On the eve of the New York City mayoral election, Zohran Mamdani attempted to spin his recent call with Barack Obama as a sign of support—despite the former president explicitly withholding a formal endorsement. Mamdani praised the conversation, saying he “appreciated his words… his time… this movement for putting us on the brink,” but did not clarify what, if any, backing Obama offered.
Obama’s silence on a formal endorsement has been interpreted as a cautious political step. While he acknowledged Mamdani as “impressive” during the call and offered to act as a sounding board, he stopped just short of entering the fray publicly. The campaign’s framing of the call as significant has raised questions among moderate Democrats, who were already uneasy about Mamdani’s left-wing reputation and his consolidation of support from progressive factions of the party.
Mamdani also used the moment to cast his rival, independent Andrew Cuomo, as being backed by former President Donald Trump—an assertion that is unfounded and reflects the heightened tensions and campaign theatrics unfolding in the final hours. Observers say that Mamdani’s response typifies his tendency toward rhetorical excess and evasiveness, rather than straightforward communication.
