TMI Show Ep 222: “Hochul Finally Endorses Mamdani”

So late that it no longer matters or helps, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul tries to heel the rift between progressives and corporate Democrats by finally endorsing Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor—who continues to surge in the polls as the billionaire class desperately flails to stop him by supporting Andrew Cuomo—positioning them as united front against Trump. Hochul urges leaders to transcend differences, rallying to combat Trump's tariffs, attacks on welfare programs, and attempts to seize military control of NYC. Endorsements still elude him from key Democrats like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, underscoring internal party tensions—but does it matter now?

Plus:

• TikTok Ban—It Lives!: Trump is still threatening a TikTok ban in the U.S. unless China relaxes tariff and technology demands tied to ByteDance's forced sale, with a September 17 deadline looming. Madrid talks, involving Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, are flailing. Experts foresee no breakthrough without Trump-Xi dialogue.

• Russia's Barter Revival: Russia revives barter in foreign trade, swapping grain for Chinese cars or flax for materials to evade Western sanctions, echoing 1990s practices amid Ukraine war disruptions. Over 25,000 sanctions since 2014 cut Russia from SWIFT; barter, hard to trace, fills gaps in deals like yuan-ruble exchanges, with a government guide promoting it as de-dollarisation advances.

• Emmy Awards: The 77th Emmy Awards crown "The Studio" as the top winner, securing 13 Emmys including best comedy series, with Seth Rogen tying records for individual wins—Hollywood loves to talk about itself. "Adolescence" claims eight limited series awards, "The Penguin" adds to Cristin Milioti's lead actress victory, and "The Pitt" takes best drama; Stephen Colbert's "The Late Show" gets its first and last talk series win as a pity vote.