Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani’s refusal to condemn chants of “globalize the intifada” made at the pro-Hamas protests he has frequently defended as a New York state assemblyman and candidate for New York City mayor continues to cause headaches for Democratic Party leaders and further widen existing fissures on the issue of Israel.
As Legal Insurrection reported, the latest example comes courtesy of DNC Chairman Ken Martin, who in a PBS interview earlier this week tapdanced around the subject when asked about it.
Instead of criticizing the Democratic NYC mayoral nominee, Martin cheerfully suggested that the Democratic Party was a “big tent” and welcomed all kinds of people and views, which apparently includes death chants with which he and others might merely disagree:
There’s no candidate in this party that I agree 100% of the time with, to be honest with you. There’s things that I don’t agree with Mamdani that he said.
But at the end of the day, I always believe, as a Democratic Party chair in Minnesota for the last 14 years, and now the chair of the DNC, that you win through addition, you win by bringing people into your coalition.We have Conservative Democrats. We have centrist Democrats. We have labor progressives like me, and we have this new brand of Democrat, which is the leftist. And we win by bringing people into that coalition and at the end of the day, for me, that’s the type of party we’re going to lead. We are a big tent party.Yes, it leads to dissent and debate, and there’s differences of opinions on a whole host of issues. But we should celebrate that as a party and recognize at the end of the day, we’re better because of it.
For those who missed it, watch:
It’s hard to know what part of that segment was most appalling, but I think I’ll go with how he treated “disagreement” over a major issue like “death to the Jews” chants coming from antisemitic leftist groups much like others would treat trivial disagreements over things like where to go out for dinner.
The clip of Martin’s remarks got a lot of attention and raised more than a few eyebrows to the point that he gaslit critics and supporters alike with how he initially responded on X to the video that made the rounds:
The right-wing lie machine is at it again. That’s not what I said in this interview. I’ve never supported or condoned the phrase ‘globalize the intifada’, a phrase which is reckless and dangerous, as it can been seen as a green light to terror, and it should be unequivocally condemned. Let me be clear, at a time of rising antisemitism, there’s no place for rhetoric that can be seen as a call to violence.
Except there was no “lie.” The Free Beacon‘s summary of Martin’s statement was accurate. At no point in the clip did he expressly call out Mamdani and condemn “globalize the intifada.” He seemed much more concerned about trying to sound inclusive to hate-filled radicals.
Even some Jewish Democrats called out Martin, refusing to be lied to:
Martin opening his mouth and inserting his foot prompted outrage from Jewish leaders, which might explain why he spent a significant part of the day Friday trying to contain the damage:
In the Friday phone calls, Martin faced criticism from the Jewish leaders [from the Anti-Defamation League and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee], the two sources confirmed. But a DNC senior advisor told JI that Martin made clear he stood with them against the harmful rhetoric.“By the end of it there was an understanding that Ken does understand and is aligned with the community and that frankly people want full-throated leadership,” the advisor said. “This language isn’t about Democrats. This is just not acceptable, period, and as a party it’s not acceptable.”But Martin still held his fire against Mamdani because Mamdani himself did not utter the phrase “globalize the intifada,” the DNC advisor explained. Rather, Mamdani defended its use by others.
Presumably, Martin is aware that the Democratic Socialist Party of which Zohran Mamdani is a member harbors antisemitic views of Israel:
The DSA platform accuses Israel of apartheid, colonialism and military occupation, while pledging solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The group considers the Gaza war a genocide; supports BDS, the movement to boycott Israel, and calls for an end to American aid to Israel.
The platform does not endorse any particular formula for resolving the conflict but says any political solution must be grounded in the right of Palestinian refugees to return, an outcome Israel contends would spell the end of its existence as a Jewish state.
It’s a view apparently shared by the Twin Cities – Minnesota DSA chapter, which Martin condemned shortly after the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians, after the group ended its statement on the war with this:
We are resolved in our commitment to not fear the backlash that comes from being vocally, and boldly, in favor of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and Palestinian freedom, for as socialists and internationalists, we are often the only ones willing to take a stand for justice, even when it is unpopular, or even dangerous. We are resolved to proclaim “From the River, to the Sea, Palestine will be free!” today and until liberation.
Sooo, if you’re keeping score at home, Mamdani can rap about supporting a Hamas terror-funding group, be a member of an extremist political party that doesn’t believe in Israel’s right to exist, be a part of the antisemitic BDS movement, and refuse to condemn death to Jews chants… and still be welcomed with open arms into the modern Democratic Party.
Meanwhile, from the Useful Idiots files:
Then again, considering this, it’s not really so surprising, is it?
I rest my case.
-Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter/X.-
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