Trump Whines He’s “Unappreciated” & Self-Soothes with Ballroom and Third-Term Talk | Zohran Mamdani

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Daily Show: Ears Edition

Episode: Trump Whines He’s “Unappreciated” & Self-Soothes with Ballroom and Third-Term Talk | Zohran Mamdani
Date: October 28, 2025
Host: Jon Stewart
Guest: Zohran Mamdani (NY State Assemblyman, Democratic nominee for NYC Mayor)

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Episode Overview

This lively episode of The Daily Show: Ears Edition features Jon Stewart and his team diving into the latest headlines with their trademark satirical bite. The focus is on President Donald Trump’s international trip and the controversies surrounding his desire for appreciation, his plans for a gaudy White House ballroom, and his ambiguous comments about seeking a third presidential term. In the second half, Stewart interviews New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, probing his policy ideas, campaign strategy, and vision for New York. Expect sharp observations, comic riffs, and candid exchanges throughout.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump Abroad – Craving Appreciation and Pomp

Segment: [02:24 – 08:42]

• Satirizing Trump’s Asia Tour:

  • Stewart mocks Trump’s love for ceremonies during his Asia trip, comparing it to America’s “lack of gratitude.”
  • “He loves the pomp and he loves the circumstance. It’s why he loves going overseas...Look what we do to him here.” (Jon Stewart, [03:43])

• Trump’s Faux-Martyrdom:

  • Trump’s self-pitying social media post is lampooned: “I want to thank Donald Trump for working like a dog for no money to save a country that doesn’t appreciate his sacrifice.” (Stewart reading Trump, [04:07])

• The Ballroom Debacle:

  • Ongoing controversy over Trump’s construction of a massive new White House ballroom, including lack of proper filing and the presumptive naming of it after himself.
  • “And all he asks for in return is a little bit of total unquestioning fealty and a few billion dollars in influence money and new forms of currency.” (Jon Stewart, [04:38])
  • “ABC News now reporting Trump will likely name the ballroom after himself.” (Zohran Mamdani, [07:47])
  • Satirizes America’s supposed longing for “an outsized ballroom” and the public’s dissatisfaction even when such promises are fulfilled.

• Public Accountability and Satire of Historical Reverence:

  • The group lampoons the historical importance of the White House contrasted with Trump’s disregard for tradition.

2. America’s Dissatisfaction and Trump’s Response

Segment: [08:56 – 13:35]

• Relentless Criticism – Trump as Victim:

  • Stewart parodies media and public criticism of Trump—from policy overreach to aggressive pardoning and military decisions.
  • Role-playing Trump’s combative relationship with the press: “You treat me so unfairly. It’s hate. You have a lot of hate in your heart. You know nothing about nothing. You’re fake news. You should be ashamed of yourself.” (Miyamo John Stewart, [10:10])

• The “Supportive” Speaker:

  • A recurring bit featuring Speaker Mike Johnson dodging questions about Trump's requests for large sums of legal bill reimbursement and other controversies.
  • “Uh, I’m just dumb.” (John Stewart, parodying Johnson, [11:35])
  • Parody of avoidance: “I don’t know anything about the meme coin thing...First I’ve heard of that.” (Mike Johnson, [12:51])

3. Trump Teases a Third Term

Segment: [13:59 – 16:41]

• The Third Term “Not Thought About” Routine:

  • Stewart points out that Trump’s claim, “I haven’t really thought about it,” is his classic tell for things he fully intends to do despite legal/moral murkiness.
  • “But of course, we know he’s thought about it—he already has the merch.” (Jon Stewart, [14:31])

• Scheming For a Loophole:

  • Mamdani and Stewart discuss theories about Trump running for vice president to skirt the 22nd Amendment. Stewart ridicules the idea: “If I’m gonna run again, I’m gonna rip off the Constitution’s head and shit down its neck.” ([15:41])

• Proposal for “Overseas President”:

  • Stewart floats the comic notion that America should make Trump “our overseas president”—giving him all the ceremony and pageantry, but away from the U.S.

4. Interview: Zohran Mamdani, NYC Mayoral Candidate

Segment: [18:45 – 39:53]

Campaign Momentum and Ground Game

• Strategy:

  • Focus on canvassing and direct voter engagement rather than media buys and endorsements.
  • “For all the focus on rallies, on commercials, on debates, it really comes back to people speaking to other New Yorkers about the city we love. We have 90,000 volunteers right now.” (Zohran Mamdani, [20:23])

• Canvassing Experiences:

  • Cites New Yorkers’ enthusiasm, humor, and bracing honesty even in support:
    • “I was on Nostra Nav...and this woman just pulled up in her car. She was like, 'I’m voting for you.' It just sounded like I was about to get my ass whooped, but it was by my voter.” (Zohran Mamdani, [22:35])

Policy Agenda & Quality of Life

• Commitments:

  • Freezing rent, making buses fast and free, universal childcare—not just slogans, but policy commitments.
  • “You never hate someone more than before you know them. Knocking on that door, having that conversation...also starts to build the city that we want to lead.” (Mamdani, [21:45])

• Quality of Life and Progressive Responsibility:

  • Stresses that quality of life should be a core progressive objective and not ceded to conservative rhetoric.
  • "If you care about working people, you have to deliver an excellent quality of life." (Mamdani, [27:07])
  • Stewart: “It always freaks me out when progressives don’t push for communities with less money to have the same quality of life as people on Fifth Avenue.” ([27:07])

• Confronting Homelessness:

  • Points out the mismatch between homeless New Yorkers and vacant supportive housing units due to bureaucratic inefficiency.

Navigating Criticism & Shifting Political Culture

• Addressing Skepticism and Stereotypes:

  • Open dialogue with those who see him as “a caricature” or a threat, emphasizing transparency about what he will and won’t do as mayor.
  • “I will freeze the rent. I won’t defund the police. I will make buses fast and free. I won’t decriminalize misdemeanors. I will deliver universal childcare. I won’t require everyone to eat halal food. This sounds like a punchline. This is literally...in a push poll.” (Mamdani, [33:19])

• Endorsements & Party Dynamics:

  • Notes a shift from reliance on endorsements toward grassroots, issue-based campaigns. Praises young people’s role in campaign engagement.
  • Cites Ed Koch’s quote: “If you agree with me on 9 out of 12 issues, vote for me. 12 out of 12, see a psychiatrist.” (Mamdani, [31:02])

• Realism & Progressive Ambition:

  • Confronts concerns over feasibility with an assertion that coalitions can change political realities.
  • “It’s actually the absence of imagination more than the density." – on the city’s housing problem (Mamdani, [36:06])
  • “Youth gives you an innate sense of possibility and a humility that you don’t know everything.” (Mamdani, [37:24])

Lighthearted Campaign Moments & Closing

• MSG Interviews & Knicks Playoff Run:

  • Stewart jokes that the Knicks’ playoff run inadvertently boosted Mamdani’s campaign since he campaigned at Madison Square Garden:
    • “Isn’t the MVP of your campaign Jalen Brunson?” (John Stewart, [39:03])

• Jackie Robinson Reference:

  • Stewart references Mamdani’s representation of marginalized communities as a “Jackie Robinson moment,” praising his ambition.
    • “Man, oh man, what an exciting opportunity.” (Jon Stewart, [39:43])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Trump’s Need for Adulation:

  • “He just wants to save his country. And all he asks for in return is a little bit of total unquestioning fealty and...influence money.” – Jon Stewart [04:38]

• Parody of American Political Discontent:

  • “An outsized ballroom. I have been talking about this.” – Miyamo John Stewart [05:43]

• On Dodging Questions:

  • “See, how hard is that? Uh, I’m just dumb...” – John Stewart (as Mike Johnson) [11:35]

• On Canvassing:

  • “It really comes back to people speaking to other New Yorkers about the city that we all love.” – Zohran Mamdani [20:23]

• On Progressive Quality of Life:

  • “If you care about working people, you have to deliver an excellent quality of life for those people.” – Zohran Mamdani [27:07]

• On Youth and Possibility:

  • “Youth gives you an innate sense of possibility and a humility that you don’t know everything.” – Zohran Mamdani [37:24]

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Useful Timestamps for Reference

• [02:24] — Trump’s Asia tour and love of pageantry
• [04:07] — Trump’s “I work like a dog” tweet
• [05:20] — Poking fun at the White House ballroom project
• [07:47] — Plans to name the ballroom after Trump
• [10:10] — Role-play of Trump vs. reporters
• [13:59] — Discussion starts on potential third Trump term
• [18:45] — Interview with Zohran Mamdani begins
• [20:23] — Mamdani on his ground game
• [27:07] — Progressive politics and quality of life
• [31:02] — Citing Ed Koch and youth engagement
• [36:06] — On imagination as a limit to housing
• [39:03] — Joking about the Knicks as campaign MVPs
• [39:43] — Stewart's “Jackie Robinson” comment

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Tone and Style

The entire episode crackles with The Daily Show’s satirical irreverence, combining pointed political commentary and absurdist humor. Stewart and his colleagues keep the mood quick-witted, improvisational, and self-aware—often breaking the fourth wall about their comedic techniques. The interview with Mamdani is earnest and substantive, reflecting Stewart’s curiosity about policy and hope for political innovation, but always with a comedic undertone.

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This summary provides an in-depth look at both the comedic and serious sides of this episode, offering newcomers a clear, timestamped map to its most engaging moments and key topics.

Transcript

[John Stewart]

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[Mike Johnson]

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[Zoran Mamdani]

This episode is brought to you by Lifelock.

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[Miyamo John Stewart]

You're listening to Comedy Central.

[John Stewart]

From the.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Most trusted journalists at Comedy Central. It's America's only source for news. This is the Daily show with your host, Shaun Stewart.

[Mike Johnson]

Boom.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Come on. Welcome to the Darrell Show. My name Miyamo John Stewart. Great show for you tonight. Later on we'll be talking to New York City Mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani will be join. We will be discussing his plans to turn the city into a communist hellscape where crime is legal and subway rats.

[John Stewart]

Receive universal basic income. I haven't had a chance to read the platform. I'm just assuming.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

But first, our current president, Donald Josephine Trump is currently on a tour of.

[John Stewart]

Asia where he will be meeting with allies such as the new Japanese Prime Minister and rivals such as Xi Jinping. It's a crucial moment with huge ramifications for the current tariff regime in this country and for the peace and security of the entire region itself. First stop, Kuala Lumpur. So let's dance, mother. He loves this shit. I love. At the end he was like. And then he just goes like, eh. That's all I got.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

He loves the red carpet. He loves the hats. None of it makes any.

[John Stewart]

They're playing the theme song to Hawaii 5o.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

None of it made any sense, but.

[John Stewart]

He loves the pomp and he loves the circumstance. It's why he loves going overseas. That's what they give him overseas, ladies and gentlemen. It's. It's what he loves. Look what we do to him here. This is what he tweeted right before leaving on the trip. I want to thank Donald Trump for working like a dog for no money.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

To save a country that doesn't appreciate his sacrifice. I hope you're happy, America. Look at this poor son of a bitch. He just wants. He just wants to save his country.

[John Stewart]

And all he asks for in return is a little bit of total unquestioning fealty and a few billion dollars in influence money and new forms of currency.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

His poor bastard. Hey, buddy.

[John Stewart]

Want to go to Malaysia?

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Yeah. There we go. Come on. But what do we do when he comes home? Beef is too expensive. My health care bankrupted me. Where's my abuela?

[John Stewart]

Poor little billionaire president. He hates it here. And why wouldn't he? Everything he does for us, we have a problem with. What's the one thing that we've wanted in this country for as long as I can remember? An outsized ballroom.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

I have been talking about this.

[John Stewart]

Someday I'll grow up and do the cha cha. Remember the march when we all wore the chandelier hats?

[Miyamo John Stewart]

No crown molding, no peace. When I say crystal, you say stemware. Crystal. Crystal. Stemware.

[John Stewart]

I can't believe how well that works.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Like we didn't. We don't rehearse any of that.

[John Stewart]

How Easily Fascism comes to America. Chant with me.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

So we've always wanted a giant ballroom. And then as soon as the man.

[John Stewart]

Surprises us by completely demolishing the east wing of the White House after announcing that he would not touch it at all, suddenly everybody's got a problem. The new construction plans haven't been filed with the National Capital Planning Commission for.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Public input or to have review by.

[John Stewart]

Professionals who actually work in this field.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Well, maybe you'd like to file an appeal with. The thing's already not here anymore.

[John Stewart]

Bored.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

You know, the man is just trying.

[John Stewart]

To give Americans a $300 million base that we can use four to six times a year, and you're all worried if it's the right shade of historic federal gray. From Farrow and Ball, it's like we don't even want to be happy. And then, as if that's not bad enough, after Trump builds us doubled the White House next to the White House, we won't even offer him the simplest of thanks. We act like he's in it for himself.

[Zoran Mamdani]

ABC News now reporting Trump will likely.

[John Stewart]

Name the ballroom after himself.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

How dare you, sir? At long last. Have you no decency? What makes you think this selfless man. Look at him. What makes you think this selfless man.

[John Stewart]

Is so arrogant as to want his name over whatever he makes you bastards you know, if George Washington had known there would come a day when an American president would be so disrespected that he couldn't even build a ballroom without filing plans first, would he even have crossed the Delaware?

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Or might he have said, forget the whole thing, me boys.

[John Stewart]

I don't know his accent.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Forget the whole thing, me boys.

[John Stewart]

And don't just say, oh, the White House. But it's a historic building and a symbol for the country and it means a lot to a lot of people. We have been nagging this man since he selflessly decided not to host a sequel to the Apprentice and lead our great nation. And these are the complaints just from the last few weeks.

[Zoran Mamdani]

The president igniting a firestorm.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

President Trump facing new questions about his latest pardon.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Tension rising on President Trump's president plan to send the military to American cities.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Tensions rising as the shutdown is dragging on.

[John Stewart]

Cattle ranchers across the country are blasting President Trump.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Cattle ranchers? How dare you. He's personally keeping you in business. We like snacks.

[John Stewart]

We are taking the joy out of. And then, as sad as he gets when he goes to blow off a little steam by blowing up some boats. If you want to engage in a war with Venezuela, you need to come to Congress for an authorization. There being none, these strikes are unconstitutional and unlawful. Nag, nag, nag.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Which one of you murdered those people without due process? Ooh, was it you? You get detention. You see what you've done? You're killing this guy. You treat me so unfairly. It's hate. You have a lot of hate in your heart. You know nothing about nothing. You're fake news. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[John Stewart]

Quiet. You're really obnoxious.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

One of the worst reporters that you'll ever see. I don't even want to take a question. You're a third rate reporter, always have been. Frankly, you're a terrible reporter. You know it and so do I.

[John Stewart]

Who is that back there?

[Zoran Mamdani]

I. Get out of the room.

[John Stewart]

Our constant complaining is turning him into the worst version of himself. He doesn't want to be this person. Everyone knows a healthy relationship is a relationship where one person gets to do whatever they want, whenever they want. Even if some of that shit's illegal and the other person has to eat it. Just eat it if you don't want to eat it. At the very least, just pretend like you don't see it. Like Speaker Mike Johnson, how comfortable are you with the president apparently seeking $230.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Million from the department of Justice?

[Mike Johnson]

I don't know the details about that. I've just read it. I didn't talk with him about that.

[John Stewart]

See, how hard is that? Uh, I'm just dumb. And by the way, anyone can pull that off when they're first asked. A real pro can pull it off when they're asked the exact same thing the next day.

[Zoran Mamdani]

You said yesterday you were still trying to get the details of this $230 million the President has asked for justice to want to pay for his legal bills. Now that you've had some time, I'll have to get the details. Are you okay with taxpayers potentially being on the hook for that kind of money?

[Mike Johnson]

I'm not trying to dodge the question. I haven't had time to get the details. Okay, that's still on my list. Things to do list.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

No, he hasn't had the time. He hasn't had the time. He's got a big list of things to do.

[John Stewart]

He's got the covering up of the Epstein files and well, I guess that's the only thing on the list. But still, there's a lot of papers in that file. It's pro level ignorant support. But if you want a relationship to work, you've got to put in that kind of effort every day. You've got to show up for that person every day. Mike Johnson does.

[Mike Johnson]

I don't know anything about the meme coin thing. I don't know. That's the first I've heard of that. I don't know anything about it. I don't know. I've never seen the Epstein evidence. I haven't seen the specifics of that. I don't know the details. I just saw a headline this morning. I haven't seen it.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

I can't comment on it.

[Mike Johnson]

I've been a little busy today. Look, I don't know anything about the dinner. I was a little busy this past week. I don't know anything about it yet. I've been really busy.

[John Stewart]

Do you support those comments or not?

[Mike Johnson]

I don't know what Eric was saying. Cause I only heard just a snippet there. I don't know the context of the.

[John Stewart]

You just saw it, sir.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

What? Did I. Did I see it?

[John Stewart]

I haven't had a chance to see myself seeing it, but seeing myself seeing it is on my list of things not to.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

I'm very busy.

[John Stewart]

We've got a lot of work to do, America. Because if we're going to hold on to this man for the rest of our natural lives, it's going to be hard. Lucky for us, even after everything he's still open to making it work.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Sir Steve Bannon said in a recent.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Interview that there could be plans for.

[Zoran Mamdani]

You to be able to run and potentially win a third term in 2020.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Is that something you'd be willing to challenge at the court? I haven't really thought about it. Yes, he's doing it. I haven't thought about it. That's the tell for whenever he's asked about something that he is definitely going to do that is dubious legally, ethically or morally. He says he hasn't thought about it.

[John Stewart]

But of course we know he's thought.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

About it because he already has the merch. Yeah. Now, of course the Negative Nellies are.

[John Stewart]

Going to have issues. They'll say presidents cannot serve more than two terms due to the 22nd Amendment. You'll recall that Congress ratified it after FDR served four terms and caused irreparable harm to this country by inventing the podcast.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

But what.

[John Stewart]

What's interesting about Trump is he's actually worked through the various scenarios of running for a third term he has not thought about.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

One theory on how you might try to serve a third term is that you could run as the Vice President. Yeah, I'd be allowed to do that.

[Zoran Mamdani]

You'd be allowed to do that. But I wouldn't. I would.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

I think it's.

[Zoran Mamdani]

It's too cute.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Yeah, I would rule that out because it's too cute.

[Zoran Mamdani]

I think the people wouldn't like that. It's too cute.

[John Stewart]

Too cute. That's why you don't go to build a bear as an adult.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Running as the Vice President to skirt.

[John Stewart]

The 22nd Amendment isn't cute. But he's the kind of guy who's like, I respect Americans too much to play games. If I'm gonna run again, I'm gonna rip off the Constitution's head and shit down its neck. And truth is, indications are very clear he's gonna do it. Cuz you don't move into a house, knock down a wing, and build a 90,000 square foot ballroom for the next guy. Trump's not a house flipper. He's not Ellen. He's in it for the long haul. But the question then becomes why we've already let him down so badly. America's clearly not his happy place. So maybe there's a solution that could work for everybody. I'd like to propose it. Make Donald Trump our overseas president in 2028.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

We could give him all the pomp and all the adoration.

[John Stewart]

He could be America's touring company taking.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Our great show anywhere but here, he can dance. In Malaysia, he could hold. Or he could pretend to enjoy literature with the King of England.

[John Stewart]

And when he's done, we'll put him back on the plane and have everyone ask him questions and we'll do it all again. I'd like that. Would you like that, Donnie?

[Miyamo John Stewart]

He likes it. When we come back, Zoran and Donnie will be joining us. Don't go away.

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[Miyamo John Stewart]

Welcome back to the show. My guest tonight, he represents Queens in.

[John Stewart]

The New York State assembly and he is the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Please welcome to the show Zoran Mamdani. Oh, very nice. They're very nice. This is it.

[Mike Johnson]

This is.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

These are the people you would like to represent? Yes, the New York City people. I'm curious about that.

[John Stewart]

You know, I had just spoke with you months ago and I felt a real love that you had for New York City now that you've gotten to know us. Still there?

[Zoran Mamdani]

Still love it.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Really?

[Zoran Mamdani]

Still love this?

[Miyamo John Stewart]

All of it.

[John Stewart]

All of it. All of it.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

What do you got now? You got, you got three days, four days. Is that.

[Zoran Mamdani]

We've got about eight days left.

[John Stewart]

Eight days.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Eight days left.

[John Stewart]

And what is that? In that moment, do you, do you have to keep.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

What do you think you need to.

[John Stewart]

Do to close the deal to keep this? You are clearly right now in the front running position. I can tell because they've gone. 9, 11. On you. So that's clearly a sign of the closing argument. A closing argument.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

9, 11. So what do you feel like you've.

[John Stewart]

Got to do to close the deal with New York citizens?

[Zoran Mamdani]

You know, it is in many ways the same thing that got us here, which is canvassing.

[John Stewart]

Oh, really?

[Zoran Mamdani]

You know, for all of the focus on rallies, on commercials, on debates, it really comes back to people speaking to other New Yorkers about the city that we all love. We have 90,000 volunteers right now on your campaign. 90,000. And it's 90,000 people who are picking up the phone, phone banking, someone that they don't know. 90,000 people who have knocked on a door of a New Yorker they've never met. 90,000 people who just wait for 15 seconds and hope someone will open that door.

[John Stewart]

What is love more than anything? It's strangers coming to the buildings or calling them.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Yes. You know, I think this is the thing, is that for people that we're often characterized as being rude. I will tell you that New Yorkers have been so kind in the experiences they've had with our volunteers, because what they're speaking to is another New Yorker.

[John Stewart]

Right.

[Zoran Mamdani]

And it's an understanding that politics is not something you have, it's something that you do. And in this moment, where politics has become just another word for division for not just Republicans, but also Democrats.

[John Stewart]

Sure.

[Zoran Mamdani]

These New Yorkers are ones who've understood that you never hate someone more than before you know them.

[John Stewart]

Right.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Knocking on that door, having that conversation doesn't just win the election for us. It also starts to build the city that we want to lead.

[John Stewart]

What's the kind of feedback that you get from your volunteers in the field? And what about for you, canvassing? Because I have to tell you, one of the most, I thought, shrewdest campaign moves, and this was in the primary, not in the. In the general, is when you walked from the top of Manhattan all the way down to the bottom and just. And met people. You've got to be very confident in yourself to do that, because New Yorkers will generally tell you what they think.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Yes. Yes.

[John Stewart]

When they see you, and even when.

[Zoran Mamdani]

They are telling you something that's technically supportive, it sounds like you're being heckled. I was.

[John Stewart]

That is what we do.

[Zoran Mamdani]

I was on Nostra Nav a few days ago, and this woman just pulled up in her car. She was like, I'm voting for you. I was like. I was like, I don't. Thank you. It just sounded like I was about to get my ass Whooped. But it was by my voter. So it was a.

[John Stewart]

And New Yorkers, by the way, no one will be as mad at you if it doesn't go right as the people who love you. Now, have you felt that as well?

[Zoran Mamdani]

You know, it's often framed as a burden or as an obligation.

[John Stewart]

Right.

[Zoran Mamdani]

But frankly, I think it's an opportunity. It's an opportunity to actually show that this whole campaign where we've talked about freezing the rent, making buses faster, free delivering universal childcare, these are not just slogans, right? These are commitments. And when we deliver them here in New York City, it will be also the delivery of a politics that can actually aspire for more than what you're living through. And for so many people across the city, politics has just become synonymous with an argument of celebrate the little you have or lose that.

[John Stewart]

Right. And it can't be that zero sum.

[Zoran Mamdani]

It can't be.

[John Stewart]

Do you have a Mamdani hierarchy of needs? You know, I lived in this city for a very long time, and I can tell you, livability is if you can run this place, you will earn a great deal of leeway to do all kinds of innovative things. But if people feel disorder, man, you won't be able to do. And I've lived through the eras of New York where it was disorder, and it does make it. People feel it.

[Zoran Mamdani]

I mean, look, public safety is the prerequisite for an affordability agenda.

[John Stewart]

Job one, right?

[Zoran Mamdani]

People have to be safe. And we also know that safety is something that you not only deliver with the nypd, it's also something that you deliver by ensuring that there are actually jobs that can pay people enough to stay in the city. All of these things are integrated.

[John Stewart]

Tell me that last part again.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

That's a long.

[Zoran Mamdani]

You know, today I was taking the 1 train downtown with a reporter from ABC, and we were having a conversation, and we walk on the train and there's a homeless man sleeping on the train. And for all.

[John Stewart]

Was he with the Cuomo campaign?

[Zoran Mamdani]

No, he was not. But, but, but my.

[John Stewart]

That'S not. That's just. That's just bad humor. Bad humor.

[Zoran Mamdani]

But my, my point is that we, we get on the train and we. And we see this, and this is an illustration of the fact There are about 4,300 New Yorkers who are homeless between our subway platforms, our parks, our streets, right? There's almost the same number of vacant supportive housing units that are built for those very kinds of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. They're vacant. And so I tell this to you, as an example. It's not all going to be about a fight for funding or a fight for, you know, transforming city government in the ways that are only big. It's also the ways that are small, the efficiency of the bureaucracy. Because that is an example to New Yorkers that we have a city government that's complacent with the fact that. That one in four New Yorkers are living in poverty in the wealthiest city in the country. That's unexpected.

[John Stewart]

And it's interesting how much New Yorkers judge the quality of life in New York City from the quality of life under New York City. I can remember the subways, you know, in the bad old days. Larry, I'm going to tell you a story. But when I first moved here in the more chaotic days, back when, you know, I was a purveyor of, I guess you would call them recreational park vendors. We would buy from their, let's say, cart.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Don't tell me this after January 1st.

[John Stewart]

No, no, no. But it was the city. I was young then, and I didn't mind it, but when I got a family, it was very different. And the city that I embraced for its chaos, as a younger man, I don't think I would have. As an older person does that. Does that quality of life issue. Cause that's. That's not just Manhattan. That's. That's everywhere.

[Zoran Mamdani]

And I think it's. It's a frustration of mine that we've allowed the words quality of life to become seen as if they're bywords for the Republicans. They should be at the heart of any progressive politics. Right. If you care about working people, you have to deliver an excellent quality of life for those people.

[John Stewart]

Man, oh, man, is that. And I gotta tell you, it always freaks me out when progressives don't push for people in communities that have less money deserve the same security and quality of life that people on Fifth Avenue deserve. And I think we've forgotten that.

[Zoran Mamdani]

And I think it's. You just think about the incentives in city government right now, right? You have a trash can in New York City that's overflowing. City government's response is often remove the trash can, not increase trash collection of the trash can.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Really?

[Zoran Mamdani]

This is.

[John Stewart]

Now, I didn't know we had trash cans that weren't overflowing. I thought that New York City bought them filled.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Yeah, we just. Permanently at the top.

[John Stewart]

I assumed it was just some sort of illusion. You buy a house for your cat, that's just for the rats to have somewhere to climb.

[Zoran Mamdani]

But I think this is in a city where we're saying we don't have enough money to take care of those who have the least. We have enough money to pay McKinsey to design that trash can. That's the city we're living in.

[John Stewart]

Right.

[Zoran Mamdani]

It's not about money, it's about will.

[John Stewart]

And what I love hearing about this is one of the things that's been so frustrating in our politics is so much of it has been defined over these last 10 years as the negative case against someone. And finally, and I think this is not blowing smoke, I think you've made an affirmative case for people. I think the enthusiasm that they have for you is because you've made an affirmative case that's not about protecting something that's gonna be lost or a bad man that's over there. It's about an idea that you have. And it surprised me that the Democratic establishment did not embrace that energy. And is that something that has bothered you is getting better? I mean, Hakeem Jeffries with a brave, brave endorsement. I thought 24 hours ago, what's that been like for you?

[Zoran Mamdani]

You know, I think it's, it's, it's interesting in many ways, cuz our politics and the media that covers it is often focused on the question of endorsements.

[John Stewart]

Right.

[Zoran Mamdani]

And it's part of what gave Cuomo the sense of inevitability in the primary. He just seemed to pick up all of these different endorsements. And I think what we showed in many ways was that the days of endorsements, deciding elections, those days have come to an end. It's the people that build up a campaign. You know, I, I, I appreciate having Congressman Jeffries endorsement, and I appreciate more than that that when we've spoken, it's been about how do we deliver for our shared constituents.

[John Stewart]

Right.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Because it's, you know, these are the same New Yorkers, whether we're representing them in City hall or in Albany or in D.C. and like you said, we've been telling them time and again that all we have to offer is not Trump, but this is also the city that created Trump.

[John Stewart]

Right.

[Zoran Mamdani]

We have to reckon with that. And when you think about.

[John Stewart]

Did you hear, There was an audible gasp.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

This is the city that created Trump. And everybody was like, my God, that's right. Are we Dr. Frankenstein? No.

[Zoran Mamdani]

No. But it's, you know, after the, after the presidential election, there were all of these obituaries written about the Democratic Party's ability to motivate young voters. Mm. And there's just this condescension in the language that we use about young people. And I can just tell you that what we found in this campaign is that young people have been at the heart of believing that something could be more than this. And I would say, you know, throughout the primary, this quote from Ed Koch, if you agree with me on 9 out of 12 issues, vote for me. 12 out of 12, see a psychiatrist, right? And I'm in Washington Square Park. I'm filming a video with David Hogg. This young guy comes up to me and he goes, 12 out of 12.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Baby, send me away. It took me a moment.

[Zoran Mamdani]

I was like, what are you talking about? And then today, on that same one train, I meet a guy who's like, yeah, man, I'm so hyped about the corporate tax being the same level as New Jersey. And I'm like, you look at the fluency that people have with what it is that we're talking about, and it comes from the fact that we're talking to young people like we would talk to anyone.

[John Stewart]

You're not patronizing.

[Zoran Mamdani]

We're not patronizing. We're not condescending. We're not like, you know, hanging a shiny little thing and saying, please come follow it.

[John Stewart]

And those are the people. Look, that is a natural constituency. You're a young man. You know, you've got an energy. That's a natural constituency. You've also, though, been trying to connect with those that see you as more of a caricature. I've watched you try and open a dialogue with certain people that are really concerned, some of them in good faith, some of them in bad faith, about are you experienced enough to handle the city's bear for even, you know, the best manager? There are real issues. What's been your experience meeting and reaching out with those that look at you existentially? Because we live in a culture now, you're either a savior or the death of us all.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Yeah.

[John Stewart]

So what's it like reaching out to that other group?

[Zoran Mamdani]

You know, I don't begrudge New Yorkers who are skeptical, because they've also lived through tens of millions of dollars of commercials telling them to fear me.

[John Stewart]

Right.

[Zoran Mamdani]

You know, they have lived through waking up every morning and seeing a photo of me and just feeling like, oh, my God. Because the language that's written around me is as if I am a threat to the city that they love. And so when I meet with them, just the mere fact that I don't strangle them within 30 seconds is often a surprise.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

So you're doing well, based on the low profile.

[Zoran Mamdani]

And then I think it's an opportunity where, you know, I both can tell them things that I will do and the things that I won't do. Right. I will freeze the rent. I won't defund the police. I will make buses fast and free. I won't decriminalize misdemeanors. I will deliver universal childcare. I won't require everyone to eat halal food. This is. This is. This sounds like a punchline. This is literally.

[John Stewart]

This is made news.

[Zoran Mamdani]

This is literally in a push pull. Two New Yorkers saying that I'm gonna make halal mandatory. And it's like, if you do want to eat halal, like, go to 34th Avenue and Steinway, go to Mahmoudz, But I'm not gonna force you to go there, Right?

[John Stewart]

You wouldn't force them, but you would describe it in such delicious terms that.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

People would have a hard time if.

[Zoran Mamdani]

They wanted chicken and rice. There would only be one place resisting that.

[John Stewart]

What about those who worry about feasibility, who say, and this is another thing, because not just there's a character presented, but. But we've also lived through decades of people who promised idealism, who promised a lot of things, and didn't either run the city well or be able to deliver on that. And those are not easy things to deliver. You know, I'll give you an example. You were talking about a couple of taxes that you wanted to raise. It was a millionaires tax, and I think one other corporate tax, Kathy Hochul last night. And you were talking about that. And Kathy Hochul is on stage, and.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

She goes, we'll see. And you saw.

[John Stewart]

Like, she couldn't even in the middle of it, she was like, I'm gonna fight that. Okay, how are you gonna deal with the reality when it meets rubber meets the road? When you get in there?

[Zoran Mamdani]

You know, we have seen that that reality is in many ways a result of the political coalition that you built. The coalition you build can change that reality. We changed it from October to now of last year. We can keep changing it, because what we found is talking about raising taxes on people who make a million dollars, increasing it by just 2%, increasing the state's corporate tax rate to match that of the socialist utopia of New Jersey. These, these. These are things that are not just broadly popular. They also have precedents. And most importantly, though, you're not looking to do them in and of themselves. You're looking to do them to fund an affordability agenda that would transform quality of life for every New Yorker.

[John Stewart]

Right.

[Zoran Mamdani]

And I think the question.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

To make this city affordable. I mean, I'll be honest with you.

[John Stewart]

You know, I moved up here again in the early. Like, I can't remember a time this city was ever affordable like that truly would be. I worry sometimes if you make it affordable, if you make it nicer, more people will want to come here, which is good.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

And then the prices will go up. It's such a.

[John Stewart]

Do we just need. You know, we talk about housing and all those different things. Do we just need more land? There's this park that I've been to in the middle of the city. It's.

[Zoran Mamdani]

What an incredible opportunity. Right. But it's.

[John Stewart]

Is what makes it so difficult here. Just the density that you're dealing with?

[Zoran Mamdani]

Well, I think it's actually the absence of imagination more than the density. Right. We obviously have a finite amount of land, but the ways in which we restrict ourselves from building on that same amount of land. Right. It means that Jersey City's building seven homes per thousand people. Tokyo's building ten. We're barely at four. And that's not because of the lack of land. That's also because we don't want to build enough around the little land that we have. And, you know, I think it's. You were asking earlier about the feasibility. The experience part of this is also not having an understanding of leadership that you yourself make every decision and you yourself are the person who must know every single thing. You actually create a team around you. And they're not all going to be 34. Right. This is a team of people who.

[John Stewart]

Younger.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Yeah. This is the retirement age.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Zora undone and the K Pop Demon Hunters, they're gonna go in and knock it out.

[John Stewart]

But even that, I have to tell you. And again, you know, I'm just. I'm impressed with. There's a certain humility to that that I don't think a lot of politicians come into the game with to say, like, hey man, I probably don't have all the answers, and I'm gonna be looking at some experienced hands that I think might be able to help with that.

[Zoran Mamdani]

I think it's a part of youth, frankly. I think youth gives you an innate sense of possibility and a humility that you don't know everything. And I think it's, you know, it's time to have people around you that are not just characterized by the quickness with which they say yes to every idea you put in front of them.

[John Stewart]

Right, right.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Right.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Are you. And I don't want to keep harping on it.

[John Stewart]

Harp, are you sure you don't want to go with the more land thing?

[Miyamo John Stewart]

What if we just built.

[John Stewart]

You know, I know they do this sometimes in the Middle East. They just build islands out of nothing. Can't we do. But can't we connect lower Manhattan to the Statue of Liberty and then just throw up a couple of high rises?

[Zoran Mamdani]

I actually just want to take this moment. That is the policy idea I came here tonight to perfect. We need something in these last eight days.

[John Stewart]

Lastly, before you go, I want you know we were talking earlier in a meeting about the interview that we're going to go, and one of our writers, Devin, came up with something that I thought was really interesting about who the real MVP of your campaign is. You really seemed to take hold when you were out at Madison Square Garden outside of msg after basketball games, talking to people about how much your tickets, all those things. Do you remember all those videos?

[Zoran Mamdani]

I do remember that.

[John Stewart]

Fantastic. Right?

[Zoran Mamdani]

Thank you.

[John Stewart]

They really took hold because of how deep the Knicks went into the playoffs.

[Zoran Mamdani]

That's what it was.

[John Stewart]

So in many ways, isn't the MVP of your campaign, James. Mr. Jalen Brunson, isn't it?

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Jalen Brunson, isn't that.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Sir, at long last, I am glad you said Jalen Brunson. I thought you were gonna say James Dolan.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

No, I was not going there. Jalen Brunson.

[Zoran Mamdani]

I'm glad he's not running for mayor.

[John Stewart]

Yes. I wish you all the best, honestly. You know, I think any New Yorker who looks at someone getting an opportunity, who's representing communities that have not been as representative, a Muslim, a young person, a progressive, a democratic socialist, you know, there are so many different communities that are looking to you, and this, I hate to put it on you as a bit of a Jackie Robinson moment. And I know that, that, that probably wields some weight, but, man, oh, man, what an exciting opportunity.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Thank you.

[John Stewart]

And I wish you the best. Thank you.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

We're gonna take quick break. We'll be right back. That is our show for tonight. Before we go, we're gonna check in with your host for the rest of the week, Ms. Desi Lynick. Desi, nice to see you, my friend.

[Zoran Mamdani]

She is.

[John Stewart]

What do you got for the people this week?

[Zoran Mamdani]

Well, John, big developments in last week's.

[John Stewart]

Jewelry heist at the Louvre.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Police have arrested two people, and that.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Is definitely all the thieves.

[Zoran Mamdani]

Case closed.

[John Stewart]

I mean, that seems like kind of a big heist for just two people.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[John Stewart]

It couldn't be more than I think it's clear. Everyone can stop looking.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Desi, I can't. I can't help but notice you have.

[John Stewart]

A lot of new jewelry.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

What.

[HIMS Advertisement Voice]

This?

[John Stewart]

Oh, no, this is my Nana's. What did your Nana do? She robbed the Louvre.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Run, Nana, run. Desi Lytic. All this week, here it is, your moment of jam.

[Zoran Mamdani]

The scandal is how Democrats in the left have scarred the landscape of our country with grotesque so called modern art that celebrates ugliness, that celebrates defacement. The Republican Party under President Trump celebrates beauty again and beautification again.

[Miyamo John Stewart]

Explore more shows from the Daily show podcast universe by searching the Daily Show. Wherever you get your podcasts, watch the Daily show weeknights at 1110 Central. Oncoming comedy Central. And stream full episodes anytime on Paramount. Plus, this has been a Comedy Central podcast.