This week, I am joined by Diane Pagen, a friend of mine from my days in the Universal Basic Income (UBI) movement and Aimee from First Hand Media. Diane is a social worker who worked for the New York City Department of Education but who ultimately lost her job because she refused to take the covid vaccine. Aimee is a freelance journalist who has reported extensively on the MAHA movement. We discuss the highs and lows of the movement, how it is interacting with the broader political climate at present and where this period of political turmoil and polarization is leading us.

I report on the election of Zohran Mamdani as New York's 111th mayor, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo by nearly nine percentage points. The episode captures the reactions of residents of people in Jackson Heights, Queens at a neighborhood bar. Locals reflect on the implications of electing a 34-year-old Democratic Socialist mayor and looks ahead at the hopes for New York under Mamdani's leadership as well as the challenges posed by the Trump administraiton and the broader political landscape in the United States.

New York City goes to the polls this week to elect a new Mayor. This week, David delves into the landscape of New York City politics with good friend, Jason Clinkscales, a freelance sports writer and lifelong New Yorker. Together, they chart the meteoric rise of Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist vying to become NYC's next Mayor who is pitted against former New York State Governor, Andrew Cuomo. David and Jason explore the implications of this pivotal election, the city's affordability crisis, and the broader effects this election will have on the Trump administration and the direction of the Democrats nationally. 

This week, I speak with Chivona Newsome, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Greater New York and an activist for Black empowerment. We discuss the implications of Charlie Kirk's assassination, her views on gun rights, and the politically polarized climate we find ourselves in this current moment. Chivona discusses the importance of youth empowerment and the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion in society, sharing her personal experiences and the challenges she faced during her 2020 congrressional election campaign, highlighting the importance of self-defense and empowerment for marginalized communities.

David reacts to the results coming in live at a Queens bar with his sister-in-law, Kat, visiting from Australia. While there, they bump into the victory party of local NY State Assembleyman for the 30th District, Steven Raga.

Election Day is finally upon us. Kim and David discuss the state of play going into it.

David turns up at Madison Square Garden to get vox pops of the people who turned up to hang around outside the Trump rally.

Kim and David discuss the impact of the vice presidential debate, the latest polling in swing states as we are going into the last 30 days of the race. They also delve into the woes of New York City's Mayor Eric Adams who has been embroiled in a corruption scandal and is facing possible impeachment and jail time.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, please contact us on Instagram @theweekpodcast or by e-mail on theweek [email protected]. We hope you enjoy.

Kim and David discuss the impact of Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris, answer questions from you, our listeners, as well as looking at the impact of viral TikToks and memes on the campaigns of both candidates.

Kim and David react to vox pops collected at the Jackson Heights subway station in Queens.