Anyone But Mamdani, Please!

Summary

Kennedy Saves the World

Episode Title: Anyone But Mamdani, Please!
Date: September 8, 2025
Host: Kennedy
Guest: Jimmy Failla
Podcast: FOX News Podcasts

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Kennedy and guest Jimmy Failla dive into the heated and tumultuous New York City mayoral race. Their discussion zeroes in on the rise of “socialist despair,” the influence of national politics on local elections, and the colorful cast of candidates vying for the city’s top job. With playful banter, sharp political takes, and uniquely New York humor, they dissect the dynamics between candidates like Curtis Sliwa, Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo, and Zohran Mamdani. Beyond politics, they riff on urban living, personal anecdotes, and the inherent absurdities of the current political scene.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Mayoral Race Heats Up

• National Spotlight on NYC Politics

  • Discussion opens with the observation that the mayoral race is now "becoming a national issue" as the President considers stepping in and possibly aiding Andrew Cuomo.
    • "A lot of momentum has shifted since the last time we talked about the New York City mayoral race, and now it's becoming a national issue because the President is about to get involved and hand the whole thing over to Handsy Andy." — Kennedy [00:36]

• Backroom Politics and Trump’s Role

  • Jimmy voices skepticism about reported backroom deals, noting allegations that Trump has only called Adams and not other candidates like Sliwa.
    • "Trump hasn't called [Curtis Sliwa] yet. He has not been offered anything and that only Adams got a call. He swears it's true." — Jimmy Failla [00:56]
  • Concerns are raised about Trump making the race about himself, potentially helping progressive candidate Mamdani.
    • "By putting his public fingerprints on this race, it allows Mamdani to run against Trump." — Jimmy Failla [02:12]

• The Anti-‘Team Sport’ Mentality in Politics

  • Failla laments the "team sport" attitude in politics where opposition to a party, rather than issues or candidates, guides voting.
    • "Politics really are... it's such a lazy, like, team sport now. For a lot of people, it is like their Yankee Red Sox rivalry. Like, they don't care as long as the other team loses." — Jimmy Failla [03:48]

Candidate Personalities & Policies

• Curtis Sliwa’s Quirks

  • Sliwa’s cat rescue mission and his proposal for using feral cats to fight the rat problem get special focus. Kennedy and Jimmy riff on rumors of Sliwa's apartment being overrun by cats and jokes about his cat-like odor.
    • "He allegedly has like dozens of cats in his one bedroom apartment." — Kennedy [03:13]
    • "He does say he wants feral cats to solve the city's rat problem." — Jimmy Failla [03:19]

• Interview Gaffes & Anti-Business Rhetoric

  • Jimmy critiques Mamdani’s response to questions about taxing the wealthy, referencing an interview with Al Sharpton.
    • "Sharpton to his credit, said, what are you going to say to the upper 1% of income earners who pay half of the taxes in this city?... And he's like, well, I would explain to them that it's actually better for their quality of life if they do so." — Jimmy Failla [04:29]
    • Kennedy rebuttals: "No, it's not. And in no world, in no world is it better." [04:58]

• Public Safety & Quality of Life Concerns

  • Kennedy draws vivid comparisons between decriminalization efforts and open-air drug use and prostitution in Manhattan, expressing concerns for the city’s future under Mamdani.
    • "You see the people like the, the corpulent, thirsty hookers on Roosevelt Avenue and it's like, that's not going to be confined to Roosevelt Avenue. That'll be everywhere. Because Mamdani is like, well, it's, it's a very honorable profession. It's like that might be, but you don't have a system to make it honorable." — Kennedy [05:35]

• Impact on Businesses and Families

  • Jimmy points out the effect of open prostitution on local businesses and on families, referencing his cab-driving days and the discomfort of explaining such scenes to his child.
    • "It's so bad for local businesses because people don't want to frequent them. It's bad for kids who have to go seen there." — Jimmy Failla [06:04]

Electoral Strategy & the ‘Rope-a-Dope’ Theory

• Extreme Nominations as Political Decoys?

  • The duo discusses the possibility that Democrats have intentionally nominated an extremist to guarantee retaining the mayoralty.
    • "Doesn't this also read like a rope of dope? In the sense that it's like the Democrats have nominated this one, like utter extremist... by throwing Cuomo in there, it almost looks like we got rope a doped." — Jimmy Failla [06:46]

• High-Profile Endorsements and Donor Shifts

  • Bill Ackman’s financial pivot from Adams to Cuomo is highlighted as further evidence of the race’s volatility.
    • "Ackman had given a bunch of money to Adam's campaign. He's like, nah, he's not gonna win... I'm gonna go ahead and shift to Cuomo." — Kennedy [07:25]

Reflections on Candidates: Adams, Cuomo, and Sliwa

• Adams, Cuomo, and Losing Support

  • Kennedy admits she’d rather Adams win over Cuomo, despite reservations. Both agree Adams is a spent force politically after aligning with opposing stances on sanctuary cities and border policies.
    • "He was kind of pro sanctuary city and standing up to Trump... then as the city started little strained by the imported population, he started to call attention to the border problem." — Jimmy Failla [08:10]

• Sliwa’s Stubborn Candidacy

  • Sliwa’s refusal to bow out and Trump’s alleged avoidance are discussed, speculating about negotiation ploys.
    • "I don't think Sliwa can win. I don't know what he thinks, but he swears that he's not dropping out, Trump hasn't called him, and that Trump isn't calling him cuz he knows he can't be bought." — Jimmy Failla [08:52]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Ubiquity of Curtis Sliwa:
  "Never have I ever, in the 33 years that I have been in and around New York either, living here, working here, visiting, whatever. I've never heard so many conservatives talk about Curtis Sliwa." – Kennedy [02:50]

• On Politics as Sports:
  "It's such a lazy, like, team sport now. For a lot of people, it is like their Yankee Red Sox rivalry." — Jimmy Failla [03:48]

• On New York’s Prostitution Scene:
  "You see the people like the, the corpulent, thirsty hookers on Roosevelt Avenue and it's like, that's not going to be confined to Roosevelt Avenue. That'll be everywhere." — Kennedy [05:35]

• On Running for Mayor:
  "I would, I would actually love to run for mayor at one point. I would as a city, because I probably, and this is unfortunate, but when you're a cab driver... you get to see the city from an angle that a proctologist sees a patient from." — Jimmy Failla [09:44]

• On Birthday Shopping:
  "Did you go shopping for your birthday really quick? I know you're supposed to wrap this show up at some point, but did you shop? Yeah. You did to me from me. Isn't it the best thing to do? Shop for yourself?" — Jimmy Failla [12:01–12:09]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening and Setting the Scene — [00:10–01:32]
• Trump’s Involvement and Political Optics — [01:32–02:19]
• Curtis Sliwa’s Rise in Relevance — [02:50–03:29]
• Mamdani’s Policy Positions and Critiques — [04:25–05:35]
• Public Safety, Decriminalization Debate — [05:35–06:22]
• Rope-a-Dope Electoral Theory — [06:45–07:10]
• Donor Shifts and Endorsements — [07:25–07:45]
• Decline of Eric Adams and Candidate Futures — [08:10–09:12]
• Personal Anecdotes/Myths of NYC Living — [09:44–11:38]
• Candor and Birthday Banter — [12:01–12:54]

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Conclusion

Kennedy and Jimmy Failla deliver a lively, biting, and character-driven dissection of the current New York City mayoral chaos. By skewering candidates, exposing political ploys, and punctuating their analysis with laughter and empathy—including reflections on the unwinnable choices facing voters—they manage to illuminate the absurdity and gravity facing New Yorkers this election cycle.

Tone:
Witty, irreverent, skeptical, New York-savvy, and slightly exasperated—offering listeners a candid backstage look at high-stakes city politics through the prism of everyday freedom and common sense.

Transcript

[Jimmy Failla]

Foreign.

[Kennedy]

Hello, and welcome to this episode of Kennedy Saves the World. We just have to show Jimmy right away because the two of us look like we are in a pastel catalog for special needs shoppers.

[Jimmy Failla]

Yeah, I was gonna say a special needs pride display at Target. I don't know. I don't know what you'd call all this. Pink. It's clearly not planned. And the onus is on me as the guy to not be here in a pink denim jacket. Let's be clear. You're well within your rights.

[Kennedy]

I saw you talking to Curtis Lewont today on your radio show. You know, it's like a lot of momentum has shifted since the last time we talked about the New York City mayoral race, and now it's becoming a national issue because the President is about to get involved and hand the whole thing over to Handsy Andy.

[Jimmy Failla]

That's what I don't like. You know what Kurt Flirt just told me? He says Trump hasn't called him yet. He says he has not been offered anything and that only Adams got a call. He swears it's true. Okay, I don't know.

[Kennedy]

How does he know that Adam's got a call?

[Jimmy Failla]

Well, Adam said reported. Yeah, he spoke, and he's like, while I'm always willing to listen, you know, my priority is New York. Okay.

[Kennedy]

But he's gonna have nothing when he loses the race.

[Jimmy Failla]

Oh, yeah, that is cool.

[Kennedy]

He will have absolutely nothing.

[Jimmy Failla]

No, no, he's.

[Kennedy]

No goodwill, no political future, nothing.

[Jimmy Failla]

I think everyone involved is just holding out for a better deal. You know what I'm saying? You're supposed to go, I'll never leave. And then they call about now.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Failla]

Do you know the old in the Naked Gun where the guy hands him a 20, he goes, why should I tell you? Maybe this will help. And he gives back the money. What do you want to know? Who's asking? Can you spot me at 20? So I think there's an ongoing negotiation. Yeah, I think they have to get out. What I hate about this, I actually hate about this. I'm at odds with the President on this one.

[Kennedy]

Okay.

[Jimmy Failla]

Okay. Which it's. There's a lot for him to deal with. So, Mr. President, I hope you're sitting down.

[Kennedy]

Well, he. He consumes every episode of Kennedy Saves the World.

[Jimmy Failla]

We know that's the reason the world keeps surviving.

[Kennedy]

Exactly.

[Jimmy Failla]

Right? Clearly.

[Kennedy]

What a crater.

[Jimmy Failla]

By now, the show should be called you're Welco. But when we get sued by our buddy Michael Malice for his thing. But stick with me here, okay? The Trump man I think we're all in alignment on the fact that we don't want a socialist running New York. But I think by putting his public fingerprints on this race, it allows mom Donnie to run against Trump.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Failla]

Which is what a lot of local politicians do here. That's how we got Letitia James and Alvin Brooks. They didn't run against anybody. They ran against Trump.

[Kennedy]

No.

[Jimmy Failla]

They had nothing to do with them.

[Kennedy]

The day the National Guard descended on Los Angeles, Gavin Newsom was just wiping tears of joy from his face.

[Jimmy Failla]

So excited, jumping up and down like.

[Kennedy]

He was on a pogo stick, because it is such a political gift. And it's like, I know that Trump loves New York City. I know that he doesn't want the city to fall into socialist despair. But to your point, it's also a bad look.

[Jimmy Failla]

Yep.

[Kennedy]

It's funny, though, because never have I ever, in the 33 years that I have been in and around New York either, living here, working here, visiting, whatever. I've never heard so many conservatives talk about Curtis Lewa.

[Jimmy Failla]

Yes. That's the thing. So he is super relevant right now. What's also interesting, though, and this is what I think makes he smell like.

[Kennedy]

Cat pee because he allegedly has like dozens of cats in his one bedroom apartment.

[Jimmy Failla]

You know, he does say he wants feral cats to solve the city's rat problem.

[Kennedy]

I love non traditional thinking. The rats are. Hasn't done the trick.

[Jimmy Failla]

Hasn't gotten the job done.

[Kennedy]

The rats are hornier than ever.

[Jimmy Failla]

These are horny rats.

[Kennedy]

But he's. He's like, they just need a little bit of Tupperware, maybe a place to stay.

[Jimmy Failla]

I don't know the answer to this question. He smelled fine in the studio.

[Kennedy]

Oh, great. Yeah.

[Jimmy Failla]

No, I am used to being around.

[Kennedy]

With a little red hat.

[Jimmy Failla]

I am used to being around radio people and podcasters, though.

[Will Kane]

So what do I know?

[Jimmy Failla]

I just spent half the time missing my taxi it off. I'm kidding. But this is the problem, though, because we got to this place where politics really are. It's such a lazy, like, team sport now. For a lot of people, it is like their Yankee Red Sox rivalry. Like, they don't care as long as the other team loses. So they'll vote for Mom Donnie, no matter what that means to the city or its tax base. I don't know if you saw his clip, right. He's getting interviewed by Al Sharpton, which, you know, I guess you have to agree to certain things to get that interview. You have to shoot up the Ozempic for the Reverend You Know, it's not easy to get it in there. And anyway, he's got a little overhang.

[Kennedy]

He's still got loose skin because he was he. He's an ffp. Former fat person.

[Jimmy Failla]

Al Sharpton and Al Roker are proof that it's possible to lose too much weight. The people who lose their soul in their face because they ozempic away the joy, that's just a cautionary tale. That's one of the many reasons I'm clearly not on it. But stick with me, okay? He was telling Sharpton because Sharpton to his credit, said, what are you going to say to the upper 1% of income earners who pay half of the taxes in this city who don't want to pay more? And he's like, well, I would explain to them that it's actually better for their quality of life if they do so.

[Kennedy]

No, it's not.

[Jimmy Failla]

And in no world, in no world is it better.

[Kennedy]

So if you've got more recidivist criminals on the streets reoffending over and over and over again, if you have more open air prostitution, because they're not doing anything to. They're not creating systems to legalize drugs and legalize prostitutions, which keeps it out of full view, which is the argument for legalization in the first place. You know, it's like when you walk down 33rd street by Penn Station, it's a shooting gallery. Like there are people who are either passed out or they're actively shooting each other up. Like I've seen it so many times and it's disconcerting. And I'm a legalization person. But this is decriminalization. And all we're gonna get is more decriminalization. So you see the people like the, the corpulent, thirsty hookers on Roosevelt Avenue and it's like, that's not going to be confined to Roosevelt Avenue. That'll be everywhere. Because Mamdani is like, well, it's, it's a very honorable profession. It's like that might be, but you don't have a system to make it honorable.

[Jimmy Failla]

Yeah, it's broken. Like it's like a misguided empathy. And it's another thing people don't talk about is when, like I can tell you this is a cab driver. When you're in those neighborhoods where they have hookers, it's so bad for local businesses because people don't want to frequent them. It's bad for kids who have to go seen there.

[Kennedy]

If you're a legitimate person.

[Jimmy Failla]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Who's Just looking for a hoagie.

[Jimmy Failla]

Yeah. Now imagine you're me and you're driving through with your wife and kid at night and everybody's like, Jimmy, you know what I mean? Like, ah, come on. I told you, that's Brad. Who's this Jimmy guy? You guys don't know me as Jimmy.

[Kennedy]

You want the usual, Brad?

[Jimmy Failla]

A Steamboat Willie? How about it? Okay. Digging for diamonds, are we ever. So listen, I am rooting against mom Donnie, as is everybody else, but doesn't this also read like a rope of dope? In the sense that it's like the Democrats have nominated this one, like utter extremist.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Failla]

And we're gonna stop him by guaranteeing the Democrats the mayor's residence. Either way, by throwing Cuomo in there, it almost looks like we got rope a doped. Yeah, because like, if you think about it, the highest profile Democrats have not endorsed him.

[Kennedy]

Don't go anywhere. More Kennedy saves the World right after this.

[Jimmy Failla]

This is Jimmy Phela inviting you to join me for Fox Across America where we'll discuss every single one of the Democrats. Dumb ideas. Just kidding. It's only a three hour show. Listen live at noon eastern or get the podcast@fox foxacrossamerica.com okay, so let's say.

[Kennedy]

Everyone gets out of the race.

[Jimmy Failla]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Okay, let's say everyone's out. I know Bill Ackman had given a bunch of money to Adam's campaign. He's like, nah, he's not gonna win. He's actually sinking in the polls. He's like a distant fourth. I'm gonna go ahead and shift to Cuomo. What if Cuomo, and it's only Cuomo and Mamdani, what if Cuomo loses again?

[Jimmy Failla]

And he probably still will.

[Kennedy]

I would rather, I still, like, I, I know this is like you can't violate the, the orthodoxy, but I still would rather see Adams than Cuomo.

[Jimmy Failla]

Oh, all day. That's why I think if they were going to make this move, they should really just be throwing their money behind a candidate.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Failla]

But I don't think they can rehabilitate Adams because what happened, as you know.

[Kennedy]

I mean, he's flawed, don't get me wrong. Like, this is, this is the worst case scenario.

[Jimmy Failla]

I know we're in a. We're in a mess. Here is Adams, as you know, was kind of pro sanctuary city and standing up to Trump, if you remember. And then as the city started little strained by the imported population, he started to call attention to the border problem. And the next thing you know, the feds were kicking down his door and being like, you got business class airfare to wear. And we still don't know how legit or illegitimate it was, but Trump kind of bailed him out on that. But the fact that he went from being, you know, for more or less like a Muriel Bowser, like I'll oppose anything Trump does, or Karen Bass, I'll oppose anything Trump does.

[Kennedy]

And then all of a sudden, like, this is really working.

[Jimmy Failla]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

I love that we have no car jackets.

[Jimmy Failla]

Yeah. But at that point, that alienated him in the eyes of every Democrat.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Failla]

And so now he's out in his own wilderness. So I don't think Sliwa can win. I don't know what he thinks, but he swears that he's not dropping out, Trump hasn't called him, and that Trump isn't calling him cuz he knows he can't be bought. But that would sound like a good place to start a negotiation, wouldn't it?

[Kennedy]

No. You know, I'm sure he means well and he's been running for mayor for so long.

[Jimmy Failla]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

He's, he's got some decent platitudes.

[Jimmy Failla]

So maybe that's what you do if you're Trump. Lyndon Larouche, you know, you have to make these people, get these people an off ramp. Maybe. Trump Sliwa, in charge of the New York New York in Vegas. He goes to that casino, hangs out.

[Kennedy]

You can be the mayor of New York, New York. Yeah.

[Jimmy Failla]

Yeah. How about it regulates.

[Kennedy]

There's a Statue of Liberty there, keeps an eye.

[Jimmy Failla]

There's hookers. All the New York things are there. Feral cats. The taxis. Feral cats are definitely there.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Failla]

Let's go. Sliwa. I think, I think I just solved the problem.

[Kennedy]

Why aren't you mayor?

[Jimmy Failla]

I would, I would actually love to run for mayor at one point. I would as a city, because I probably, and this is unfortunate, but when you're a cab driver.

[Kennedy]

Love you.

[Jimmy Failla]

They do. Do they ever. When you're. Hey, except the guy who pulled me over on the way to your house. I don't know if you know that story, but I'll tell you really quick, he was friendly enough. But when you are a cab driver in a big city, you get to see the city from an angle that a proctologist sees a patient from. I'm not prescribing this view for everybody, but you know it in a way no one else intimately knows.

[Kennedy]

It's its own category.

[Jimmy Failla]

And yeah, you could help it in that way. But I was going up to your house one Night after, we were at a party right up the block here. We were at the Hilton Hotel. Lincoln was there. Do you remember we were coming to see you in a monsoon that night?

[Kennedy]

Yes. Yeah. And Lincoln was, like, soaked.

[Jimmy Failla]

We were so, like, you know at the end of the Goonies, when they're on the shore and they're putting towels around, like, we were that kind of soaked. Right. But anyway, we were on our way up to your house, and a cop pulled me over on 57th street who claimed I was using my phone and driving. And I will have you know I was able to prove that I was not.

[Kennedy]

How?

[Jimmy Failla]

Because I stopped. You sent a text message. I'm like. I'm like, dude, I would never insult you. My brothers are on the job. Here is my phone. I'm like, it is physically impossible for me to have deleted anything. You can even see the open and closed on my apps. Do you know what I really was doing, though? This is not a lie. Okay.

[Kennedy]

Shaving with, like, a rectangular shaver.

[Jimmy Failla]

No, I was trying to. I. I had gotten in the car, was trying to airdrop something to Lincoln. So I was shaking my phone while I was driving. I wasn't looking at it. I was just trying to get an airdrop to go through. And that is true, but you couldn't deduce that because it's not time.

[Kennedy]

Does shaking your phone aid in an airdrop, or is that just, like, a Boomer thing that you do?

[Jimmy Failla]

It's like blowing on the cartridge as a Nintendo guy. You know, it'll send anyone who's played a Nintendo. You understand? I grew up in the era of when something wasn't working.

[Kennedy]

I still do that with my AirPods and the AirPod case. If one's not working, I probably go.

[Jimmy Failla]

Exactly. But I couldn't do that to it because that would have looked like I had one of those sobriety devices.

[Kennedy]

Oh, yeah.

[Jimmy Failla]

You can't be blowing in the phone while you drive. He's like, oh, this guy. This guy's had a few.

[Kennedy]

How much have you had to drink?

[Jimmy Failla]

Yeah.

[Kennedy]

So negative five. I'm hoping to remedy that at my next stop.

[Jimmy Failla]

Now, if I do run, I'll need you to destroy this tape. We can negotiate off the air.

[Kennedy]

Okay. Happy birthday to me.

[Jimmy Failla]

Happy birthday to the K trainer. It's a big deal.

[Kennedy]

It's a big deal. Very big deal. Like, Social Security big deal.

[Jimmy Failla]

Did you go shopping for your birthday really quick? I know you're supposed to wrap this show up at some point, but did you shop? Yeah. You did to me from me. Isn't it the best thing to do? Shop for yourself?

[Kennedy]

Yes.

[Jimmy Failla]

Can we just PSA really quick?

[Kennedy]

Yes.

[Jimmy Failla]

Because I know people want to shop and get you stuff, but the truth is you can save them a lot of aggregation and more importantly for people our age who know what we want and stuff is no one knows what to get you.

[Kennedy]

No.

[Jimmy Failla]

So if you tell people you like something, you get 500 of them anyway. I've told you this. I asked for one cigar one year from Jenny's uncle and now I have black lung because everybody's like, oh, like cigars. We'll get cigar. Everybody gets cigars. I know. I own a tobacco field in Nicaragua. Now I got to go down there.

[Kennedy]

And check it out.

[Jimmy Failla]

So it's better that you shop for yourself. It's more efficient, more rewarding.

[Kennedy]

I saw two things that I like and I bought them and I'm happy.

[Jimmy Failla]

Wow.

[Kennedy]

It's been a great day.

[Jimmy Failla]

I didn't realize both of those Mexican guys were from today. That's right.

[Kennedy]

Juan Carlos Jose.

[Jimmy Failla]

I'm going to get out of here. Let's bring him in.

[Kennedy]

Get in here.

[Jimmy Failla]

Happy birthday.

[Kennedy]

It's horrible. It's actually wonderful. This has been Kennedy Save the World along with Jimmy Bayla. I'm Kennedy. Listen ad free with a Fox News podcast plus subscription on Apple podcasts and Amazon Prime. Members can listen to this show ad free on the Amazon music app. Oh, go ahead and leave me a review while you're there. I'd love to hear what you have to say. You've been listening to Kennedy Saves the World on the Fox News podcast network.

[Will Kane]

It's the Will Kane Show. Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through Thursday on foxnews.com or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss a show. Get the podcast five days a week at foxnewspodcasts.com or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.