A radio exchange between former New York governor Andrew Cuomo and conservative host Sid Rosenberg started a row and mockery online after Rosenberg suggested that Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim mayoral candidate, would “cheer” if another 9/11-style attack struck New York City — and Cuomo laughed in response.The comment was seen by Netizens as overtly Islamophobic. The debate has dominated political conversations across New York, resulting in counterattacks from Mamdani, Democrats, and social media users alike. Online, critics flipped the narrative, sarcastically posting: “I know you meant this to be racist against Mamdani but this mostly reads like ‘vote cuomo or else we’ll do another 9/11.'”Cuomo is attempting a political comeback by running as a third-party candidate. He warned that Mamdani was “dangerously unprepared” to lead New York City through crises such as natural disasters or terrorist attacks.“God forbid another 9/11,” Cuomo said. “Can you imagine Mamdani in the seat?”Rosenberg then interjected, saying, “Yeah, I could. He’d be cheering.” After a brief pause, Cuomo chuckled. “That’s another problem,” he replied.
Mamdani responds
Within hours, the clip went viral on social media. Mamdani called the exchange “disgusting” and said it insulted millions of Muslims who call New York home.“We’re talking about a radio show host who’s described me as an animal, who’s called me a terrorist,” Mamdani said at a press conference in Manhattan, according to the New York Post. “We’re speaking about a former governor who in his final moments in public life is engaging in rhetoric that is not only Islamophobic, not only racist, is also disgusting.”Cuomo’s team later said the former governor did not believe Mamdani would celebrate a terror attack. However, when pressed by reporters, Cuomo refused to denounce Rosenberg’s words. “That’s the host. Go talk to the host,” he said, adding that his own remarks referred to Mamdani’s friendship with Hasan Piker, a left-wing streamer who once said America “deserved 9/11.”But Mamdani has already condemned that comment, calling it “objectionable and reprehensible.”Several Democrats — including Governor Kathy Hochul, Representatives Ritchie Torres, Gregory Meeks, and Daniel S. Goldman — condemned the exchange. “To insinuate that a mayoral candidate would celebrate a second 9/11 is beyond disgusting and disgraceful,” Torres said on X. Goldman called it “naked Islamophobia.”The row comes just hours after Cuomo’s campaign deleted an AI-generated video that portrayed Mamdani’s supporters as “trespassers, pimps, and drug dealers” — and even showed a Black man wearing a kaffiyeh. Cuomo’s team claimed it had been posted “in error” by a junior.
