The late Colin Powell, with his wealth of experience and a touch of humor, highlighted a key difference between governing and campaigning in one of his interviews. He once remarked that “mammals with an IQ of 40 or above prefer governing to campaigning.”
It’s a shame Powell, who served as the military chief and secretary of state before passing in 2021, isn’t around to advise Mayor Zoran Mamdani.
Maybe he could help the new mayor, who appears quite enamored with the campaign mode and seems reluctant to move past it.
After all, in his brief tenure so far—less than two weeks—Mamdani’s affinity for socialist rhetoric and focus on certain topics signals potential trouble.
His tendency to speak in a manner that caters solely to his far-left base is concerning.
Last week, clearly in campaign mode, he echoed the rhetoric of extremist factions he blamed for unrest in Minnesota, using highly charged language.
“Killed”
Mamdani claimed, “This morning, ICE agents killed a woman in Minneapolis, the latest horror in a year full of brutality.”
He added, “ICE’s attacks on our neighbors across America are an attack on all of us. New York stands with immigrants today and every day after.”
Such incendiary language, like labeling an incident a “murder,” and blurring the lines between legal and illegal immigrants, is characteristic of far-left viewpoints.
If Mamdani were still a junior councilman in Albany, such remarks might not carry much weight. But as the mayor of New York City, every word has greater significance.
With the overwhelming majority of the city’s 8.5 million residents not voting for him, it’s crucial he starts acting less like a candidate and more like the mayor.
He leads the largest police force in the country—NYPD, consisting of 35,000 trained officers whose primary role is to ensure public safety.
These officers are armed and need to know that, barring evidence of misconduct, their choices in critical situations will be backed by the mayor.
His first major test arrived quickly, and his response did not inspire confidence. Shortly after labeling the incident in Minneapolis a “murder,” he faced two police-related shooting events in New York City.
The initial incident occurred at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where a patient armed with a broken toilet piece tried to attack others. After unsuccessful attempts to subdue him with a Taser, police shot him dead. The individual was later identified as 62-year-old Michael Lynch, a former officer.
Major League
The second shooting took place a few hours later, involving a suspect in a street assault in the West Village. Police said Dmitry Szasz, 37, exited a vehicle appearing to hold a gun. When he refused to drop it, an officer fired, resulting in Szasz’s death at a nearby hospital.
Following this, Mamdani referred to the shooting as “devastating for all New Yorkers,” adding an internal investigation would be pursued, which many officers interpreted as questioning their actions.
Chief Tisch highlighted that an investigation would be standard, but believed the officers acted appropriately.
This was Mamdani’s entrance into real challenges of mayoral leadership. Given the vast size of NYPD, conflicts between civilians and police are all but inevitable.
Not all these confrontations will end in violence, of course, but the risk is always present.
Reports indicate that in recent years, officers made over 260,000 arrests, with more than 11,000 involving some level of force. Notably, police were involved in 14 fatal shootings in one year alone.
Mayors who foster mistrust towards police due to these encounters risk conflict with both law enforcement and the public, undermining police effectiveness.
Don’t be de Blasio
This stance may suit Mamdani’s base initially, but it can lead to disaster over time. If officers feel unsupported, they may become hesitant to confront crime, which could escalate issues citywide.
His history, including past criticisms of law enforcement, has already shaped public perception of him. By openly labeling police as “racist” and backing the defund movement, he mirrors former Mayor Bill de Blasio, someone he has inexplicably referred to as his favorite.
De Blasio’s fraught relationship with the NYPD famously culminated in officers turning their backs on him during a funeral.
If Mamdani is as perceptive as his supporters claim, he should steer clear of De Blasio’s methods and learn from past mayors like Eric Adams, Rudy Giuliani, and Michael Bloomberg.
These leaders shared a fundamental understanding that police, like everyone else, are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This approach is essential for law enforcement, who are risking their lives for others.
The responsibility lies with the mayor—and New Yorkers too—to give officers the benefit of the doubt until facts emerge.
Failing to do so could lead to reactions like Mamdani’s towards the Minnesota incident, which aligned with the far-left responses of officials in that state.
If he chooses a similar path in New York, it could lead to chaos.
