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Angelina Katsanis\/AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n In the final<\/span> stretch of New York\u2019s mayoral race, Andrew Cuomo appeared to embrace the Islamophobic accusation that Zohran Mamdani\u2014the socialist candidate who would be the city\u2019s first Muslim mayor\u2014would celebrate a hypothetical September 11-style terrorist attack.<\/p>\n \u201cGod forbid, another 9\/11. Can you imagine Mamdani in the seat?\u201d Cuomo said during an appearance on the conservative radio host Sid Rosenberg\u2019s show<\/a> on Thursday.<\/p>\n \u201cI could. He\u2019d be cheering,\u201d Rosenberg replied, prompting Rosenberg\u2019s own laughter.<\/p>\n The former governor chuckled at the remark, before adding, \u201cThat\u2019s another problem.\u201d<\/p>\n From a generous angle, one might be inclined to see the initial intention of Cuomo\u2019s remarks as yet another attempt to brand his 34-year-old opponent as too inexperienced to lead the country\u2019s largest city. But what quickly unfolded was the unmistakable suggestion that Mamdani, by virtue of being a Muslim man, was not a loyal American. That Mamdani\u2019s identity as a Muslim meant that he naturally harbored a secret wish to see New York, and America, destroyed. For many, the remarks made explicit what had been percolating for months: the cynical racism animating Cuomo\u2019s campaign, whether it be his repeated refusal to pronounce his opponent\u2019s name<\/a> correctly or an AI-generated ad<\/a> that depicted \u201ccriminals for Zohran Mamdani.\u201d <\/p>\n Asked to comment on Cuomo\u2019s latest attack, a spokesperson for Cuomo\u2019s campaign wrote: \u201cHe was referring to Mamdani\u2019s close friend Hasan Piker,<\/a> who said \u2018America deserved 9\/11,\u2019 a statement 9\/11 families called on Zohran Mamdani to denounce, but he refused for months.\u201d<\/p>\n Cuomo did mention Piker during his interview with Rosenberg\u2014but not until about 10 minutes after their Islamophobic exchange. Hours later, Eric Adams, who earlier on Thursday formally endorsed Cuomo in a bid to stop Mamdani, extended the overt Islamophobia. <\/p>\n \u201cNew York can\u2019t be Europe, folks,\u201d he told reporters. \u201cI don\u2019t know what\u2019s wrong with people. You see what\u2019s playing out in other countries because of Islamic extremism. Not Muslims. But those Islamist extremists that are burning churches in Nigeria, that are destroying communities in Germany.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m fighting for,\u201d Adams said. \u201cI\u2019m fighting for the family of New York. That\u2019s why I\u2019m here to endorse Andrew Cuomo.\u201d<\/p>\n