"Why would longtime New York political scion, ex-Clinton Cabinet member, former state attorney general, and three-term governor reduce himself to mayor, in the year of our Lord 2025? Well, the opening was apparent. The current mayor was a mess. Liberals sought guidance after Donald Trump's reelection. Other sex pests were making career comebacks. So why not? At least the city remembered his name. Sure, maybe its residents associated it with the infamous "I'm Not Perverted, I'm Just Italian" Fox News chyron."
"The hand-wringing from media pundits over Mamdani's hard-earned victory will include caveats that the rookie democratic socialist was assisted by his photogenic contrast with a flawed electoral foil in Cuomo: an old creep whose short-form video commenters were nowhere near as rapturous as Mamdani's Instagram following. But don't forget that, up until the last possible end point, those same elites made all the excuses they could for that flawed candidate,"
Andrew Cuomo entered the 2025 mayoral race despite a diminished reputation and a history of self-serving politics. The campaign capitalized on a perceived opening created by a weak incumbent and broader uncertainty after a national political shift. Media elites and longtime allies rationalized and excused Cuomo's flaws, reflecting their own opportunism and attachment to his status. A rookie democratic socialist, Mamdani, contrasted sharply with Cuomo’s style and energized voters through photogenic appeal and social media engagement. Cuomo's defeat humiliated his remaining elite backers and underscored his pattern of bullying, showboating, and political entitlement.
Read at Slate Magazine
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