capitalists. This means that, like all other members of the DSA, he is not a real socialist, merely a leftish Democrat. hxxps://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/07/16/rxtp-j16.html
The neolibs staged an unfriendly takeover of the Dem party beginning in the late ’70s, probably related to the Powell memo. They dumped the New Deal and abandoned the majority working class. I know because as a blue collar activist and local D campaign mgr I fought them. To no avail. We can see whose side they’re on–their corporate and economically comfortable donors. We know how “democratic” the party is when they have superdelegates and nomination by fiat.
Their approach was described by Chuck Schumer in 2016. In an interview he said “For every blue collar Democrat we lose in western Pennsylvania we will pick up two moderate Republicans in the suburbs in Philadelphia, and you can repeat that in Ohio and Illinois and Wisconsin.” Never mind this is morally reprehensible. Or that it shows their only concern is themselves. What’s politically unforgivable is that it isn’t a winning strategy. But do they dare offend the donor class? Apparently not.
I love Mamdani’s econ populism, it’s the exact direction we need to go in, no doubt. However, I just don’t think it’s viable without strong immigration restrictionist policies. Bernard screwed himself in 2020 when he said he’d provide Med4All to illegal immigrants, absurd!
The only way the American citizenry will be totally receptive to economic populist politics is if it’s fused with a get tough on illegal immigration platform. That’s the truth. Mass humane deportations must take place along with extremely strong border controls.
Employers and landlords who hire and rent to illegals must be charged with serious felonies.
“But the risk that the Democrats will destroy themselves ”
The problem for the Dems is that at best, no one cares if they destroy themselves, and at worst, many citizens of all political stripes would be quite happy to see the Dem Party destroy itself.
Beinart goes whichever way the wind blows .
No.
If, as it now seems, the Democrats’ ticket gets split between Mamdani, Cuomo and Adams, the Republicans could probably bring back Giuliani and he would win — if it were not for NYC’s adoption of ranked choice voting! Hopefully a few other cities and states will take note of that.
The general isn’t RCV.
In reality, Adams, Cuomo and Sliwa will split the same votes. The question is simply how many registered Ds will vote a republican or cryptorepublican. That will decide the election.
Mamdani has powerful enemies and is exposed to all sorts of psychopaths that do not want him to exist.
His exposure gives thought to circumstances surrounding the events of MLK, JFK and RFK.
When will “merkans admit that there is no democracy, that the US is a corrupt, crumbling empire run by the oligarchy? It has become glaringly obvious in recent years, yet most live in denial. Even very educated and informed people still WANT to believe the myths, even though the facts and evidence are staring us in the face. Has the cognitive dissonance and hypocrisy driven us mad?
“The US is an oligarchy with unlimited political bribery” (Jimmy Carter) That was shoved down the Memory Hole, Carter never said that right? Money is free speech, corporations are people, war is peace, genocide is “humanitarian”, ignorance is strength…
If that is how “democracy” is now defined, I want no part of it. Like the late George Carlin, I will not participate in the disgusting charade of the attempt to legitimize genocide and corrupt institutions. I won’t vote. (Seee WEB Dubois “Why I Won’t Vote” for more on this)
Just “vote” one more time: BOTH factions fully support Israel, even Sanders and AOC, despite the cheap rhetoric and blah blah.
Recently, AOC voted against blocking another half billion for Israeli weapons. Her excuses are typically insulting to the intelligence. And to be equally critical: MGT knew damn well the resolution would not pass. She is just pandering to the crowd as usual. The charades and cheap drama continue…these politicians need better acting skills. Washington is engulfed in a giant cloud of miasma and far too many pretend not to notice.
The DT2 regime ignores the constitution, ignores the law…SCOTUS makes a mockery of the law, and Congress is openly and legally bribed. There are no “checks and balances”. The corruption is institutional and deep-seated – the empire is accelerating its own destruction. It’s like a history textbook unfolding before our eyes.
You are, of course, absolutely correct. Ben Norton has a great webcast on the subject that came out the other day. U.S. citizens have to awaken from the dream that they live in a democracy. They–we–do not.
Going back to McGovern For President, the right-wing “Centrist” Dems would rather help a far right-winger like Nixon, or Trump, or Adams, win, rather than actually help their supposed Allies on the left win. This has happened over and over. When the actual Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party wins a primary in an exercise of democracy, their supposed allies in the party then turn traitor and help the other side defeat them.
The reason is that the “Centrists” really hate to see get their supposed allies actually win any real power. The Progressives are supposed to provide reliable Left Cover, but never, ever win. This is the reason why the loser of the primary, Cuomo, is staying in the race in order to split the anti-Trump/Adams vote. Cuomo is working to keep Mamdani from winning, thus performing in the traditional role of the corporate Dems.
This of course shows that the supposed partnership between the “Centrist” Dems and the “Progressives” is a fake, because it only works in one direction. The Progressive wing of the party regularly supports the Centrists. Progressives elected Biden in 2020, with strong support pushing the Dems over the top in a very close election. Then got completely stiffed for their efforts by the corporate Dems who shut them out of government and policy. And yet, the same “Centrists” turn around and stab the Progressives in the back when the Progressives actually manage to win a primary.
———-
Read Hunter S. Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail” for a well-written and old example of how these corporate Democrats still strategize today. The story of how the anti-war movement won the ’72 nomination in a tough primary battle, and then got stabbed in the back. Written by the political reporter for Rolling Stone who was covering the campaign beginning in the snows of New Hampshire. A good read. The parts where they are organizing and winning will make your soul sing, before you feel the pain of the Democrat knife in the back.
Ouch,
and the video you have here is frightening, the wrapping up in the israeli flag to support a candidate says TOO MUCH. For 22 months we have been watching israel committing genocide with bombs and bullets, torture and demolition and now starvation. AIPAC has the funds to fuel further ugly fury and if it does this does not bode well for democracy….
Patrick Lawrence thank you again for your work, most appreciated
This is what happens when the Democrat Party actually believes that it is not there to do what the people want them to do, but is there to tell the people what to do. The opposite of democracy.
What does it take for Americans to wake up and stop supporting Israel and murderous Israeli leaders and citizens who are committing genocide.
What does it take for Americans to wake up and stop supporting America and murderous American leaders and citizens who are committing yet another American genocide.
Both American political parties believe in using food as a weapon, and have for a long, long time. Both political parties openly use sanctions and such as foreign policy tools in the belief that if they cause enough pain to the ordinary people in the nation whose government they don’t like, then the people will overthrow the government. This is bi-partisan, American Imperialism 101. Inflict pain on the people in order to try to obtain the geopolitical gains the elites desire. America 101.
“I can hire one half of the working class to kill the other half,” — Jay Gould, 19th Century American Oligarch.