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Obama calls NYC mayoral frontrunner Mamdani just days before crucial election

Obama calls NYC mayoral frontrunner Mamdani just days before crucial election

Three days ahead of the New York City mayoral election, former President Barack Obama called frontrunner Zohran Mamdani to offer his support. The 64-year-old Democrat offered to be a “sounding board” to Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who continues to lead the race in polling. “Zohran Mamdani appreciated President Obama’s words of support and their conversation on the importance of bringing a new kind of politics to our city,” Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec told Fox News Digital. Mamdani’s main opponents are former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an Independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. CUOMO PICKS UP ENDORSEMENTS, RISES IN POLLS AS COMEBACK CAMPAIGN NEARS FINISH LINE Sliwa’s campaign told Fox News Digital they had no comment on the call. Cuomo lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary last summer. The phone call between Mamdani and Obama came the same day Obama was also campaigning in Virginia for Abigail Spanberger and in New Jersey for Mikie Sherrill. Both Democrats are in close gubernatorial races in their respective states.  OBAMA SAYS IT’S ‘LIKE EVERY DAY IS HALLOWEEN’ AS HE BLAMES REPUBLICANS FOR GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Both women are Democratic gubernatorial candidates. “Your campaign has been impressive to watch,” Obama told Mamdani in the 30-minute private conversation, according to The New York Times who cited two people familiar with the conversation. Obama hasn’t endorsed Mamdani officially following a vow to not interfere in municipal races, the newspaper reported, adding that it was the second call between the two men since the Democratic primary. Obama spoke to Mamdani as some establishment Democrats, such as New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, have kept their distance from the progressive leader.

‘Progressive capitalist’ rallies for ‘democratic socialist’ candidate in NYC mayoral race

‘Progressive capitalist’ rallies for ‘democratic socialist’ candidate in NYC mayoral race

JAMAICA, QUEENS – Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., is a “progressive capitalist,” but ahead of New York City’s highly-anticipated Election Day, the Silicon Valley congressman rallied for self-identified democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani. As a broad coalition of Mamdani supporters gathered in Queens’ Major Mark Park on Saturday, a socialist and a capitalist – both of Indian descent – found common ground despite the Democratic Party’s looming identity crisis. “My vision is economic patriotism,” Khanna told Fox News Digital after the rally, explaining that he wants to “build a broad, FDR-Obama-like coalition” to overhaul the U.S. economy. “I think we need to be a broad tent.” Khanna said he is “probably one of the few” Democrats who has campaigned for the Democratic nominee in all three major races of this election cycle, also joining gubernatorial candidates Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., on the campaign trail in their states this year. ‘DEMOCRATS ARE NERVOUS’ ABOUT POTENTIAL ZOHRAN MAMDANI VICTORY, NEW REPORT WARNS “If you had asked me when I was growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that there would be an Indian-American of Hindu faith representing Silicon Valley introducing an African-born Indian of Muslim faith, who would be the next mayor of New York, I would have told you only in a Mira Nair film, but it’s happening,” Khanna told the crowd, referencing Mamdani’s filmmaker mother. CLINTON CAMPAIGN ALUM URGES JEFFRIES, SCHUMER NOT TO ‘TAKE THE BAIT,’ GET ‘BULLIED’ INTO MAMDANI ENDORSEMENT Among those rallying in Queens were coalitions of New Yorkers from Afghan, Muslim, Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds, along with local elected officials, including former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., who lost his Democratic primary to a more moderate challenger last year. Speakers during Saturday’s rally and canvass launch condemned Islamophobia, after Mamdani last week criticized his competitors in the mayoral race, including Independent candidate former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and Mayor Erics Adams, who suspended his re-election campaign and endorsed Cuomo for what he claims was “Islamophobic rhetoric.” Mamdani asked the New Yorkers gathered to raise their hands if they were ever called a terrorist, if employers “mangled” their names or they had been made to feel “less-than because of who you are.” “We are not just saying goodbye to a disgraced former governor on Tuesday, we are saying goodbye to the politics of that disgrace,” Mamdani said. But just moments prior, a protester disrupted Mamdani’s remarks, lambasting the leading mayoral candidate for his refusal to denounce the phrase “globalize the intifada” – which is widely considered a call to violence against Jews. Mamdani said he would discourage others from using the phrase but has been reluctant to denounce it. “You are a communist!” the protester shouted from the press pen as the crowd booed him while Mamdani continued speaking. “This is not Cuba! This is not Venezuela!” the protester, who was wearing a shirt with the Cuban flag, shouted. He was ultimately escorted out of the rally by police officers as he shouted, “F— you, Zohran!” President Donald Trump has labeled Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic” and “My little communist” – a moniker Mamdani has rejected. Mamdani’s ambitious campaign agenda includes fast and free buses, city-run grocery stores, and free childcare, which he plans to pay for by raising taxes on corporations and the top 1% of New Yorkers. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was heckled by Mamdani supporters to “Tax the rich” during last Sunday’s rally, has ruled out a tax hike, despite endorsing Mamdani’s mayoral campaign. After Saturday’s rally and canvass launch, Khanna told Fox News Digital that Hochul “should be taxing the billionaires.” “What’s wrong with having a tax on that wealth so that we can pay for childcare?” Khanna questioned, explaining that a 10% “trillionaire tax” – which he said Elon Musk is angling to be – could pay for universal childcare in the United States. “I don’t understand why she’s not for a basic wealth tax,” Khanna added. Mamdani’s mayoral campaign has exposed a divide within the Democratic Party, as New York Democrats were reluctant to endorse his democratic socialist agenda. After months of withholding his support, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries finally endorsed Mamdani last week. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has yet to endorse Mamdani with just days left in the race. As the Democratic Party grapples with losses up and down the ballot in 2024, a new report this week urged Democrats to moderate their positions. The report was released on the heels of the trio of self-identified democratic socialists – Mamdani, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. – joining forces to rally more than 10,000 New York City voters at Forest Hills Stadium last Sunday. When asked about the value of building a coalition with Mamdani, despite Khanna rejecting socialism and calling himself a “progressive capitalist,” he told Fox News Digital that the real challenge is the “wealth divide.” “People can’t afford rent,” Khanna said. “People can’t afford childcare. SNAP is being cut. I represent more wealth than ever before, and I’m saying you can tax billionaires so people can have healthcare and education. We can have a vision of how we’re going to create high-paying jobs, not just here in Queens, but in rural America, in factory towns across this nation.” Fox News Digital’s Olivia Palombo contributed to this report. 

Trump threatens to halt all US aid, conduct ‘vicious’ military attack in Nigeria over Christian persecution

Trump threatens to halt all US aid, conduct ‘vicious’ military attack in Nigeria over Christian persecution

President Donald Trump on Saturday announced the U.S. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria if its government continues to allow the killing of Christians, and may even go into the country “guns-a-blazing” to “completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists” responsible. “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!” The post comes after the president on Friday designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” citing the widespread killings of Christians. I’M A CHRISTIAN FROM NIGER. DON’T IGNORE HORRIFYING ATTACKS ON AFRICAN CHRISTIANS “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump posted to Truth Social Friday. “Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN’—But that is the least of it.” He said Rep. Riley Moore, R-W. Va., Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., and members of the House Appropriations Committee were directed to look into the reports and present findings to him at a later date. “The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries,” Trump wrote. “We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!” WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO SURGE IN CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION CRISIS ACROSS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA The persecution of Christians in Nigeria has reached crisis levels, as Islamist militants burn down villages, massacre worshipers and displace thousands across the north and central regions. Attackers in June invaded a bishop’s village days after he testified before Congress, killing more than twenty people. Other assaults in Plateau and Benue states have left hundreds dead, with survivors describing militants shouting “Allahu Akbar” as they burned churches and homes. International watchdog group Open Doors reported nearly 70% of Christians killed for their faith last year were in Nigeria. Groups like Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Fulani militants are blamed for most attacks, often targeting Christian farmers. Rights groups estimate 4,000–8,000 Christian deaths annually. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital 50,000 Christians have been killed and 20,000 Christian schools and churches destroyed in the country since 2009, calling it “a crisis of religious genocide.” Mark Walker, Trump’s ambassador-designate for International Religious Freedom, urged stronger U.S. pressure on Nigeria’s government, calling the violence a humanitarian crisis. He also pledged to work with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to strengthen U.S. advocacy. I WAS KIDNAPPED BY BOKO HARAM, AND SURVIVED. NO THANKS TO THE WEST’S SILENCE The White House and global leaders have condemned the violence, warning it could spread across Africa. However, Nigerian officials have denied systematic persecution, calling U.S. reports “misleading.” Hours before Trump’s threat Saturday, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu posted a statement on X, noting Nigeria “stands firmly” as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. “Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions,” Tinubu wrote in the statement. “The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians. Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.” “Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it,” he continued. “Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths. Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths.” Fox News Digital’s Efrat Lachter and Sophia Compton contributed to this report.

Obama says it’s ‘like every day is Halloween’ as he blames Republicans for government shutdown

Obama says it’s ‘like every day is Halloween’ as he blames Republicans for government shutdown

Former President Barack Obama on Saturday slammed Republicans for the ongoing federal government shutdown. “The government is shut down and the Republicans who currently are in charge of Congress, they’re not even pretending to solve the problem,” the 64-year-old told a rally crowd while campaigning for former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., turned Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Norfolk, Virginia. “They have not even been showing up to work, not in session. Where are you? What are you doing?” The government shutdown began a month ago on Oct. 1, after lawmakers failed to pass a spending bill to fund the government, with Democrats concerned expiring Affordable Care Act tax cuts could raise premiums and that Medicaid cuts could leave people without coverage. Republicans have blamed the shutdown on Democrats, with Trump recently calling them “crazed lunatics.” JOHNSON WARNS US ‘BARRELING TOWARD ONE OF THE LONGEST SHUTDOWNS’ IN HISTORY “The shutdown proceeds because the Democrats just don’t know what they’re doing,” President Donald Trump told reporters this week. I don’t know what’s wrong with them. They’ve never done a thing like this. They’ve become crazed lunatics. All they have to do is say, ‘Let’s go, let’s go. Let’s open up our country.’ And everything snaps back into shape. So there’s something wrong with them.” Trump has also suggested getting rid of the filibuster. “Remember, Republicans, regardless of the Schumer Shutdown, the Democrats will terminate the Filibuster the first chance they get,” he wrote on Truth Socila on Saturday. “They will Pack the Supreme Court, pick up two States, and add at least 8 Electoral Votes. Their two objectors are gone!!! Don’t be WEAK AND STUPID. FIGHT,FIGHT, FIGHT! WIN, WIN, WIN! We will immediately END the Extortionist Shutdown, get ALL of our agenda passed, and make life so good for Americans that these DERANGED DEMOCRAT politicians will never again have the chance to DESTROY AMERICA!” He added, “Republicans, you will rue the day that you didn’t TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER!!! BE TOUGH, BE SMART, AND WIN!!! This is much bigger than the Shutdown, this is the survival of our Country!” Obama didn’t mention Democrats’ part in the shutdown when talking about it on Saturday. He did, however, have choice words for Trump and his administration. “Our country and our politics are in a pretty dark place right now. It’s hard to know where to start, because every day this white House offers up a fresh batch of lawlessness and recklessness and mean-spiritedness and just plain craziness,” he charged. SHUTDOWN IGNITES STRATEGIST DEBATE: WILL TRUMP AND GOP PAY THE POLITICAL PRICE IN 2026? The former president joked: “It’s like every day is Halloween. Except it’s all tricks and no treats. And and here’s the thing, it’s not as if we didn’t see some of this coming. I will admit, it’s worse than even I expected. But I did warn y’all.” He claimed that while the economy has been good for Trump’s “billionaire pals,” costs haven’t gotten any better for average people. Obama said “there is absolutely no evidence Republican policies have made life better for you” while claiming that Republicans are more focused on “scapegoat[ing] minorities and DEI for every problem under the sun. You got a flat tire? DEI. wife mad at you? DEI.” “What they have not devoted energy to is helping you,” he told the crowd. “They have not put forward serious proposals to lower housing costs or make groceries more affordable.” He urged the crowd to vote for Spanberger, who is facing Virginia’s Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for an open seat in the state. Later Saturday, Obama headed to New Jersey for a rally with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who is in a close race against Republican Jack Ciattarelli. “I don’t know many people who started their careers as a Navy helicopter pilot, then went to law school, then became a federal prosecutor, keeping communities safe,” Obama said in front of a crowd in Newark. “And she’s doing this while raising four kids. And then because apparently that was a little bit too easy, she decided to run for Congress. I get tired just thinking about it. But I do know that it makes her the kind of leader who understands the mission, who knows who she is supposed to serve, who doesn’t have a lot of time for excuses. And that is exactly what New Jersey needs right now.”

Former Trump official warns Mamdani victory would mark ‘Marxist shift’ for New York City

Former Trump official warns Mamdani victory would mark ‘Marxist shift’ for New York City

America’s most populous city is days away from possibly electing a self-defined socialist as its mayor. A former Trump administration official told Fox News Digital a win for Zohran Mamdani could mark a shift toward Marxism in New York City. “I could never fathom the thought of having a Marxist leading my city, the crown jewel city of the United States, of the world, of the free world,” Gene Hamilton, America First Legal co-founder and president, told Fox News Digital. The heated New York City mayoral race has garnered national attention as former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, now running as an independent, Mamdani and Republican Curtis Sliwa face off in an all-out battle to govern the city.  Hamilton, who formerly served as White House deputy counsel, noted some polls have shown a divide between U.S. and foreign-born voters, with those coming from outside the country leaning more toward the young socialist. Hamilton said he sees this as evidence of long-failed immigration policies and a shift away from promoting assimilation and toward pushing integration. NEW JERSEY DEMS SNUB ENDORSING SOCIALIST CANDIDATE MAMDANI AS GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION LOOMS “One of the things we’ve seen over the last several decades is an emphasis amongst many social organizations, nonprofits, the government itself, on this concept of pushing integration and not assimilation. ‘Assimilation’ was treated as a dirty word,” Hamilton said, highlighting resistance against pushing for immigrants to adopt American culture. He said the difference is that integration now means that “we’re integrating you from whatever background you have, whatever political ideology you have, and we’re just integrating you into society and everyone else has to deal with it.” While Hamilton acknowledges that immigration can create appreciation for cultures, he asserted that this does not mean that those coming to the U.S. can ignore the existing culture they’re moving into. He also emphasized the importance of upholding existing immigration laws, arguing that enforcement is not just about border control but about protecting American values. “There are prohibitions, there are restrictions from the admission of individuals for many, many reasons,” he told Fox News Digital. “You can’t admit somebody to the United States who’s been a member of a totalitarian party or communist party. There are people that you can’t submit because they’re going to engage in certain types of activity. ZOHRAN MAMDANI LAUNCHES ANTI-TRUMP TOUR ACROSS FIVE BOROUGHS IN NEW YORK CITY “There is an oath that every naturalized citizen has to take as part of becoming a citizen. They are promising to the United States government that they are renouncing any existing foreign ties and obligations, and, instead, they’re embracing this new American identity. And so all of this wraps together to this devaluation of the value of an American, the American identity, the quintessential American identity that dominated perceptions across the world for decades and decades,” Hamilton added. When it comes to the contentious New York City race, Hamilton said that it shows that the U.S. has brought in “a lot of people” and has failed to teach the importance of Western values, of the U.S. Constitution and what the founders fought for. He said he believes the sacrifices of those who built the country are being “shunted aside towards this belief, this ideological suicide in some ways, that we can just bring anyone from anywhere across the world.” He said the belief that as long as immigrants “provide some kind of economic enhancement to the country of any kind — whether that’s as an Uber driver or whether it’s as a nuclear scientist — that we should just welcome it all the same, treat them all the same and we’re all greatly enriched because of it just (defies) common sense.” During last year’s presidential election, immigration took center stage as many saw the Biden administration’s handling of the border as a failure. This heavily affected then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who was, at one point, tapped to be the country’s border czar.  MAMDANI TAKES COMMANDING 22-POINT LEAD OVER CUOMO IN NEW POLL Hamilton reflected on how the American people “outright rejected the open borders mentality of the Biden administration,” adding that it went beyond the rejection of open land borders and also the bringing in of people from all across the world. “Things take time. It takes years for things to change, but we are now dealing with the consequences of years of failure up until now. We have a real chance to fix it now. Donald Trump is fixing things on the national level. The people of New York still have a chance to make this right. But things are looking really bad,” Hamilton said. Hamilton also touched on the mentality New York Republicans should have while heading to the polls. Despite there being a Republican candidate in the race, there are those who believe that voting for Cuomo would hurt Mamdani, while voting for Sliwa would help him. NYC OFFICIAL EXPOSES MAMDANI’S ‘MARXIST PLAYBOOK’ IN REVEALING NEW FOX NATION SPECIAL “I think it’s really hard,” Hamilton said. “Ultimately, I know a lot of people like Sliwa. He seems like a wonderful man. I don’t know him personally. And so you can stand proud and support on principle, voting for a Republican. But, at the end of the day, you also have to accept and recognize reality sometimes. And whatever it takes to ensure that you do get a Marxist in office is a reasonable decision to make. And, so, if that means holding your nose and voting for Cuomo, that’s a personal decision to make.” Even with the national election long over and the 2025 races just days away, there are those who are thinking about next year’s midterms and how a Mamdani win could shift the tides. “Certainly, I think you’ll see the Democratic Party rally around him and the energy behind his election as a means to try to turn out the vote in 2026 for their preferred candidates, to get this kind of more Marxist message out there and

Sharpton blasts ‘ugly Islamophobia’ in NYC mayoral race as Mamdani attacks Trump on welfare cuts

Sharpton blasts ‘ugly Islamophobia’ in NYC mayoral race as Mamdani attacks Trump on welfare cuts

The Rev. Al Sharpton on Saturday slammed what he called “ugly Islamophobia” sweeping New York City’s mayoral race, accusing some of labeling every Muslim a terrorist to attack Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani. Sharpton, an MSNBC host and progressive activist, was speaking at an event he was hosting for Mamdani in Harlem, and the mayoral candidate was throwing jabs too, accusing President Donald Trump of smearing and gutting welfare programs. The democratic socialist drew parallels to the Reconstruction-era agency created to help newly freed slaves to hammer home his point. The pair were joined by Pastor Miles Travis Boyd, whose mother died on 9/11, as well as other faith leaders. “I am outraged at the ugly Islamophobia that has been used in this campaign to act as though every Muslim is a terrorist and to act like something ugly, as what happened to us on 9/11 is an insult to the intelligence of all New Yorkers,” Sharpton told a lively crowd at the House of Justice, his National Action Network headquarters. FBI AGENTS FROM ’93 WTC ATTACK BLAST MAMDANI FOR EMBRACING RADICAL IMAM “If you can’t get a vote on your record, don’t play us against each other.” Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo faced criticism from Mamdani after Cuomo’s exchange with radio host Sid Rosenberg, who claimed Mamdani would be “cheering” if another 9/11 happened. Cuomo had argued during the segment that Mamdani was unprepared to lead the city in a time of crisis. After Sharpton’s remarks on Saturday, Cuomo denied accusations of Islamophobia and said comments from Republican Councilwoman Inna Vernikov — who has endorsed him and has been accused of making inflammatory statements — were hers alone. Cuomo, in turn, accused Mamdani of fueling division and antisemitism for allegedly refusing to denounce calls for an “intifada” and for making past statements he described as offensive toward Jews. Sharpton also argued Saturday that just showing up at someone’s campaign or shaking their hand doesn’t mean you share blame for whatever they’ve been accused of. Sharpton was likely referencing a meeting Mamdani had last week with Siraj Wahhaj, a Brooklyn imam who is an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and who has been linked to other terrorist activity in the United States. Sharpton said he denounced both the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. “I’m against Islamophobia. But to bring it into the politics of the biggest city in the world should not be allowed to go unchecked,” Sharpton said. “We are not going to sit by silently while they do this. We are Christian. I’m a born-again Baptist, but I embrace the Muslim community to come from the shadows. The Jewish community to come from the shadows. And let’s walk down Broadway together.” OBAMA’S CALL TO MAMDANI ‘NORMALIZES’ THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATE, SHARPTON SAYS He then pitched his flag in Mamdani’s corner after telling the audience that Mamdani was the only candidate who turned up to their events. “For fairness, for affordability, for those who’ve been victimized, I bring you the candidate who showed up, Zohran Mamdani,” Sharpton said, shaking Mamdani’s hand as the crowd cheered and clapped in approval. Mamdani followed Sharpton’s remarks with a speech invoking America’s Reconstruction era, accusing Trump of gutting modern welfare programs, saying they represented today’s version of the Freedmen’s Bureau. The agency provided relief and education and helped reunite families of enslaved people and poor Whites in the post-Civil War South. “If the Freedmen’s Bureau existed today, Donald Trump would pilfer its coffers and smear it as socialist overreach,” Mamdani said. “He would do to it what he has done to SNAP, Medicare and Medicaid, to any program that dares to uplift the poor rather than comfort the wealthy.”  Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately hear back. Mamdani said his campaign was rooted in moral and economic renewal stretching from Harlem to Queens to Bay Ridge. “Over the past 12 months, my friends, we have built a movement around creating a society we would all like to see, a society where the poor receive aid, where those who work long nights are set free in the day, where injustice is banished from our city and where faith is restored in City Hall,” Mamdani said.