Eric Adams: Mamdani Is A Symbol Of Radicalization Of Our Young People
NYC Mayor Eric Adams comments on Democratic challenger Zohran Mamdani during an interview with Patrick Bet David:
ERIC ADAMS: It’s really not out of nowhere. Those of us who were watching what was taking place-not only on the stage of New York City but across America-I told my team six months ago, “This guy’s going to win, and I need to be in the general so that I can go head-to-head.” Six months ago, I sat down with my team and told the reporters, This is going to be the most fascinating race in the history of New York City. What happened was, he already had a ready-made army that we were ignoring. If you go back, I was talking about the radicalization of our children on our college campuses to hate America-what we were seeing in the streets: 10,000 people marching, lifting up Hamas. I was saying our children are being radicalized. And so all he had to do was pop his head up. Once he did that, the army was already assembled and ready to follow someone. He has become a symbol of the radicalization of our young people across this entire country-specifically in New York. … When you look at his policies-take Rikers Island, our city jail. We have 7,400 of the most dangerous people in our city. Due to bail reform, many of them didn’t have to go to jail-they came back out. He wants to open the jail and let them out. They’ll go back to the communities they preyed on. That’ll impact low-income New Yorkers the most. His plan for government supermarkets? We already have many bodegas and supermarkets. A plan like that will devastate middle-income and working-class New Yorkers. I met with 250 supermarket owners-they said it would devastate them. A $ 30 or $ 40 minimum wage? That’ll crush the working-class community. We have the largest number of small businesses operating-and under this administration, the most businesses in general. We’ve broken the record 11 times. Because we understand: good wages must coexist with sustainable profit margins. … Only 9% of voters voted. 91% haven’t spoken yet. The Democratic primary is really the most liberal, left arm of the voting population. When 9% of New Yorkers are speaking for the other 91%, now the job is to wake people up. Sometimes people are lackadaisical, apathetic-not voting. Now we’re seeing energy I’ve never seen before in politics. PATRICK BET-DAVID: How many showed up last time? ERIC ADAMS: In 2021? Around a million. Out of 4.9 million registered voters, 1.149 million ballots were cast-about 23%. Other reports say around 23%. So far, only 9% have voted for Mamdani. PATRICK BET-DAVID: So it’s not over yet. ERIC ADAMS: Exactly. Andrew didn’t mobilize. He didn’t run a campaign. He took Mamdani for granted. I say it all the time-New Yorkers have five fingers, but they love to show you the middle one the most. If you’re not willing to say you want the job, they won’t give it to you. He thought this was a consolation prize. New Yorkers don’t like that. If you don’t run hard, go head-to-head, use social media, you’re in a precarious position.
