Black Trump voters and NYT's 'plenty' math
The one-time 'paper of record' has become a symbol of media failure.
A small slice of a minority group votes for a candidate. Large numbers of people in that minority group oppose the candidate — often vocally, noting the candidate’s clear record of bigotry. How does the New York Times op-ed team handle this? It depends on which side benefits: the dangerous, antidemocratic far right or the dangerous, antidemocratic far left.
This is the media reality of our time, in which the former “paper of record” has no sense of basic journalistic standards. I explain in the latest episode of They Stand Corrected.
By the numbers
Within days of Zohran Mamdani’s victory in NYC’s Democratic mayoral race, two Jewish members of the Times’ op-ed team were heaping praise on him: Ezra Klein and Michelle Goldberg. Her column carried the preposterous headline, “Plenty of Jews Love Zohran Mamdani.”
How many is “plenty?” While no final figures are in, a survey from before the primary found that 14% of Jewish Democrats would rank him in their rank choice voting; another placed that figure at 20%.
Meanwhile, according to Pew Research, 15% of Black voters supported Trump in 2024. The Times has never run an op-ed written by a Black Trump supporter, nor by someone arguing that Black voters have good reason to “love” Trump, as far as I can see. (I contacted the Times to ask and, shocker, have not heard back.) But with Mamdani, two staffers — not even external contributors — rushed to use their Times platforms to sing his praises.
Klein employed the most popular modern version of antisemitism denial, claiming Democratic socialist Mamdani is “anti-Zionist and not antisemitic.” The idea that there's a difference is so ridiculous that it should no longer need to be shot down. But since the media has successfully confused people, here’s a simple summary:
“Anti-Zionists” are fine with the existence of numerous Muslim states with Sharia law, but call the existence of one tiny Jewish state an affront to humanity. Obviously, that’s anti-Jewish bigotry. Basics of the Middle East also elude them, like the fact that Israel is the only democracy and open to people of all religions, and its largest population is composed of Jews whose families had to flee hellish pogroms in Arab and Muslim nations. Learn more in my episode on three “isms”: feminism, transgenderism, and Zionism.
Trump’s support among Black Americans appears to be sinking, part of his overall downward trajectory this year. If polls show Mamdani losing popularity, will the Times wake up to reality? Don’t count on it. And don’t give the NYT your hard earned money! If you must read any of their articles, do so for free. Also, feel free to reach out to them and tell them to stop the madness:
Coming up this week on the podcast, a reality check on the not so “beautiful” new tax law. Where does your money go? Visit USAFacts:
And ICYMI: Nurses are warning about the dangers of the new bill, and sponsor Nurses United has harrowing stories of what these heroes are already grappling with.
JL