CNN Asks If Mamdani's America-Trashing Speech Can 'Reframe' Patriotism for Democrats
Steve Malzberg
July 5th, 2026 4:59 PM
On Friday, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered a speech from City Hall, which was billed as "Marking America's 250th Birthday", but was actually a nearly 14 minute long trashing of America, as he accused "the powerful" of supremacy, claimed only a few are allowed freedom, said America is where "not all are created equal", trashed our treatment of immigrants and blasted ICE. But if you watched CNN's Erica Hill's coverage on CNN News Central, you were told the speech has some thinking about a Mamdani presidency.
Hill introduced a clip from the speech, making sure to point out "He delivered that speech from the desk used by George Washington when he was President," as if he wouldn't make Washington roll over in his grave. She talked about it glowingly, noting, "He certainly touched on immigration, touched on what he sees as American exceptionalism, and perhaps his view for the future."
She then handed off to CNN Correspondent Gloria Pazmino, who again mentioned the desk, then played another clip from the speech, before actually raising the possibility of a future Mamdani run for the White House.
https://newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/steve-malzberg/2026/07/05/cnn-asks-if-mamdanis-america-trashing-speech-can-reframe