

Hasan made a good point today that supports what you said: On a normal day, Trump is surrounded by people like JD Vance, Lindsey Graham, Pete Hegseth etc. - slimy spineless weirdos. Even to an asshole like Trump, it’s probably a breath of fresh air to have to deal with a completely normal, cool guy for a change.

I know Mamdani has yet to actually show his true colours and capabilities once in office, but so far I’m hugely impressed with him. He manages to win over people with his charm and smart rhetoric (e. g. Fox’s Martha MacCallum in that interview, now Trump) while - importantly - staying consistent on message. Many politicians in a similar situation would’ve toned it down, but in the Oval Office Mamdani 1) repeated his main talking points (affordability, rent, buses, groceries…), 2) called himself a democratic socialist, 3) called the situation in Gaza a genocide, 4) did not deny Trump being a fascist (although Trump helped him on that one).
Being secure and steadfast on your own convictions actually gives you the liberty to work across the aisle without having to fear losing yourself or your constituents.