Peloni: This conversation between Liel Liebovitz and Jonathan Tobin is a must see video. Liel provides an optimistic perspective for both Israel and the Diaspora, in the long term, which few have voiced. Such optimistic outlooks are important to keep in mind as the war in Gaza and the war against the Jewish people more globally persists. Very interesting conversation.
Madeline Brooks: Jonathan Tobin’s guest, Liel Liebovitz, describes the Israeli left’s “drunken” rage against Bibi drowning out reason; Israeli soldiers understand that Gaza must be destroyed while the generals want to play nice with the international community.
What excites me the most about this video is his logical explanation of how Gaza must be humiliated and its land taken to get them beaten, and make Israel (and international Jewry) safe. I just would like him to go fruther than saying they must be relocated. No. They must be done to as has been done to every other enemy army.
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https://tinyurl.com/mr39wcpt
https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2025/06/way-too-early-2026-gubernatorial-election-preview/406081/
@Peloni
https://www.city-journal.org/article/zohran-mamdani-new-york-city-asian-vote
@Peloni
ibid https://states.aarp.org/new-york/aarp-new-york-gotham-polling-analytics-poll-mamdani-leads-in-nyc-mayoral-race
@Peloni
@Peloni You do realize that once on the ballot, nobody can make them step aside, right?
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/nyregion/cuomo-trump-nyc-mayor-hamptons.html
@Peloni You wrote: “Given this fact, is it nor reasonable that those who truly see Mamdani’s victory as a real threat to NYC would solidify their support around one candidate…if their real purpose is to defeat him…which is what I meant by the comment in question.”
It sounded like you thought they had all been bribed. That’s been proposed but only Cuomo said he would be willing to do that and Cuomo is incredibly the most popular candidate after Mamdani. To my regret, I signed the petition for my name to be one of the 50,000 required names to be on the Dem ballot when someone shoved a clip board in my face in front of a subway entrance on the Upper West Side of Manhattan despite Mayor Adams asking voters not to because I thought the general election was also ranked choice. I never intended to vote for him in the general election. Former Governor David Patterson, the state’s first black governor, also endorsed Cuomo in the primary and just now endorsed Adams in the general. You realize that no one can make them drop out, they all despise each other, and their supporters all despise the other candidates, right?
Would you support Cuomo?
@Sebastien
I can’t profess to know what motivates these men, as they pretend to not see that one of the greatest threats to NYC is about to be elected as mayor with their help, ie by splitting the vote. I only suggest that they are easily more familiar with both the threat from Mamdani and the obvious consequences of his victory being the result of their continued obstinacy to not support a single candidate.
Yes, I do, which is why none of them have nor likely will drop out.
This is irrelevant to the reality which electing Mamdani will mean for them, their families, their city, and their country, and I mean this to reference both these men as well as their disparate followers. If they are so fickle, so insensitive to reality and indifferent to making NYC into a second Cairo, well that tragedy will be of their own making, and they will come to regret it beyond all consideration, to which you will no doubt agree.
I think Cuomo should be in jail, he should be tried for each of the deaths in the NY nursing homes he caused, and for each of the deaths in the Dem states which followed his leadership in overseeing the deaths of their elders as they were held isolated, alone, removed from human contact, and blocked from any connection with their loved ones. He would be the last candidate I can imagine who might be supported in NYC beyond Mamdani, and he would certainly be the last candidate I personally would prefer as an alternate to that Islamist.
And yet, if I were a New Yorker, and the support against Mamdani came to be centered around electing Cuomo, I would vote for him. With both hands I would gladly pull that lever, and do what I could to have everyone I knew, or who I could influence, to do the same.
And then, after the election, I would do what I could to see him impeached, tried for conspiracy, and convicted for the above crimes, while knowing that this would never succeed.
I am, however, not a New Yorker. I am only a concerned onlooker who sees the trauma which this election could produce in NYC, in NY, and in the US, and I shudder at the thought that New Yorkers could hate their opposition so obsessively that they would tolerate the election of an Islamist whose alliance with the Far Leftists is intended to destroy the Big Apple, and to also spread that destruction further afield, around the state as well as the nation. I hope that this is not what comes to be, yet, in fact, I worry that this is exactly where things are headed.
For my own thoughts, I honestly see this election as an attempted redo of 911, where the great city of New York is intended to be brought to her knees. In this hour of crisis, the City needs all of its sons and daughters pulling together to deal with this crisis, as took place beginning on 911. I only hope that the residents of NYC might come to see this reality as being all too real, so that they might respond with the sense of selflessness, courage, and determination which inspired the world some 24yrs ago.
So, don’t take my comments as being too sharp. I mean no disrespect to either the electors of NYC, nor the election processes, nor the import of the election issues, but the security of the city is on the ballot in November, and the routine political challenges which are commonplace in every election should be understood to be secondary to the threat which now lingers over the mayor’s election, and only a process of solidarity in the electorate to save themselves will in turn save the city from this disaster, because these men are not about to do what is needed and back a single candidate.
@Peloni Well then, shouldn’t all these conservative commentators be focusing on his Jihadist ties instead of attacking his proposed social-democratic reforms? On affordability, Mamdani is unbeatable. If he were a staunch advocate for Israel, I’d vote for him myself. In fact, before the Working Families Party – the other party line he is running on – came out as the BDS party – I supported them myself! These local economic demands are not that radical, not Venezuela.
Adams is the only consistently pro-Israel centrist.
Cuomo has backtracked on everything in response to pressure from the left on Gaza and the real estate lobby on tenant’s rights. In practice, he could be a cross between Mamdani to Jews and former 4 term mayor Ed Koch to tenants, . the worst of both worlds.
I think the problem with commentators like Mark Levin is that they conflate Milton Friedman’s free-marketeer ideas with patriotism snd Zionism. It ain’t necessarily so, as history attests. These are not so much Marx as those of Marx’s reformist Socialist rival, Ferdinand Lasalle, Bismarck’s advisor, Though Eduard Bernstein founded tge reformist wing of Marxism sround 1900 which inspired all the labor parties of the 2nd International which came
to lead Western Europe and Israel.
And I think it turns off a lot of people.
As things stand, it appears Mamdani is as much of a shoo-in as Obama – who is now advising him – was in New York State in 2008.
The City Council is very leftwing. They will never impeach Cuomo. I’ve never even heard
of a mayor being impeached by the City Council. Maybe the governor can remove a mayor. Have to look it up.
If it gets that close, and if I believe the pollsters, on voting week – yes, it’s a week ling. There are paper ballots which the voter feeds into a machine but early voting is a whole week, I may follow your advice. Otherwise, I may as well vote
my conscience.
In years past, I recall doing a protest vote, where I didna write-in ballot for a pet cat, or even a deceased pet cat.
Peloni Well then, shouldn’t all these conservative commentators be focusing on his Jihadist ties instead of attacking his proposed social-democratic reforms? On affordability, Mamdani is unbeatable. If he were a staunch advocate for Israel, I’d vote for him myself. In fact, before the Working Families Party – the other party line he is running on – came out as the BDS party – I supported them myself! These local economic demands are not that radical, not Venezuela.
Adams is the only consistently pro-Israel centrist.
Cuomo has backtracked on everything in response to pressure from the left on Gaza and the real estate lobby on tenant’s rights. In practice, he could be a cross between Mamdani to Jews and former 4 term mayor Ed Koch to tenants, . the worst of both worlds.
I think the problem with commentators like Mark Levin is that they conflate Milton Friedman’s free-marketeer ideas with patriotism snd Zionism. It ain’t necessarily so, as history attests. And I think it turns off a lot of people.
As things stand, it appears Mamdani is as much of a shoo-in as Obama – who is now advising him – was in New York State in 2008.
The City Council is very leftwing. They will never impeach Cuomo. I’ve never even heard
of a mayor being impeached by the City Council. Maybe the governor can remove a mayor. Have to look it up.
If it gets that close, and if I believe the pollsters, on voting week – yes, it’s a week long. There are paper ballots which the voter feeds into a machine but early voting is a whole week- I may follow your advice. Otherwise, I may as well vote
my conscience.
In years past, I recall doing protest votes in the form of a write-in ballot for a pet cat, or even a deceased pet cat.
@Sebastien
I think it would be best to focus upon the fact that Mamdani represents the extension of the Islamist-Leftist alliance which clearly and fairly describes him. While some think focusing on his Islamist nature would be enough, or that focusing on his Socialist govt expansionism would be enough, I disagree with both. Mamdani represents the strongest effort to overtake control of the Dem to date by the Islamist-Leftist cabal, which is why this fact needs to be promoted and pursued relentlessly. In this, I think Mark Levin has done an admirable job, probably better than anyone else I have seen.
From a traditionally liberal pro-Israel standpoint, Mayor Eric Adams is the only acceptable candidate.
@Sebastien
I would agree with this, but neither he nor the others have a chance of beating Mamdani in a four-way race. I would be very happy to be proven wrong here, but I don’t expect that to be the case given the current situation.
And I recently heard about another candidate entering this race. The clarity that splitting the field this wide displays an interesting speculation that there is more than self interest which keeps this election field this wide and growing wider still.
@Peloni Would you care to elaborate when you say, “more than self-interest”?
By the way, it just got even worse.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cuban-born-businessman-enters-nyc-mayoral-race-calls-himself-polar-opposite-mamdani.amp
“Eleven candidates are running for mayor of New York City on November 4, 2025. Five have led in media attention: incumbent Eric Adams (I), Zohran Mamdani (D), Curtis Sliwa (R), Andrew Cuomo (Fight and Deliver), and James Walden (I).”
https://news.ballotpedia.org/2025/08/12/an-early-look-at-the-general-election-for-mayor-of-new-york-city-on-november-4-2025/
The eleven candidates listed in embedded link:
“Scroll for more
Candidate
Image of Eric Adams
Eric Adams (Safe&Affordable / EndAntiSemitism)
Image of Zohran Mamdani
Zohran Mamdani (D / Working Families Party)
Image of Curtis Sliwa
Curtis Sliwa (R / Protect Animals)
Image of Irene Estrada
Irene Estrada (Conservative Party)
Image of Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo (Fight and Deliver)
Image of James Walden
James Walden (Integrity) Candidate Connection
Silhouette Placeholder Image.pngSubmit photo
Joseph Hernandez (Quality of Life)
Image of Jean Anglade
Jean Anglade (Independent) Candidate Connection
Image of Kyle Gutierrez
Kyle Gutierrez (Independent)
Image of Abbey Laurel-Smith
Abbey Laurel-Smith (Independent) Candidate Connection”
@ Sebastien
There seems to be an effort to push so many candidates into the NYC Mayor race that only the fellow with the most ardent and committed followers will win. Given that Mamdani’s 3 principle opponents are upside down with favorabiliy among voters, they clearly are at a disadvantage as the field grows, while the growing field will encourage and strengthen mamdani’s supporters into thinking they have a credible and significant chance of winning.
Given this fact, is it nor reasonable that those who truly see Mamdani’s victory as a real threat to NYC would solidify their support around one candidate…if their real purpose is to defeat him…which is what I meant by the comment in question.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5453148-mamdani-seeks-moderate-endorsements/amp/
I disagree with Jonathan Tobin’s suggestion that Mamdani is just a litte more extreme than Bill de Blasio just before 40’51” From 2015:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-york-mayor-visits-israel-on-solidarity-mission/
Before all the pandemic madness, I liked De Blasio, who implemented two unprecedented rent freezes for 1 year leases which I support. I voted for him. And Trump. For different offices with different responsiblities.
My only issues with Mamdani are his Israelophobia and his intention to defund the police.
Mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg were also fairly liberal on tenant’s rights issues. I don’t think Sliwa is, in one interview he referred to “rent control advocates who hate my guts,” and Cuomo is most certainly not, now advocating reversing the protections he signed into law 6 years ago, restoring the means test which was destroying the system.by making apartments market rate, and encouranging predatory landlords to harass tenants out to create turnover, as well as his former support for Israel. Can’t imagine either of them winning with this stance. It’s the 3rd rail of New York politics, as well it should be. But, so should antisemitism, which would just leave Eric Adams, who supports Israel and created an office to help tenants organize, even if the last rent hike was too high despite him saying so and making the board he mostly appointed vote again, as well as an office to combat antisemitism, and one to facilitate joint ventures with Israel.
Here De Blasio is attacked by left wing William Kunstler’s Center for Constitutional Rights for supporting Israel
https://ccrjustice.org/open-letter-mayor-de-blasio-occasion-his-trip-israel
Google De blasio visits Israel for more articles on the topic including i24 news.
He eventually went silent on this issue under attack but De Blasio never attacked Israel. Unlike Cuomo just now.
Again “the international community”!!!!! This time playing nice with them! Why????
Tell you what: I have over 40 years of martial arts experience mostly with a relentless Japanese martial arts teacher (sensei). Why don’t I come over to Israel and try to set these buffoonish generals straight about their martial “philosophy”?!!!
I don’t give a damn about the “international community” (as you may have surmised). What have they done, or are they, doing for us???
Correct. It’s way past time for Israel to stand up for its own interests and forget kowtowing to the international community. Left wing “Jews” who get in the way of a strong Israel should be told, politely, to shut up.