Mamdani’s Imaginary America

Zohran Mamdani spent his Fourth of July contributing to the doddering liberal tradition of mistaking crushingly downbeat pessimism about America for patriotism.

Mamdani devoted his address commemorating the nation’s 250th birthday to offering what he claimed was a view of the American experience from an immigrant’s perspective. But New York City’s mayor expressed only a qualified version of the faith in American institutions and belief in America’s greatness that’s more common among foreign-born Americans than among their native counterparts. Instead, he channeled the apprehensions about America that have overtaken the younger, well-educated, affluent white voters who form the base of the Democratic Socialist movement.