The New Mayor of New York
Transcript excerpt of the New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's victory speech yesterday
"Thank you, dear friends. While the sun has dipped below the horizon in our city this evening, I am reminded of Eugene Debs’ words: 'We can see the dawn of a better day for humanity.'
For generations, the working class of New York has been told by the affluent and influential that authority is not meant for them. Hands worn from lifting crates in warehouses, palms toughened from gripping delivery bike handles... these are not the hands that have been permitted to wield power. Yet, in the past year, you have boldly reached for something more significant.
Tonight, against all odds, we have seized that opportunity. Our city is in our hands. Friends, we have dismantled a political dynasty.
I wish Andrew Cuomo well in his private life. However, let tonight be the last occasion I mention his name as we turn the page on a political landscape that neglects the many and caters only to a select few. New York, you have made your voice heard tonight. A call for transformation. A call for a new style of governance. A call for a city that is within our means. And a call for a government that fulfills that promise.
On January 1st, I will take the oath of office as the mayor of New York City, and that is a testament to your support. So before I move forward, I must express my gratitude: Thank you. Thank you to the upcoming generation of New Yorkers who refuse to believe that a brighter future is merely a thing of the past...
We will establish a City Hall that stands firm alongside Jewish New Yorkers and remains steadfast in the battle against antisemitism. A place where over one million Muslims recognize they belong not just in the fives but also in the corridors of power.
No longer will New York be a city where one can exploit Islamophobia to win an election. This new era will be characterized by a blend of competence and compassion that has long been seen as contradictory.
For years, those in City Hall have only assisted those who could assist them in return. But starting January 1, we usher in city government that serves everyone...
We will hold negligent landlords accountable because the Donald Trumps of our city have become far too comfortable exploiting their tenants. We will eradicate a culture that has billionaires like to evade taxes and benefit from tax loopholes. We will stand with unions and enhance labor protections because we know that when workers possess unwavering rights, the bosses looking to exploit them become very small indeed.
New York will continue to be a city of immigrants: a city built, powered, and now, as of tonight, led by an immigrant.
So listen closely President Trump when I say this: if you reach any of us, you will have to confront all of us...
gl.you will need it