The lesser of the assholes
#70 For the Love of New York City
I’ve had multiple people message me about the Mamdani post.
Apparently, some folks are melting down about Mamdani being elected in the primary: That he’s an “anti-semite”; that he’ll “bankrupt the city”; that he’s a “communist”; that he “scares people.” Others are unraveling because he is a “socialist.” Some are afraid because he is “Muslim.”
People are shocked–SHOCKED!--at his appeal to both Hispanics (Mexicans-AH-HEM)
and Asians (Chinese—AH-HEM).
Some report Mamdani will usher in an era of unaffordability, homelessness, and poverty–in which most New Yorkers are already witnessing daily, if not experiencing.
Look: The meltdowns may be amusing, but they are unhinged (aren’t they always?).
As people hand wring and pearl clutch and write 10,000 word analysis, it really boils down to one concept.
New Yorkers define humans in two ways: Either you’re an asshole, or you’re not.
That’s it.
Just two choices, two ways to be in this world of NYC.
His voters don’t care he practices Islam. We’re all New Yorkers, and we all have our own culture, religion, mores, and quirks. It's incredible we get along as well as we do.
Perhaps–that’s how we get along so well: It doesn’t matter where you’re from. What matters is: Are you an asshole?
Of all the humans running for Mayor in the primary, he was–without a doubt–the lesser of the assholes.
Mamdani’s opponent altered his image to make him look “scary” in attack ads. Total asshole move.
Pandering to a specific country’s supporters to get their vote in a City that is the most Plurinational on Earth: Asshole move.
National mainstream media, depressingly based in New York City, newsrooms populated remotely by rich and “well-heeled” transplants contributing to dizzying reporting that has people across the country in a worried frenzy, drumming up fear to serve a specific corporate political group: SUPER BIG ASSHOLE move.
So, New Yorkers did what we had to do.
I’m sure Cuomo’s voters and the DNC think Mamdani and his voters are total assholes. That’s OK. Consider that Mamdani won in districts where Trump won an increasingly larger share of the vote in 2024.
As my friend Ted Rall wrote: NYC to DNC: Drop Dead.
New Yorkers are happy to vote for the person who’s not the asshole, or even the lesser of the assholes, now and in November.
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