New York Business Leaders Shocked to Find Out They Actually Like Zohran Mamdani

"Billionaire Bill Ackman declared that Mamdani's "policies would be disastrous for NYC." Fellow billionaire Daniel Loeb compared Mamdani to Fidel Castro. Venture capitalist Bradley Tusk predicted New York might go the way of Detroit and Baltimore, cities he said had become "dirty and dangerous." On CNBC, Jim Cramer wondered if, in Mamdani's New York, the rich would "get shot." An emergency meeting was held at the Pool Room about stopping the 33-year-old democratic socialist, whose name, to some, had become the scariest word du jour, the mere mention of which would send shivers down their spines."

"Yes, The New York Times reports that over the last few months, a "surprising thing has been happening when Mr. Mamdani gets behind closed doors with New York's elite," which is that instead of spitting in their faces or adopting a Mr. Smithers-esque tone while telling them he's going to tax them at 90% and use their penthouses for his city-run grocery stores, he "listens, asks questions, and is amiable." Another thing they like: "He doesn't lecture the business leaders, instead absorbing their points of view and, at times, promising to think about their arguments." (It's probably also helpful that he has said that there is "a very important role to be played" by the private sector when it comes to addressing NYC's housing crisis.)"

Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor in June's primary. Wealthy business leaders reacted with alarm, with prominent investors and executives predicting disaster and likening him to authoritarian figures. An emergency meeting was convened to consider strategies to stop the 33-year-old democratic socialist. Several business leaders later met Mamdani privately and found him personable, attentive, and willing to engage. He listens, asks questions, refrains from lecturing, and sometimes promises to consider their arguments. Attendees included real estate leaders such as James Whelan and Jeffrey Gural, and he acknowledged a role for the private sector in housing.

Read at Vanity Fair