Cuomo’s Response to Mayoral Rival’s Comments Sparks Controversy
On Thursday, Andrew Cuomo found humor in his mayoral opponent Zoran Mamdani’s suggestion that he might “cheer” on 9/11, much to the annoyance of some Democrats.
Cuomo, now running as an independent, laughed off the idea that a socialist candidate would openly praise such a tragic event. This occurred during his appearance on the conservative WABC radio show “Sid & Friends in the Morning.”
“Can you imagine another 9/11 happening with Mamdani in charge?” Cuomo asked host Sid Rosenberg, pondering how a young Democratic mayor would deal with a crisis like that.
Rosenberg joked, “He would be rooting for me.”
“That’s another issue,” Cuomo replied with a chuckle.
Later, Mamdani, who could become the city’s first Muslim mayor if elected, seemed to contradict his earlier comments at a press conference in Murray Hill.
When reporters questioned him about whether he believed Cuomo’s remarks were rooted in Islamophobia, he confirmed, stating, “Yes.” He further emphasized that there was no justification for such statements, particularly contrasting Cuomo’s recent pledge to “unite New Yorkers” during the previous night’s debate.
The backlash against Cuomo’s comments came from several Democrats, including Bronx Representative Richie Torres, who had earlier supported him in the primary.
Torres expressed, “It is beyond disgusting to suggest that a mayoral candidate would celebrate a second 9/11. We all need to lower the temperature and restore some civility to our public discourse,” sharing his thoughts on X.
He added, “It’s possible to criticize a candidate’s ideas without attacking the candidate themselves.”
Governor Kathy Hochul, Cuomo’s successor, mirrored these sentiments, labeling the comments as “fear-mongering, hate speech, and Islamophobic,” urging to “get out of the gutter.”
In defending himself, Cuomo shifted the focus to Mr. Mamdani’s associations, stating, “I mentioned 9/11, which I’ve often said is a separate issue, concerning Mr. Zoran’s friendship with Hasan Piker, who claimed America deserved 9/11.”
Mamdani, faced with questions on Piker, criticized the streamer for his previous inflammatory remarks.
“I find Mr. Hassan’s comments about 9/11 disgusting and reprehensible,” Mamdani asserted during the first general election debate, reacting to Cuomo’s prodding.
Mayor Eric Adams, who officially endorsed Cuomo that day, also defended his ally, remarking on the issues stemming from Islamic extremism during a news conference in East Harlem.
“I’m not a Muslim; let’s be clear. What I’m against is Islamic extremism that devastates communities globally,” he stated, emphasizing the need to address such issues head-on.
