Communist NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani Unmasked on 'Meet the Press'

Grok 3 defines the term intifada as: 

"The term "intifada" is an Arabic word meaning "uprising" or "shaking off." It is most commonly associated with Palestinian resistance movements against Israeli occupation.   First Intifada (1987–1993): A grassroots uprising in the occupied Palestinian territories, characterized by protests, civil disobedience, and violence, including stone-throwing and clashes with Israeli forces. It led to the Oslo Accords.
Second Intifada (2000–2005): A more violent uprising triggered by Ariel Sharon’s visit to the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa Mosque. It involved suicide bombings, armed attacks, and Israeli military responses, resulting in significant casualties on both sides.The term can also be used more broadly to describe other popular uprisings or revolts in different contexts, but it is most often tied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

The American Jewish Committee defines the term "Globalize the intifada" as:

“. . . a phrase used by pro-Palestinian activists that calls for aggressive resistance against Israel and those who support Israel. The most prominent expressions of intifada have been through violence so this phrase is often understood by those saying and hearing it as encouraging violence against Israelis, Jews, and institutions supporting Israel. While the intent of the person saying this phrase may be different, the impact on the Jewish community remains the same."

A proponent of the intifada, Zohran Mamdani, is running for New York City mayor on the Democratic ticket, although he is clearly a communist. The word 'communist' is still taboo in most of American society, so like Bernie Sanders, AOC, and many others in the Democratic Party, he calls himself a Democratic Socialist.

Zohran Mamdani is handing Republicans a golden ticket on a silver platter. As James Carville, the grizzled Democrat strategist, recently put it, Mamdani’s campaign has been “a gift to Republicans,” and now that he’s clinched the primary, that gift just keeps on giving. The guy has establishment Dems in New York sweating bullets, and it’s not hard to see why. 

Mamdani’s anti-Semitic baggage is piling up faster than garbage during a New York City sanitation strike. Heavyweights like Senate Minority Leader Chuck 'Nostrils' Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries aren’t exactly tripping over themselves to slap their names on his campaign posters. Why? Because Republicans are having a field day painting Mamdani as the new face of the Democrat Party, and he’s making it way too easy for them.

Mamdani’s Pro-Hamas Problem

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Mamdani’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war. Calling him pro-Hamas is like calling the Hudson River wet. 

Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians, Mamdani’s been cozying up to the “globalize the intifada!” mobs that keep popping up in NYC like roaches in a dive bar. His rhetoric screams one thing loud and clear: he’s not just sympathizing with the cause, he’s all in. Now that he’s got the primary in the bag, Mamdani’s got a new problem: convincing New York City’s sizable Jewish and pro-Israel voter base that he’s not the radical they think he is. Good luck with that, pal. 

His performance on Meet the Press this past Sunday, where he was grilled three times about the phrase “globalize the intifada,” was a masterclass in taqiyya, but ended in him weaving, and stepping on rakes. 

Taqiyya is an Islamic term referring to the practice of precautionary dissimulation or concealment of one's true beliefs, particularly in times of danger or persecution, to protect oneself or the Muslim community. Rooted in Islamic jurisprudence, it is primarily associated with Shia Islam but is also recognized in some Sunni contexts. The concept originates from Quranic verses (e.g., Surah Al-Imran 3:28) and hadiths that permit hiding faith to avoid harm, such as during oppression or threats to life.In practice, taqiyya allows a Muslim to outwardly deny their faith or act contrary to Islamic principles if their life, safety, or community is at risk, while inwardly maintaining their beliefs. Historically, it was used by minority Muslim groups, especially Shia, under hostile rule. The scope and permissibility of taqiyya vary across Islamic schools of thought, with some limiting it to extreme circumstances and others allowing broader use for communal benefit. Misconceptions often portray taqiyya as deceit for malicious purposes, but in Islamic tradition, it is a defensive mechanism, not a tool for deception in everyday affairs.

Here’s how it went down with moderator Kristen Welker, and trust me, it’s not just what Mamdani said, it’s what he didn’t say that’s got people’s jaws on the floor:

KRISTEN WELKER: I want to ask you about an issue that has divided some New Yorkers in recent weeks. You were recently asked about the term “globalize the intifada,” if it makes you uncomfortable. In that moment you did not condemn the phrase. Now, just so folks understand, it’s a phrase that many people hear as a call to violence against Jews. There’s been a lot of attention on this issue, so I want to give you an opportunity to respond here and now. Do you condemn that phrase “globalize the intifada?

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: That’s not language that I use. The language that I use and the language that I will continue to use to lead this city is that which speaks clearly to my intent, which is an intent grounded in a belief in universal human rights. And ultimately, that’s what is the foundation of so much of my politics, the belief that freedom and justice and safety are things that, to have meaning, have to be applied to all people, and that includes Israelis and Palestinians as well. Swing and a miss, strike one.

Here’s strike two when he was pressed by Welker:

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: I’ve heard from many Jewish New Yorkers who have shared their concerns with me, especially in light of the horrific attacks that we saw in Washington, D.C. and in Boulder, Colorado about this moment of anti-Semitism in our country and in our city. And I’ve heard those fears and I’ve had those conversations. And ultimately, they are part and parcel of why, in my campaign, I’ve put forward a commitment to increase funding for anti-hate crime programming by 800%. I don’t believe that the role of the mayor is to police speech in the manner, especially of that of Donald Trump, who has put one New Yorker in jail, who’s just returned to his family, Mahmoud Khalil, for that very supposed crime of speech. Ultimately, what I think I need to show is the ability to not only talk about something but to tackle it and to make clear that there’s no room for anti-Semitism in this city. And we have to root out that bigotry, and ultimately we do that through the actions. And that is the mayor I will be, one that protects Jewish New Yorkers and lives up to that commitment through the work that I do. [In the famous words of Greta Thunberg: blah, blah, blah.]

And here’s the hat-trick of non-answers:

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: My concern is to start to walk down the line of language and making clear what language I believe is permissible or impermissible takes me into a place similar to that of the president, who is looking to do those very kinds of things, putting people in jail for writing an op-ed. Putting them in jail for protesting. Ultimately, it’s not language that I use. It’s language I understand there are concerns about. And what I will do is showcase my vision for this city through my words and my actions.

Three Strikes, You’re Out!

Three chances to condemn an anti-Semitic battle cry, and Mamdani whiffed every single one. Why? Because, as Avi Mayer pointed out in a June 29, 2025, X post, “He won’t condemn it because he’s led marches galvanized by it. This is who he is.” Dang, that’s the kind of truth bomb that leaves a mark.

Before the primary, Mamdani was out here spinning “intifada” as some noble “struggle” for Palestinian rights, not the call for Jewish annihilation it’s been understood as for decades. [See above explanation of the term 'globalize the intifada.] Now that he’s got the nomination locked up, he’s pivoted to this mealy-mouthed “that’s not language I use” nonsense. Why the switch? Easy. The primary’s over, and he’s trying to play moderate for the general election. But you don’t get to march with the “intifada” crowd and then act like you’re just a humble advocate for “universal human rights.” 

The Speech-Policing Sleight of Hand

Here’s where Mamdani really steps in s**t. He tries to dodge the “globalize the intifada” question by crying “speech policing” and dragging Donald Trump into the mix, slickly implying that condemning hate speech against Jews is somehow akin to throwing people in jail for writing op-eds. 

That’s not just a dodge, it’s a deliberate misdirection, and it’s as transparent as Kanya's feelings about Jews.

He is trying to paint himself as a free-speech martyr while conveniently ignoring his own track record. Mamdani’s got no problem calling out what he sees as anti-LGBTQ or anti-Palestinian “hate speech.” He’s been vocal about “bigotry” against transgender folks and his allies in the Israel-Hamas debate. But when it comes to chants that many interpret as calling for violence against Jews? Crickets. 

Apparently, his “speech policing” principles kick in only when it’s Jewish safety on the line, not when it’s his own pet causes. That’s not a principle—it’s a preference, and it’s a damning one.

Mamdani’s handed his rivals, leftist holdovers like Cuomo and Adams, a playbook thicker than a Katz's Delicatessen sandwich. If they don’t spend every waking minute from now to Election Day hammering him on this, they’re basically begging to lose. This isn’t just a political fumble; it’s a full-on interception returned for a touchdown. Mamdani’s refusal to condemn “globalize the intifada” isn’t just a bad look, it’s a billboard screaming “unelectable” in neon lights.

Let's just hope they keep running on it.

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