The Breakfast Club – Mehdi Hasan on Mamdani's Mayoral Win, Combatting Hate, and US Politics

Podcast: The Breakfast Club (iHeartPodcasts)
Date: November 5, 2025
Guests/Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God, Special Guest: Mehdi Hasan

Episode Overview

This episode features a compelling post-election interview with journalist and commentator Mehdi Hasan, following the historic victory of Zoran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, in the New York City mayoral race. The conversation spans the significance of Mamdani’s win, the reaction from political elites and the media, the challenges of delivering on progressive promises, combatting hate and Islamophobia, and national reflections on the Democratic Party’s direction and strategies ahead of looming government shutdowns and high-stakes elections.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Historic Zoran Mamdani Mayoral Win

• Media Reaction & Billionaire Influence
  • The New York Post's front page labeled NYC "The Red Apple" after Mamdani's win ([03:39]).
  • Mehdi Hasan highlighted that right-wing media and billionaire-backed interests failed to prevent Mamdani’s victory despite intense negative campaigning:

    “They threw the kitchen sink at this guy and it didn't work... He won more than a million votes. ...Zoramdani beat Bill Ackman and Michael Bloomberg and Reed Hastings and James Murdoch and the Walmart woman and the Home Depot guy and Doordash and Airbnb and all the billionaires and corporations who threw all that cash at him. He beat them all.” ([03:46])

• Reaction from Opponents
  • Discussion of Bill Ackman's tepid outreach to Mamdani post-election, after an aggressive campaign labeling Mamdani a radical:

    “He spent the entire campaign saying that guy is a terrorist, he hates Jews... And then he wins. He's like, ‘hey man, I'll work with you. You need me, I'm here for you.’” ([04:44])

2. Can Mamdani Deliver on Bold Promises?

• Progressive Policy Agenda
  • Mamdani campaigned on: rent freezes, free buses, universal childcare, affordable housing, increased taxes on the wealthy ([05:31], [05:39]).
• Mandate & Political Will
  • Hasan called for Democrats to wield their mandates assertively like Republicans do:

    “You need to have Democratic leaders who are willing to do the same thing. ...More than a million people voted for me. Like that should be his line in every interview...” ([06:00])

  • Importance of communicating clear, simple policies over lengthy platforms.
  • Acknowledgment of institutional challenges, but optimism about alliances with NYC’s governor and attorney general.
• Obstacles in Implementation
  • Governor Hochul voiced support for universal childcare but opposed tax increases; debate over how progressive initiatives will be funded ([07:20]).
  • On political realism:

    “Republicans are like, we’ll do whatever the hell we want... And Democrats are like, ‘oh, can we do this little bit for poor people...?’ Come on, New York, biggest city in the country, richest city in the country. You can't do this stuff. Yes, you can.” ([07:40])

3. Facing Federal Hostility: Trump’s Threats to NYC

• Federal Retaliation Concerns
  • Trump openly threatened to cut federal funding to NYC if Mamdani won, which Hasan denounced as “classic mob boss... just extortion” ([08:42], [09:02]).
  • Emphasis that solidarity across cities, institutions, and organizations is key to resisting authoritarian overreach:

    “You can't beat what [Trump] does ...the only way you beat Donald Trump is with solidarity, with people sticking together, not people throwing each other under the bus.” ([09:02])

• Addressing Authoritarian Conditions
  • Hasan praised Mamdani's victory speech:

    “The way you respond to oligarchy and authoritarianism is not with the appeasement they crave, but with the strength they fear. ...You get rid of the conditions that create despots like Trump.” ([09:02])

4. Reflections on Young Voter & Diverse Coalition Support

• Young Voters’ Enthusiasm
  • Mamdani performed exceptionally well with young men (winning by 40+ points, compared to establishment Dems’ 10–14 points in similar brackets) ([15:11]).
  • Drove turnout and enthusiasm even among voters previously seen as skeptical or apathetic; demonstrated the Democratic establishment's disconnect with grassroots energy and priorities.
• Coalition-Building Across Communities
  • Batted back attempts to brand Mamdani as anti-Semitic or communist, noting significant Jewish support and broader appeal to multi-ethnic and working-class constituencies ([32:58]).

    “Show me the one anti-Semitic statement he’s made. ...He spends his time cherishing diversity. He is the diversity candidate.” ([34:46])

5. The Democratic Party’s Crisis of Leadership

• Critique of Party Elites
  • Hasan called out Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Leader Hakeem Jeffries for lack of support, robotic responses, and “word salad” leadership ([16:47], [24:58]).

    “You cannot build your entire personality around ‘Vote Blue, no matter who’, with a little asterisk, ‘unless it’s the democratic socialist Muslim guy from New York’...” ([16:55])

• Establishment vs. Progressive Tensions
  • Internal party attacks: other Democrats publicly questioned Mamdani's honesty and experience (e.g., Spanberger in Virginia); suggestion that infighting is a recurring weakness for Democrats ([13:48]).
  • Contrast between establishment centrists’ victories (often reliant on anti-Trump sentiment) and Mamdani’s proactive, positive vision ([27:02], [28:29]).
• Possibility of Primaries
  • Discussion of whether Schumer and Jeffries might be successfully primaried by progressives—Hasan thinks Schumer is more vulnerable ([16:55], [18:02]).

6. Combatting Hate, Islamophobia, & Security Threats

• Uptick in Islamophobic Rhetoric and Threats
  • Mamdani has faced death threats and escalating hate, fueled by both GOP rhetoric and billionaire-funded smear campaigns ([29:19]):

    “It’s scary, the level of Islamophobic. ...Everyone agrees that the Islamophobia now is even worse than it was after 9/11.” ([31:30])

  • Republicans’ hypocrisy for inciting hate while calling for civility:

    “They have spent the last few weeks calling this guy a jihadist ...a terrorist, he's a jihadist, he's a communist, he hates Jews, he hates America—based on nothing.” ([30:12])

  • Importance of distinguishing legitimate criticism from bigoted attacks.

7. National Democratic Strategy and the 2026-2028 Outlook

• Reading the 2025 Election Results
  • Discussion on whether the blue wave signifies real momentum or just “default” anti-Trump voting ([11:20], [27:13]):

    “I think I saw a poll...40% of people in New Jersey and Virginia said their sole reason for voting for Democrats was to be anti Trump. ...Zoram Hamdani is offering something different.” ([27:13])

  • Warning that Democrats need to leverage voter mandates to enact change, not simply celebrate electoral success without policy follow-through.
• Democratic Infighting and Threat of Complacency
  • Hasan and hosts repeatedly warn that unless Democrats use their power strategically and support fresh leadership, they risk repeating past mistakes and failing to confront ongoing threats to democracy ([11:31]).

8. Government Shutdown, ACA & Political Stalemate

• Debate about Reopening Government
  • Mehdi Hasan and DJ Envy discuss strategic, ethical dilemmas over Democratic cooperation with Republicans to reopen the government, in light of SNAP benefit cuts, withheld funding, and mounting human suffering ([36:59]–[43:13]).
  • Hasan steadfastly argues that Democrats must “draw a line,” placing the onus of responsibility on Republicans, despite the pressure to cave in to prevent short-term suffering:

    “You cannot have a political system that always relies on only the Democratic Party being the responsible party.” ([37:23])

  • Broader critique: American politics is artificially gridlocked by the two-party system, self-inflicted crises, and outdated procedural rules (e.g., debt ceiling, filibuster) ([43:13], [43:40]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Mamdani’s Mandate

  “He didn't just beat Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa... He beat Bill Ackman and Michael Bloomberg and all the billionaires and corporations who threw all that cash at him.” – Mehdi Hasan ([03:46])

• On Cynicism in Politics

  “He spent the entire campaign saying that guy is a terrorist, he hates Jews... And then he wins. He's like, ‘hey man, I'll work with you.’ ...Like make your mind up.” – Mehdi Hasan ([04:44])

• On Progressive Vision

  “Democrats are always trying to lower the ambition, and Republicans are like, we'll do whatever the hell we want... Yes, you can.” – Mehdi Hasan ([07:40])

• On Islamophobia

  “The Islamophobia now is even worse than it was after 9/11... They're well organized, they're well funded, and they are petrified.” – Mehdi Hasan ([31:32])

• On Party Leadership

  “You cannot build your entire personality around 'Vote Blue, no matter who', with a little asterisk. Unless it's the democratic socialist Muslim guy from New York...” – Mehdi Hasan ([16:55])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:04] – Mehdi Hasan welcomed to discuss election night
• [03:39] – Analysis of "Red Apple" media framing after Mamdani’s win; billionaire influence
• [04:44] – Reaction to Bill Ackman’s post-election outreach
• [05:31] – Discussing Mamdani’s policy platform
• [07:20] – Debating whether progressive promises can be delivered
• [08:42] – Trump’s threats to cut federal funding to NYC
• [09:02] – Solidarity in confronting authoritarian overreach
• [11:20] – Evaluating the "blue wave" and what it means for Democrats
• [13:48] – The Democrats’ tendency toward infighting vs. GOP unity
• [15:11] – Mamdani’s victory with young voters
• [16:55] / [24:58] – Critique of Schumer and Jeffries’ leadership
• [29:19] – Death threats and Islamophobic attacks on Mamdani
• [31:30] – The current state of Islamophobia in America
• [32:58] – Responding to accusations of communism/anti-Semitism against Mamdani
• [36:59] – Deep dive on the government shutdown and Democratic strategy
• [43:13-43:40] – Frustration with American exceptionalism in government gridlock

Tone & Language

The conversation is forthright, impassioned, and often laced with humor and sarcasm, especially from Mehdi Hasan. The hosts and Mehdi display a clear sense of urgency about both local and national political trends, sharing a mix of skepticism, optimism, and frustration—particularly with establishment responses, media spin, and the persistent dangers facing marginalized communities.

Final Thoughts

Mehdi Hasan’s interview on The Breakfast Club provided rich, incisive commentary on a pivotal moment in New York and national politics, framing Mamdani’s win as both a challenge and an opportunity for Democrats. The episode is a wake-up call for party elites to embrace bolder progressive politics, confront hate and division, and restore faith in democratic processes—while acknowledging the entrenched obstacles and the risks of complacency.