Latest news with #TheBulwark
New York Post
10 hours ago
- Business
- New York Post
Mark Cuban reveals Kamala Harris considered him as a potential VP — but turned her down
Mark Cuban revealed that former Vice President Kamala Harris had considered him as a potential running mate in her bid for the White House last year – but he turned her down. The billionaire entrepreneur, who served as a high-profile surrogate for Harris's failed campaign, made the shocking admission in a sneak preview of 'The Bulwark' podcast after host Tim Miller pressed him about 'some green room gossip at MSNBC' related to the request. The former 'Shark Tank' judge said the Democrat's team had reached out to ask him to submit vetting materials – but he felt a review of his extensive background would be a waste of time. 4 Mark Cuban made the shocking admission in a sneak preview of 'The Bulwark' podcast. The Bulwark 'My response was I'm not very good as the number two person,' Cuban told Miller in a clip of Friday's episode. 'And so if the last thing we need is me telling Kamala, you know, the president that, no, that's a dumb idea. And I'm not real good at the shaking hands and kissing babies.' 4 Kamala Harris ultimately chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to join her losing ticket. AFP via Getty Images Miller responded by telling the Dallas Mavericks minority owner that he may have been a bigger – and 'meaningfully different' – asset to Harris's campaign than Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who she ultimately chose to join her losing ticket. 'I mean, obviously it would have been different,' Cuban said, noting that he's not a politician. 'My personality is completely different than Tim's. My experiences, my backgrounds are completely different. I think I've cut through the sh–t more directly. I'm not a politician. And so, it would have been different, but it would have been awful.' 4 Host Tim Miller pressed Cuban about some gossip he had heard at MSNBC related to the request. The Bulwark The businessman joked that Harris probably would have fired him within six days. Miller pushed back, saying that Cuban joining the presidential ticket would have been 'better than the present situation,' referring to President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who overwhelmingly won the election last November. 4 The former 'Shark Tank' judge said the Democrat's team had reached out to ask him to submit vetting materials. Getty Images 'Well, yea, that's true. But, you know, I really thought she was going to win,' Cuban replied. Cuban actively campaigned for Harris on the trail, even facing some backlash after claiming Trump does not surround himself with 'strong, intelligent women' during an appearance on 'The View.' He immediately regretted his careless remarks and tried to clear them up — later congratulating the commander in chief for winning the election 'fair and square.'
NBC News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani draws criticism for ‘intifada' remarks
Zohran Mamdani, a candidate in the Democratic primary for the New York City mayoral election, drew pushback from Jewish organizations and political leaders this week after he appeared to defend the slogan 'globalize the intifada.' In an interview with The Bulwark posted Tuesday, Mamdani was asked whether the expression made him uncomfortable. In response, Mamdani said the slogan captured 'a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.' He said the U.S. Holocaust Museum had used the word 'intifada' in Arabic-language descriptions of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising against Nazi Germany. Mamdani, a progressive New York State Assemblyman who has forcefully criticized the Israeli government, also addressed the rise in antisemitism since the Oct. 7 terror attack and the war in Gaza, saying anti-Jewish prejudice was 'a real issue in our city' and one that the next mayor should focus on 'tackling.' He added that he believes the city's community safety offices should increase funding for anti-hate crime measures. In a post on X on Wednesday, the Washington-based U.S. Holocaust Museum sharply condemned Mamdani's remarks: 'Exploiting the Museum and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising to sanitize 'globalize the intifada' is outrageous and especially offensive to survivors. Since 1987 Jews have been attacked and murdered under its banner. All leaders must condemn its use and the abuse of history.' The U.S. Holocaust Museum did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how it had translated the Warsaw Uprising into Arabic. Jonathan Greenblatt, the chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, decried the phrase on X as an 'explicit incitement to violence.' Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., who is Jewish, said in a statement that the term 'intifada' is 'well understood to refer to the violence terror attacks against innocent Israeli civilians that occurred during the First and Second Intifadas.' 'If Mr. Mamdani is unwilling to heed the request of major Jewish organizations to condemn this unquestionably antisemitic phrase,' Goldman added, 'then he is unfit to lead a city with 1.3 million Jews — the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.' Mamdani has also faced criticism from some of the other candidates in the crowded Democratic primary field — including the frontrunner, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo's polling advantage has narrowed in recent weeks as Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, built momentum and nabbed a key endorsement from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. In a statement, Cuomo called on all the contenders in the race to 'denounce' Mamdani's comments and invoked recent violent attacks on Jewish people nationwide. 'At a time when we are seeing antisemitism on the rise and in fact witnessing once again violence against Jews resulting in their deaths in Washington, D.C. or their burning in Denver — we know all too well that words matter,' Cuomo said in part, referring to the killings of two Israeli Embassy employees and an attack on Israeli hostage advocates in Boulder. 'They fuel hate. They fuel murder.' The war in Gaza and the spike in antisemitism have loomed large over New York City's mayoral primary. Cuomo, 67, casts himself as a fierce defender of Israel and pitches himself to Jewish residents and ideological moderates as the obvious choice in the race. Mamdani, who has characterized Israel's conduct in Gaza as 'genocide,' gained traction partly thanks to enthusiastic support from the city's progressives. Mamdani, speaking to reporters at a press event in Harlem on Wednesday, addressed the outcry over his interview with The Bulwark and the ensuing pushback, saying in part that 'it pains me to be called an antisemite.' 'I've said at every opportunity that there is no room for antisemitism in this city, in this country. I've said that because that is something I personally believe,' Mamdani said. He broke down crying as he described the vitriol he has received as he seeks to become the first Muslim mayor of New York City. 'I get messages that say: 'The only good Muslim is a dead Muslim.' I get threats on my life, on the people that I love,' Mamdani said, eyes welling up with tears. New York City's Democratic mayoral primary is on June 24. The scandal-plagued incumbent mayor, Eric Adams, won election as a Democrat in 2021, but he is not participating in the party's nominating contest. He is reportedly petitioning to run on two independent ballot lines: 'EndAntiSemitism' and 'Safe&Affordable.'
The Hill
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
NYC mayoral candidate draws criticism for ‘globalize the intifada' comparison to Warsaw uprising
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism over remarks he made in which he avoided denouncing the phrase 'globalize the intifada' and compared it to the Warsaw ghetto uprising during the Holocaust. Mamdani appeared for an interview with The Bulwark, released on Tuesday, in which host Tim Miller asked him for his thoughts on the phrase, which has evoked strong emotions on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many pro-Palestinian activists have said the phrase refers to Palestinians fighting for their own rights and opposing Israeli occupation, while pro-Israel activists and many Jewish people view the phrase as calling for a global uprising to commit violence against Zionists, who support Israel's existence, and Jews more broadly. 'To me, ultimately, what I hear in so many is a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights,' he said in comments first reported by Jewish Insider. 'And I think what's difficult also is that the very word has been used by the Holocaust Museum when translating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising into Arabic, because it's a word that means struggle.' Mamdani seemed to refer to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. But the museum issued a rare statement weighing in on a political issue on Wednesday, denouncing Mamdani's comparison. 'Exploiting the Museum and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising to sanitize 'globalize the intifada' is outrageous and especially offensive to survivors,' the museum said in a post on X. 'Since 1987 Jews have been attacked and murdered under its banner. All leaders must condemn its use and the abuse of history.' Intifada is an Arabic word literally meaning uprising, but many associate it with the First Intifada in the 1980s and 1990s and the Second Intifada in the early 2000s, during which Palestinians in the Palestinian territories and Israel took part in an uprising leading to significant violence in the area. But pro-Palestinian activists maintain they only use the phrase to refer to Palestinian liberation. The Warsaw Ghetto uprising took place during World War II when Jews in German-occupied Poland pushed back against the Nazis and some escaped. Mamdani responded to the criticism he's faced in comments at a press conference on Wednesday, saying, 'There's no room for antisemitism in this city and this country.' The conference was initially held to announce former mayoral candidate Maya Wiley's endorsement of Mamdani's campaign. 'It pains me to be called an antisemite. It pains me to be painted as I'm somehow in opposition to the very Jewish New Yorkers that I know and love and that are such a key part of this city,' he said. Throughout the campaign, Mamdani has faced criticism over his stances on Israel and accusations of antisemitism over some public statements he's made. He's been a sharp critic of Israel's war in Gaza and was challenged earlier this month over his unwillingness to say definitively that he supports Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state. 'I support Israel's right to exist as a state with equal rights,' he said in a local media interview. 'Because I'm not comfortable supporting any state that has a hierarchy of citizenship on the basis of religion or anything else. Equality should be enshrined in every county in the world.' Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is the front-runner in the race, slammed Mamdani for saying the phrase about the intifada is 'subject to interpretation.' He called on all mayoral candidates to denounce the comment. 'That is not only wrong – it is dangerous,' he said in a post on X. 'At a time when we are seeing antisemitism on the rise and in fact witnessing once again violence against Jews resulting in their deaths in Washington DC or their burning in Denver – we know all too well that words matter. They fuel hate. They fuel murder. As the US Holocaust Museum so aptly said, all leaders or those running for office must condemn the use of this battle cry. There are no two sides here.' During the press conference, he also referred to his own status as a Muslim political candidate and messages of hate he's received over it. 'I get messages that say, 'The only good Muslim is a dead Muslim.' I get threats on my life, on the people that I love, and I try not to talk about it,' he said, adding he wants to focus on making the city more affordable and one that 'every New Yorker sees themselves in.' 'The thing that's made me proudest in this campaign is that the strength of our movement is built on our ability to build something across Jewish and Muslim communities, across New Yorkers of all faiths and all backgrounds and all boroughs,' Mamdani said. He addressed attacks he's received from other candidates over this issue, arguing it's been a political tool rather than a genuine attack. 'Antisemitism is such a real issue in this city, and it's been hard to see it weaponized by candidates who do not have any sincere interest in tackling but rather in using it as a pretext to make political points,' he said.
New York Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani slapped down by Holocaust Museum for trying to ‘sanitize' anti-Israel rally cry
Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani refused to condemn the anti-Israel 'globalize the intifada' rallying cry Tuesday — drawing a backlash and a backhanded slapdown from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. The hot-button phrase has been denounced for allegedly stoking antisemitic violence, but Mamdani argued during an interview with The Bulwark podcast that it instead should be seen as a call to stand up for Palestinian human rights. He further tried to downplay its hateful associations by contending the museum used it to describe the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising by Polish Jews against the Nazis. Advertisement 6 Zohran Mamdani refused to condemn the 'globalize the intifada' rallying cry on The Bulwark podcast. The Bulwark Podcast 'I think what's difficult also is that the very word has been used by the Holocaust Museum when translating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising into Arabic, because it's a word that means struggle,' Mamdani said. But Mamdani's hand-waving assertion only inflamed critics, including fellow mayoral contender Andrew Cuomo and several Jewish leaders, who view the Queens state Assemblyman as harboring dangerously antisemitic views. Advertisement It also inspired a pointed subtweet from the museum itself, which noted it stemmed from 1987's violent First Intifada by Palestinians against Israel. 'Exploiting the Museum and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising to sanitize 'globalize the intifada' is outrageous and especially offensive to survivors,' the museum tweeted. 'Since 1987 Jews have been attacked and murdered under its banner. All leaders must condemn its use and the abuse of history.' 6 Mamdani contended the US Memorial Holocaust Museum described the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising as an 'intifada' in Arabic. Getty Images Advertisement While the subtweet didn't mention Mamdani, a US Holocaust Memorial Museum spokesman confirmed it was referring to the liberal Democrat. 'Any claim that 'globalize the intifada' is not antisemitic or calling for violence against Jews is false and must be denounced,' museum spokesman Andy Hollinger said in a statement. The intifada kerfuffle is the latest controversy that Mamdani has faced over his vocal anti-Israel stance — and comes a week before the June 24 primary, in which he is vying to become mayor of the nation's largest Jewish city. 6 A Holocaust Memorial Museum spokesman said the tweet was directed at Mamdani. Universal Images Group via Getty Images Advertisement Mamdani's support of the boycott, divest and sanctions movement, reluctance to say Israel has a right to exist as a 'Jewish state' and refusal to sign resolutions recognizing Israel and the Holocaust have overshadowed his emphatic rejection of antisemitism and espousal of nonviolence. Cuomo, the frontrunner in the mayoral race, quickly seized on the chance to pile onto the upstart candidate. The former governor, who has made fighting antisemitism a plank of his would-be political comeback, called Mamdani's words 'dangerous.' 'There is nothing complicated about what this means,' Cuomo said in a statement. 'I call on all candidates running for mayor to join together to denounce Mr. Mamdani's comments because hate has no place in New York.' 6 Mamdani is a vocal critic of Israel. Instagram/@zohrankmamdani 6 Mamdani repeatedly has espoused nonviolence. Instagram/@zohrankmamdani Cuomo has wracked up endorsements from nearly every major ultra-Orthodox Jewish and Hasidic voting organization. Advertisement Rabbi Marc Schneier called on Mamdani to apologize for equating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising with 'intifada.' 'His language is a direct insult to survivors and the hundreds of thousands of Jewish New Yorkers who are the relatives of loved ones lost in the Shoah,' Schneier said in a statement. 'His moral laryngitis in the face of Iranian attacks on Israeli civilians further exposes his indifference to Jewish suffering and disqualifies him from any leadership role in this city.' Outspoken pro-Israel Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx) argued the rallying cry has ignited a recent antisemitic wave of violence in the US, from the firebombing of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's mansion to the assassination of two Israeli Embassy staffers and a Molotov cocktail-hurling nutjob's attack in Colorado. 'To compare the instigators of antisemitic violence to Jews seeking liberation from Nazi death camps—as Zohran Mamdani has done—is not only disgraceful,' Torres tweeted. 'It is disqualifying.' Advertisement 6 The Queens state Assemblyman refused to sign resolutions recognizing Israel and the Holocaust. Beyond the debate over 'globalize the intifada' is antisemitic, Mamdani does appear correct that the word was used in a Holocaust Museum exhibit about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The museum's website reportedly used the word to describe the Jewish uprising against the Nazis until mid-2024, when it was changed to 'muqawama,' meaning resistance, according to a Business Insider reporter. Mamdani emotionally responded to the backlash Wednesday, contending as a Muslim he has been the target of hate and threats on his life. Advertisement He said the function of racism is 'distraction.' 'Antisemitism is such a real issue in this city,' he said. 'It has been hard to see it weaponized by candidates who do not seem to have any sincere interest in tackling it, but rather as a pretext to make political points.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fired ABC News journalist stands by his post criticizing Trump and adviser
A journalist who lost his job at ABC News after describing top White House aide Stephen Miller as someone 'richly endowed with the capacity for hatred' has said he published that remark on social media because he felt it was 'true'. 'It was something that was in my heart and mind,' the network's former senior national correspondent Terry Moran said Monday on The Bulwark political podcast. 'And I would say I used very strong language deliberately.' Moran's comments to Bulwark host Tim Miller about standing by his statements came a little more than a week after he wrote on X that Stephen Miller – the architect of Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies – 'eats his hate'. 'His hatreds are his spiritual nourishment,' Moran's post read, in part. He added that the president 'is a world-class hater. But his hatred [is] only a means to an end, and that end [is] his own glorification'. Related: Reporter says she was fired from Trump-friendly outlet after criticizing Hegseth Moran subsequently deleted the post, which had been published shortly after midnight on 8 June. ABC News initially suspended Moran pending an investigation, citing a policy against 'subjective attacks on others'. But then the network announced it would not be renewing his employment contract, effectively dismissing him. Among the polarizing reactions which stemmed from Moran's deleted post was one from Stephen Miller, a white nationalist, which read: 'The most important fact about Terry's full meltdown is what it shows about the corporate press in America. For decades, the privileged anchors and reporters narrating and gatekeeping our society have been radicals adopting a journalist's pose. Terry pulled off his mask.' But Moran on Monday maintained that he is 'a proud centrist' who opposes 'the viciousness and the intolerance that you feel when we argue politics'. Tim Miller asked Moran whether he was drunk at the time of the post. Moran replied that it had actually been 'a normal family night' that culminated with him putting his children to bed before he wrote out his thoughts about Stephen Miller. 'I typed it out and I looked at it and I thought 'that's true',' said Moran, who had been at ABC since 1997. 'And I hit send. 'I thought that's a description of the public man that I'm describing.' Some of Trump's most high-profile allies took verbal aim at Moran before his departure from ABC News was announced. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared on Fox News and said Moran's post was 'unacceptable and unhinged', and JD Vance said it was a 'vile smear'. Nearly six months earlier, ABC News had agreed to pay $15m to a Trump presidential foundation or museum to settle a defamation case that he brought after the network's anchor George Stephanopoulos incorrectly asserted that Trump had been found 'liable for rape' in a lawsuit filed by columnist E Jean Carroll. Trump had actually been found liable for sexually abusing Carroll. Moran by Monday had joined the Substack publishing platform as an independent journalist. He told Tim Miller that he was hoping to interview members of the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio. Members of that community were politically villainized after Trump boosted debunked stories about Haitian immigrants eating pets ahead of his victory in November's presidential election. Moran alluded to how the vast majority of the Haitian immigrants in Springfield were there legally through a temporary protected status that had been allocated to them due to violent unrest in their home country. They generally arrived in Springfield to work in local produce packaging and machining factories whose owners were experiencing a labor shortage after the Covid-19 pandemic. And many are facing the prospect of being forced to leave the US by 3 August after the Trump administration decided to end legal visa programs for Haitians such as humanitarian parole and temporary protected status. 'The town had come to depend on them,' Moran said. 'That town was falling flat and now had risen.'
