Harris-Mamdani in 2028?

Vice President Harris, who has twice mounted unsuccessful runs for the presidency, appears to be gearing up for a third — and is turning to Mayor Zohran Mamdani for help. That’s the upshot of a report that the erstwhile Veep called Hizzoner last week to discuss the future of the Democratic Party. She also has held “lengthy, closed-door meetings” with “pro-Palestinian activists.” The times they are a-changin,’ eh, at least for Democrats.In 2024 Ms. Harris earned the ire of Israel’s enemies for the Biden administration’s support for the Jewish state in the wake of the October 7 attacks. That backing soon faltered as Ms. Harris warned Jerusalem against crossing a “red line” by going into Rafah, saying she’d “studied the maps.” Nevertheless, some Democrats reckon that even lukewarm support for Israel’s war against Hamas depressed turnout and cost her the White House. Ms. Harris and her party appear determined not to risk aligning with Israel again. Congressional primaries have elevated a raft of nominees opposed to the Jewish state. At New York, three of Mr. Mamdani’s acolytes in the Democratic Socialists of America will move on to general elections in ultramarine districts. A fourth, Brad Lander, defeated an impeccably liberal incumbent, Congressman Dan Goldman, by harping on Israel’s supposed perfidy.The rise of the hard left that Mr. Mamdani midwifed at New York is hardly limited to the Empire State. On Monday, Democratic voters at Denver elevated a DSA member, Melat Kiros, over a longtime incumbent, Congresswoman Diana DeGette. That follows the selection of Graham Platner in Maine to represent the party as the Senate candidate in the Pine Tree State. Mr. Platner has praised Hamas and bears on his chest a now-covered up Nazi tattoo.Ms. Kiros was backed by the antisemitic podcaster Hasan Piker, who has also thrown his support behind a Democratic candidate for senator in Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed. That primary, to be held in early August, could offer another indication of the direction of a party that is growing ever more radical. Mr. El-Sayed has called Israel “just as evil” as Hamas. Mr. Piker has gone farther to assert that the terrorist group is “a thousand times better” than Israel.We’ve reckoned that “Mr. Mamdani’s brew of socialism and anti-Israel politics looks like not only the future of the Democratic Party, but also its present.” That the party’s last nominee is now turning to him in hopes of being its next one confirms Mr. Mamdani’s place in the Democrats’ meridian. In addition to the parley with Mr. Mamdani, Ms. Harris also met with Uncommitted co-founder Abbas Alawieh, who refused to support her last time.Mr. Mamdani was asked by ABC News last week if he supported changing the Constitution to enable the Ugandan-born politician to run for president. He replied “No, I think the Constitution looks good the way it is.” The DSA, though, voted last month to support the replacement of “the President and Supreme Court with an executive and judiciary chosen by and subordinate to Congress.” Last we checked, that, too, is crosswise with the parchment.The Constitution, via the 12th Amendment, also bars the selection of a vice president who would not be qualified to serve as president. Still, even if Mr. Mamdani does not appear on a ticket, he appears poised to continue his run as kingmaker alongside, say, Senator Bernie Sanders. His endorsement in the presidential race is likely to be the most coveted endorsement on offer on the campaign trail. Ms. Harris is unlikely to be the only one seeking him out.

Harris-Mamdani in 2028?

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