House Democrats Meet With NY City Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani in Washington

TIME

Some House Democrats met with New York Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani at a breakfast hosted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in Washington.

Transcript

00:00Congresswoman, can you talk a little bit about the meeting, please?

00:02Great meeting.

00:03You know, it's just beautiful to have someone who is so authentic.

00:12You know, that money cannot buy that.

00:14And we had a great conversation.

00:18What was his message to you on?

00:21To talk to the issues that are important to the people.

00:27You cannot say that there is an affordability crisis in New York

00:32and then have a super pact that is funded by developers who have been part of the...

00:39That's my assessment.

00:40He didn't say that.

00:41I'm saying that.

00:43How did the meeting go?

00:45The meeting went well.

00:46Do you think he won anyone over?

00:49Yes.

00:51Fantastic.

00:52Zoran Mamdani is an incredible talent.

00:54He is going to be a great mayor for New York City.

00:58I was proud to endorse him before the primary.

01:00And he is so smart, so authentic, cares so much about working people,

01:07and has put together an incredible coalition.

01:10We're thrilled.

01:11He's bringing the party together.

01:12Look, he's bringing anybody who can see the reality of the success of his candidacy

01:18and his campaign together.

01:20Anybody that's staying out at this point instead of endorsing this incredible dynamic leader

01:25is missing an opportunity.

01:26Do you think he won over any members who are supporting him or on the fence?

01:32Sorry, what was that?

01:33Do you think he won over any members?

01:35Oh, I think it's hard not to be won over because it's the combination of his authenticity,

01:41his smarts, and his commitment to lifting up working people

01:45and making life better for real folks that is really inspiring

01:50and not always easy to find, you know?

01:55And so I hope so, yeah.

01:57The overall impression on me was this guy is not a communist.

02:00He's not a socialist.

02:01He's an advocate for small-c capitalism

02:06and that, you know, he really is fighting for the little business guy

02:11that's trying to eke out a living in New York.

02:14Half of all New Yorkers, you know, get their jobs from small business.

02:18And I thought that was a tremendous message.

02:20I have a lot of small business people just like that,

02:23immigrant business people trying to make a living in my own district.

02:27And I thought it was such an aspirational video.

02:30It was very inspiring.

02:32Do you think he made any inroads with people

02:33that might not be completely on board with him yet that was in that room?

02:37You know, I came toward the end.

02:39I had a conflicting meeting.

02:40I'm sort of in a leadership meeting, conflicted with this meeting.

02:44So I was the – actually, I got the last question in.

02:48There were a lot of other senior members of Congress in that room

02:51who I think are very curious about him.

02:56I think they've seen a lot of his social media

02:59and think it is really quite penetrating and brilliant.

03:02And a lot of people I know.

03:03But I think that's the same thing.

03:04I think that's what I've seen today.

03:04I think that's what I've seen as a leader here.

03:05And I look at the same one.

03:05But I think that's how much I feel.

03:06So I think that's how much he feels.

03:07So I'm on the side of this meeting.

03:07So I know that you're going to give a look at me.

03:07And I'm really looking forward to being on my project.

03:09And this is where I'm getting a little bit.

03:09I think that's how much I'm getting into it.

03:10I'm getting a little bit more of a hard time.

03:11So I think that it's really cool.

03:11I think it's really cool.

03:13I feel like I really excited.

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