MSNBC Host Asks Cuomo Why He Didn’t Defend Mamdani in Radio Interview: ‘Why Didn’t You Have Your John McCain Moment?’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
ALEMANY: “Governor, I want to ask you about a moment you just had that reminded me another moment in 2008, when senator John McCain was at a town hall, when a supporter called Barack Obama an Arab, and she told him that she couldn’t trust Obama, McCain responded immediately. He took the microphone back and he said, no, ma’am. He’s a decent family man, a citizen that I happen to have disagreements with sometimes. He was obviously widely praised for that moment. It was a moment of moral leadership. Last week you were on Sid Rosenberg show when he said zoran mamdani, when he talked about zoran mamdani, and he said, god forbid another 9/11 happens. Can you imagine mamdani in the seat? He’d be cheering. You laughed. You said it was another problem. And then the very next day, mayor Adams stood next to you and warned, warned about Islamic extremism. If mamdani wins and you stood there and you nodded along, you’ve now had a week or so to unequivocally, unequivocally condemn these remarks. Will you do so right now on camera? And why didn’t you have your John McCain moment?”

Cuomo: “Well, John McCain I have may rest in peace. A total respect for. If a supporter of mine said that, I would have said exactly what John McCain said. I was on a radio show with a with a radio commentator who made that comment as a joke, laughing as he said it. But he was not my supporter. He’s a radio commentator. I don’t normally and I don’t think normally we hold elected officials and politicians to correct a a comment from a journalist. Right. I don’t remember the I don’t believe the mayor. And excuse me, I don’t believe mayor Adams ever said that unless I missed it. But I don’t believe mayor Adams ever said that. Mamdani was an Islamic extremist. I don’t believe he said that.”
>> No, but.
>> He I believe.
>> He said he did not.
>> He warned about his life. Well, then I’ll ask you point blank here. I mean, my my question and my words. Do you condemn islamophobic comments about zoran mamdani? Unequivocally.
>> 100%, 100%. I condemn islamophobic comments, anti-Semitic comments, racist comments, bigoted comments, anti-italian comments. Of course, you know, New York as New York governor for 11 years, attorney general, our diversity is our strength. But it can also be a weakness. So you have to work very, very hard to make sure you’re always keeping people united. And there’s always flare ups among different races, religions, creeds for one reason or another. After Covid, we had hostility towards the Asian community. So yes, I’ve always been there to unify people and