Tim Graham: Zohran Mamdani has the left giddy
In a stunning political shift, Zohran Mamdani, a self-identified “democratic socialist,” has claimed victory in the New York City mayoral race, prompting a wave of media enthusiasm reminiscent of the early Obama era. The mainstream media, often criticized for its biases, has fervently promoted Mamdani, who represents a significant leftward turn for the city. His win has been met with a mix of admiration and skepticism, particularly from conservative outlets. The New York Post cheekily dubbed the city “The Red Apple,” highlighting the stark political divide that Mamdani’s election symbolizes. Media reporter Michael Grynbaum of The New York Times has pointed to the backlash from right-wing media, which has labeled Mamdani with terms like “neo-Marxist jihadist,” reflecting the heightened tensions surrounding his platform and the broader implications for American politics.
Grynbaum’s analysis raises questions about the biases present within the media landscape. He contrasts the vitriol of conservative critiques with the leftist narratives often found in outlets like The New York Times, which have drawn parallels between Donald Trump and historical figures like Adolf Hitler. This duality exposes the challenges of navigating political discourse in an era marked by extreme polarization. Notably, while some right-wing commentators have attacked Mamdani’s comments on topics such as the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and his advocacy for seizing the means of production, fact-checking organizations like PolitiFact have downplayed these statements, suggesting they lack the gravitas of true communist ideology. This selective scrutiny raises concerns about the integrity of political reporting and the potential for media bias to shape public perception.
Mamdani’s public statements have sparked considerable controversy, particularly his remarks linking the actions of the NYPD to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), which he argues reflects a broader systemic issue. His praise for controversial figures, such as Imam Siraj Wahhaj, further complicates his image and raises questions about the implications of his leadership style. As the media grapples with Mamdani’s ascent and the reactions it provokes, it becomes increasingly important to examine the narratives being constructed around him. The leftist media’s reluctance to confront Mamdani’s record may hinder a comprehensive understanding of his policies and their potential impact on New York City. As Mamdani takes office, the political landscape will undoubtedly continue to evolve, and the media’s role in shaping this narrative will remain a critical focal point for both supporters and detractors alike.
Zohran Mamdani surged to an easy victory as the “democratic socialist” mayor of New York City, complete with media enthusiasm that carried echoes of silly Obama love songs. The badly named “mainstream media” earnestly promoted the most extreme candidate.
After Mamdani won, New York Times media reporter Michael Grynbaum warned about the opposition of reprehensible right-wing media outlets. The New York Post puckishly called New York “The Red Apple,” with the subhead “On your Marx, get set, Zo! Socialist Mamdani wins race for mayor.”
Grynbaum summarized: “As is often the case in these matters, the screaming front page of The New York Post, the city’s mischievous tabloid that like Fox News is controlled by Rupert Murdoch, summed up the conservative id.”
It’s the “conservative id,” is it? Would Grynbaum be able to locate a “leftist id” at his own newspaper? For example, on the front page of the Times on Jan. 10, 2021, they compared Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. These slanderous citations are repetitively spewed in the leftist press.
Grynbaum added this warning: “Some of the harsher right-wing attacks on Mr. Mamdani have been marked by Islamophobia. Steve Bannon, the right-wing podcaster and provocateur, has called Mr. Mamdani a ‘neo-Marxist jihadist.’”
At the end of his article, he noted Small Business Administration leader Kelly Loeffler referred to Mamdani “talking about seizing the means of production.” At a February 2021 meeting of the Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani proclaimed: “But then there are also other issues that we firmly believe in, whether it’s BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israel), right, or whether it’s the end goal of seizing the means of production.”
The Left energetically claims it means nothing. When Trump called Mamdani a commie in June, PolitiFact typically went expert-shopping to move the goalposts: “Multiple political scientists and communism experts told us Mamdani’s mayoral race positions did not amount to communism.” They doubled down on this in July. Their funniest expert was Geoffrey Kurtz: “I had the impression that Mamdani intended that phrase as lighthearted hyperbole.”
What about jihad? At a December 2023 DSA meeting, Mamdani talked up the loathing of Israel: “For anyone to care about these issues, we have to make them hyper-local,” he said. “We have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF.” PolitiFact won’t be evaluating that metaphor. They haven’t “fact-checked” a single Mamdani statement.
In October, he praised Imam Siraj Wahhaj — an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing — as a “pillar of the Bed-Stuy community.”
The leftist media that dismiss the “conservative id” aren’t coming to grips with Mamdani’s actual public record.
Tim Graham is director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of the blog NewsBusters.org.
