Mamdani (still) on the sidelines "The Democrats clearly don't have the leaders they need"

While Zohran Mamdani is preparing to win the mayoral election in New York, his party is keeping its distance. The Democratic leadership is failing to position itself as a genuine opposition to Donald Trump, critics complain: they lack a "coherent vision".

"Here's a controversial opinion: I like the weekends," says Charlamagne Tha God on the "Daily Show". "Because lately weekends have stood for fun, family and saying 'F*** you' to fascists."

The comedian and presenter is of course referring to the No Kings protests in the USA, which brought seven million Americans onto the streets in their last edition. "I'm 90 years old, and I've never seen the country in such a state," says a woman in the recorded news clip.

"Wow, 90 years old, and this is the worst she's seen our country?" marvels Tha God. "She's lived through the Great Depression, a world war, polio - but she's like, 'At least I didn't have to hear about Arnold Palmer's f*** before." The background: Donald Trump has often publicly praised the golfer's privates.

"People are screaming for change"

Seven million protesters? "I thought white people only get so fired up when there's a new La Croix flavor," blasphemes the 47-year-old - and gets serious: "People are clearly angry. People are screaming for change. Democrats, let's see how you use the energy."

Enter Chuck Schumer. The 74-year-old Democrat stands like a teacher at a blackboard. "Let's look at the facts: The so-called Big Beautiful Bill, which is actually in big, ugly scam, cuts a trillion dollars from health care. Health insurance premiums will go up 93 percent."

"No, no, no," Tha God shakes his head, "We want you to have as much energy [as the protesters]! Try again!" A clip of Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz follows, "Can you see me?" she asks in the video, in which she stands in the dark. "Well, of course you can't, because the Republicans have turned out the lights."

When will the Democrats renew themselves?

The presenter just shakes his head before the third clip comes on: this time Hakeem Jeffries speaks. "These Republicans are not the party of law and order," says the leader of the Democratic minority in the House of Representatives. "They are the party of lawlessness and disorder."

"Come on," Tha God huffs. "People are angry: why is Hakeem Jeffries talking like the [Barack] Obama of [fast food chain] Chuck E. Cheese? What are we doing? The Democrats clearly don't have the leaders they need to live up to the moment."

The situation is familiar from sport: sometimes you have to rebuild a team and develop young talent. "And at some point there comes a point when the old guys have to retire." The Democrats should now also select "exciting new candidates". "What do you have?"

"You can just support Mamdani, can't you?"

The next clip is, of course, sobering: a news anchor reports that Janet Mills, the Democratic governor of Maine, wants to move into the Senate. Schumer had persuaded the 77-year-old, who - if she wins - would be the oldest new member of the Senate in US history.

Charlamagne Tha God has had enough: "Look at Zohran Mamdani, okay? He's young, there's a lot of excitement around his campaign, he won the primary overwhelmingly - you can just support him, can't you?"

No, they don't want to, says the next clip: "Many Democrats in Washington are still hesitant or opposed to supporting Zohran Mamdani," says CNN. Then Chuck Schumer can be seen: "All I can tell them is that I'll keep talking to him," he says of his party colleague.

"That's not the leadership we need"

"What are you waiting for?" asks CNN's Dana Bash. Schumer pauses. "I need to keep talking to him. And that's what I'm going to do." Is he afraid he'll get caught in the crossfire if he supports a socialist? "I'll keep talking to him, Dana. You can ask me again."

"Can someone please reboot Chuck Schumer?" etches Tha God. "The man is clearly allergic to allergy. This is not the leadership we need. These are the same Democratic leaders who are shoving their shitty******* candidates down our throats and saying we have to support them because it says vote blue - no matter who."

Even after Joe Biden's disastrous TV duel with Trump, the Democrats repeated like a prayer wheel that they stood by their candidate. "That brings me to the real problem: Democratic leaders never support candidates who might disrupt the capitalist system. But you know what? The system doesn't work."

"Nobody cares"

America wants to change that system - just "like Trump wants to change the East Wing [of the White House]," Tha God knows. "Democrats think they get a cookie because they're the most rational in the room." But, "Nobody cares. Democrats underestimate how ready voters are to act."

The case of the removal of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel shows this: "People were mobilized so quickly: Disney backed down in less than a week. People made a change. And that's the point: when you turn that energy into collective action, you get sh***** sorted."

The USA is currently like "a fat a***" and the Democrats don't know "how to beat it properly": Schumer and Jeffries need to make way for something new at the top of the party. Late-night legend Jon Stewart, who answered the New Yorker's questions, takes the same line.

The Democrats "need a coherent vision"

He has never seen the "Daily Show" audience "so thirsty for leadership". The Democrats are ripe for an election victory like Donald Trump's in 2016, the 62-year-old believes. "Hopefully it will be someone who uses that power for good and not for self-aggrandizement."

The Democrats would have to offer voters more than the "not-Trump". The party needs more than just the negative. "They need a coherent vision. You can think what you want about Donald Trump: he presents his audience with a coherent vision."

Speaking of which: for the US president, Zohran Mamdani is a "communist" - even if the co-chair of the Communist Party calls him a "democratic socialist" - see video above. Trump announces in a CBS interview that there will be consequences if Mamdani wins.

Obama supports Mamdani

"It would be hard for me as president to give New York a lot of money," says Trump. "If a communist is running New York, you're wasting the money you're sending there." He would prefer "a bad Democrat" to a "communist," the 79-year-old says.

"Some people have compared him to a left-wing version of you, charismatic, breaking the old rules. What do you think of that?" Trump is asked. His answer: "Well, I think I'm much better looking than him, don't you?"

Be that as it may, Mamdani is poised to win today's election. The latest poll puts the 34-year-old six percentage points ahead of the runner-up. Andrew Cuomo only has 34 percent.

And while the leadership of his party is keeping its distance from the promising candidate - for fear of attacks from the Republicans - some members are still daring to back the likely future mayor of New York. Alongside Kamala Harris and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, former President Barack Obama has also spoken out in favor of Mamdani.