The only people who could have enjoyed watching the first mayoral candidate debate in New York City are real estate agents in Florida. They know more transplants will come their way.
For New Yorkers, the meeting reinforced what many of us had already concluded: The only person with intimate knowledge of New York City who supports reasonable policies on policing, transportation, and vocational school expansion is Republican Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa—who has virtually no chance of winning. For the sake of the city to which he has dedicated his life, Sliwa must drop out of the race. Now.
Otherwise, the battle comes down to a choice between bad and terrible, or perhaps, to quote Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, “normal and crazy.”
MAMDANI CASHES WITH RIVALS IN FIERY DEBATE LESS THAN THREE WEEKS BEFORE NYC ELECTS NEXT MAYOR
Here are my five main takeaways from the debate:
1. It was a terrible debate.
The moderators spent more time interrupting the speakers than talking to the candidates. They seemed especially eager to team up against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Poor Curtis Sliwa was virtually ignored; I understand: the focus was on the two main candidates, but it was extremely disrespectful.
2. State Councilor Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist who won the Democratic primaries and consistently led in the polls, was slippery as hair oil.
He bobbed and weaved, as he has done throughout the campaign. Mamdani also grinned and punctuated every comment with his signature grin; for a guy who’s only 33 years old and who, as Andrew Cuomo noted, has never had a real job, he’s way too pleased with himself.
He dodged key questions and backtracked on previous statements and equivocations, such as whether he will stand up for Israel’s right to survive (he still claims the Jewish state committed genocide in Gaza) and whether he will renounce Hamas. He eventually agreed that violent Hamas thugs should lay down their weapons, but that was not easy.
MAMDANI TORN BY RIVALS FOR UNPOPULAR STAND DURING FIERY DEBATE IN NYC: ‘YOU WILL NOT SUPPORT ISRAEL’
He denied that he was advocating the legalization of prostitution, which angered the Muslim community, and has now advocated decriminalizing the sex trade instead. Perhaps more importantly for New Yorkers, when asked how he would pay for all the freebies he has promised voters, he gave stock answers about how he would make the rich pay more, but that was unconvincing.
3. Andrew Cuomo, former governor of New York and the only choice for those who see through Mamdani’s web of deception, brought some energy to the debate that he had failed to do during the primaries.
He was better prepared, but still not ready to respond with the kind of polished sound bites that Mamdani has mastered. The young Democratic Socialist spent much of the evening attacking Cuomo – as did Sliwa. That undermined his ability to project a can-do, intelligent agenda for the city.
TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM FIERY MAYORAL DEBATE IN NYC: ‘HE LITERALLY NEVER HAD A JOB’
Still, Cuomo offered some zingers that should resonate with voters, like when he rightly said that being mayor of the citadel of capitalism is no place for on-the-job training.
4. Republican Curtis Sliwa, who is by all accounts a well-meaning and decent man, apparently missed the memo that Cuomo is the only realistic alternative to Mamdani.
He spent far too much time attacking the former governor when he should have berated Mamdani for his naivety and inexperience. His deep involvement in New York law enforcement over the years gives Sliwa credibility.
When asked how he would tackle the complexities of running a big city, he gave an excellent answer. He said he would hire experienced and knowledgeable people for this purpose. By the way, that is crucial for anyone who has succeeded in this incredibly difficult task.
Sliwa’s worst moment was when he appointed George Pataki as his favorite president. He obviously hadn’t heard the question, but it was embarrassing.
5. The unhappiest person in New York this morning is Governor Kathy Hochul.
When asked to raise their hands to show their support for the governor, none of the candidates did so. It was humiliating, especially since Hochul had recently given up on supporting Mamdani. She apparently didn’t demand that he support her in return. Talk about a rookie mistake!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS ADVICE
New Yorkers face a choice: elect Zohran Mamdani, who has no credentials, to take over management of a city with 300,000 employees and a $115 billion budget, or elect Andrew Cuomo, a much flawed but experienced alternative.
Voters boarding the Mamdani train must recognize the extreme risk that his promises to raise taxes and promote anti-corporate measures like rent freezes will accelerate the exodus of businesses and residents leaving New York. His anti-Israel rhetoric and thinly veiled anti-Semitism should also alarm New Yorkers.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. New Yorkers elected Bill de Blasio, a progressive left-wing politician, and immediately experienced a massive decline in quality of life – with dirtier streets, rising crime, and a steady outflow of residents and businesses. Mamdani’s election promises more of the same.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
There is still a chance that a larger-than-expected turnout could overturn Mamdani’s lead. Bill de Blasio was elected to his second term by 8.5% of New Yorkers; the people who live in this great city can certainly do better than that.
But for a Cuomo win to happen, Sliwa must bow out. It’s not too late yet.
CLICK HERE TO FROM LIZ PEEK
