The podcast host Donnie Germany expressed his frustration with Democratic mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani on Monday. This came after Mamdani avoided condemning the phrase “Intifada globalization” during an MSNBC appearance.
Germany stated, “I’m furious that there’s a candidate for New York Mayor who dismisses terms like ‘globalize the intifada’ as having different meanings for different people.” He referenced the recent terrorist attacks in Colorado and the events of October 7 to underline his point.
Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, recently won the Democratic primary against former New York governor Andrew Cuomo.
Germany emphasized the term’s impact, particularly among Jewish communities, saying that such phrases invoke fear, especially if they are recognized as attacks.
He criticized Mamdani further, claiming that his comments about “taxing rich, white neighborhoods” were unnecessarily specific.
In a separate interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Mamdani had the chance to address the phrase multiple times but insisted, “That’s not the language I use. My focus is on universal human rights beliefs.” He argued that his politics are rooted in the idea that freedom and justice must be accessible to all, including Israelis and Palestinians.
When pressed further by the host Kristen Welker about his reluctance to criticize the language associated with Jewish New Yorkers, Mamdani responded, “I don’t think the mayor’s role is to police speech.” He maintained that his role was not about censoring language but rather, about taking action.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also called on Mamdani to disapprove of the rhetoric surrounding “intifada globalization.”
Mamdani’s campaign has yet to respond to requests for further comment.
