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The only people who could possibly have enjoyed watching the first New York City mayoral candidate debate are Florida real estate brokers. They know more transplants will be coming their way.
For New Yorkers, the encounter reinforced what many of us had already concluded: the only person with a deep knowledge of New York City who backs reasonable policies on policing, transportation, and expanding vocational schools is Republican Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa — who has approximately zero chance of winning. For the sake of the city, to which he has dedicated his life, Sliwa should drop out of the race. Now.
Otherwise, the contest comes down to a choice between bad and terrible, or maybe, to quote Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, “normal and crazy.”
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Here are my five major takeaways from the debate:
1. It was a terrible debate.
The moderators spent more time interrupting the speakers than the candidates spent talking. They appeared especially eager to gang up on former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Poor Curtis Sliwa was all but ignored; I get it — the attention was on the two leading candidates, but it was disrespectful in the extreme.
2. State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist who won the Democrat primary and has consistently led in the polls, was slick as hair oil.
He bobbed and weaved, as he has throughout the campaign. Mamdani also smirked and punctuated every comment with his trademark grin; for someone just 33-years-old who, as Andrew Cuomo pointed out, has never held a real job, he really is much too pleased with himself.
He ducked important questions and backtracked on former statements and equivocations, like whether he will stand up for Israel’s right to survive (he still claims the Jewish state has committed genocide in Gaza) and whether he will renounce Hamas. He finally agreed that the violent Hamas thugs should lay down their weapons, but it did not come easily.
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He denied advocating for the legalization of prostitution, which angered the Muslim community, now arguing instead for decriminalizing the sex trade. Perhaps even more important to New Yorkers, when asked how he would pay for all the freebies he’s promised voters, he offered canned answers about making the rich pay more but was not convincing.
3. Andrew Cuomo, former New York governor and the only choice for those who see through Mamdani’s web of deception, brought some energy to the debate, which he had failed to do during the primary campaign.
He was better prepared, but still not ready to respond with the kinds of polished soundbites 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.
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Still, Cuomo landed some zingers which should resonate with voters, such as 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 measures a well-meaning and decent man, apparently missed the memo that Cuomo is the only realistic alternative to Mamdani.
He spent much too much time attacking the former governor, when he should have been blistering Mamdani for his naivete and inexperience. His deep involvement with New York’s law enforcement over the years gives Sliwa credibility.
He gave an excellent answer when asked how he would handle the complexity of running a huge city, saying that he would hire experienced and knowledgeable people to do that. That, by the way, is key to anyone who has succeeded in this incredibly tough job.
Sliwa’s worst moment was when he named George Pataki as his favorite president. He clearly had not heard the question, but it was embarrassing.
5. The unhappiest person in New York this morning is Gov. Kathy Hochul.
When asked to raise their hands to show their support for the governor, not one of the candidates obliged. It was mortifying, especially since Hochul went out on a limb recently to endorse Mamdani. She evidently did not demand that he endorse her in return. Talk about a rookie mistake!
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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 budget of $115 billion, or choose Andrew Cuomo, a much flawed but experienced alternative.
Voters jumping aboard the Mamdani train should recognize the extreme risk that his promises to raise taxes and promote anti-business measures such as rent freezes will accelerate the exodus of businesses and residents leaving New York. His anti-Israel rhetoric and barely disguised antisemitism should also alarm New Yorkers.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. New Yorkers elected Bill de Blasio, a progressive leftist, and immediately experienced a massive decline in quality of life — with dirtier streets, rising crime, and a steady outflow of residents and businesses. Electing Mamdani promises more of the same.
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There is still a chance that a larger-than-expected voter turnout could topple Mamdani’s lead. Bill de Blasio was elected to his second term by 8.5% of New Yorkers; surely the people living in this great city can do better than that.
But, to facilitate a win by Cuomo, Sliwa must bow out. It’s not too late.
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