By Tom Goldstein

Zohran Mamdani’s speech, in which he credited the working people of New York for his smashing victory in the mayor’s race, amounted to a prolonged shout-out. It was not subtle. He was not at all gracious to his opponents.

Liberal cable television commentators have been a reliable chorus of cheerleaders for the Mayor-elect. But they did not like this speech. They thought Mamdani was abrasive and missed an opportunity to begin a healing process.

Of course he wasn’t conciliatory. That is not his style. He did it his way. Out with the old, in with the new. Or, as one New York Times guest columnist put it: “The Old Order is Dead. Do Not Resuscitate”. One indication of change: His campaign received more than 400 RSVP’s from reporters for his victory party, many from media outlets I had never heard of. The place that, a century ago, was labelled “The City of Ambition” by photographer Alfred Stieglitz now has a new overlord.

Against the odds (“It is dirty!” “It is expensive!” “It is dangerous!” “It is choked in........

© Indian Express