Obama's newly revealed call to Zohran Mamdani ‘normalizes' socialist NYC mayoral contender for wary Democrats
Former President Barack Obama's newly-revealed call with mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani is a nod that could help the socialist more palatable to panicking high-level Democrats, insiders tell The Post.
Details about the June call — first reported by New York Times staff writer Mara Gay Wednesday and confirmed by The Post — remain vague, but its disclosure appears to be part of an effort to persuade hold-out Big Apple voters that Mamdani is not a fringe candidate.
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'It gives the sense that President Obama's world is comfortable with his candidacy. It normalizes him,' the Rev. Al Sharpton, who had close ties with Obama's White House, said Thursday.
'It helps with the perception of some people that Mamdani is too radical. It sends a message that he is not unacceptable,' Sharpton said.
4 Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani recently had a call with former President Barack Obama.
Stephen Yang for the New York Post
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4 Obama has not endorsed Mamdani.
Anadolu via Getty Images
4 The Rev. Al Sharpton has close ties to Obama's camp and a growing relationship with Mamdani.
AP
A source in Mamdani's campaign said they hope Obama's interest leads to an endorsement, which the progressive phenom has failed to get from prominent mainstream Empire State Dems such as Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
'Zohran Mamdani is the future of the Democratic Party,' the source argued. 'Zohran inspired people to get involved in the political party. President Obama recognized this.'
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Mamdani has ties to Obama's orbit through Patrick Gaspardi, the ex-president's former White House political director and ambassador to South Africa, who is an unpaid adviser to the Queens assemblyman.
Gaspard accompanied Mamdani the last four times Sharpton met with the Democratic socialist — twice at National Action Network events, once during a meeting with a group of NAN pastors and recently during a meal at the Regency hotel.
Sharpton said he does not know if Obama will end up endorsing in the mayor's race.
4 The socialist Mamdani has yet to quell many mainstream Democrats' concerns about him.
Stephen Yang for the New York Post
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But other sources cautioned that Obama's call may have been more of a courtesy, congratulating the Democratic mayoral nominee, rather than a genuine sign he'll endorse Mamdani.
Four years ago, Obama, Schumer, Rep. Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats all called then-Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams after his mayoral primary win, a political source pointed out.
'That's just maintenance for those guys,' the source said. 'They want to stay relevant with the party and leadership.'
The source argued the facts that Bill and Hillary Clinton aren't endorsing Mamdani and Obama isn't confirming any support for him 'tells you all you need to know.'
Adams, when asked about the call between Mamdani and Obama, dismissed what 'national leaders are doing.'
'It's about New York City residents,' he said.
Hizzoner ignored The Post's question about whether he has talked to Obama since 2021.
— Additional reporting by Hannah Fierick
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