'He's playing a bit of chess': Pablo Torre on Mamdani response to 'globalize the intifada' question

Candidate's Stance on Controversial Phrase - The candidate, Zoran Mamani, did not explicitly condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada," which is perceived by many as a call for violence against Jewish people [1][2] - Mamani stated that he does not use that language and focuses on universal human rights, including the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians [3][4] - He emphasized actions over words, committing to protecting Jewish New Yorkers through his work as mayor and increasing funding for anti-hate crime programming by 800% [5][6][7] - Mamani's reluctance to condemn the phrase stems from a concern about policing speech, drawing a parallel to actions taken by Donald Trump [6][8] Political Strategy and Coalition Building - The candidate's approach is seen as a strategic move to build a coalition on the left, appealing to voters who may not adhere to strict ideological purity tests [11] - He is attempting to use the themes of freedom of speech and populism, similar to Donald Trump, to his advantage [12] - The candidate's success in attracting young voters who typically do not participate in Democratic primaries is noted [13] Economic Populism and Political Landscape - The report highlights the Democratic party's challenges in effectively messaging economic populism, despite many of their proposals aligning with this ideology [14] - The Republican party, under Donald Trump, is portrayed as maintaining strong control, while the Democratic party is engaged in open debates [16] - The current political climate includes a bill with a $150 billion boost to military spending, alongside cuts to food stamps, Medicaid, and closures of rural hospitals [14]