Bill Maher did what too many in the mainstream media refuse to do: he asked a hard question and refused to let it slide. On Real Time he confronted former Biden White House communications director Kate Bedingfield over the emerging controversy around mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, bluntly saying he would renounce citizenship in a country that executes people for being gay — a line that landed squarely and sparked real pushback.
Bedingfield immediately went on the defensive, accusing Andrew Cuomo of “race-baiting” and urging caution about how the story was being weaponized by opponents, even as Maher pressed the practical implications of Mamdani’s associations and dual citizenship. That tense back-and-forth exposed the ugly choice Democrats now face: protect a rising leftist populist at all costs, or confront the uncomfortable realities of his overseas ties and associations.
This isn’t hypothetical hand-wringing — Uganda’s law is real and brutal, and it has drawn international condemnation for allowing the death penalty in certain cases of “aggravated homosexuality.” Americans should not be gaslit into thinking this is merely a cultural quirk; the law codifies violence and persecution, and any public official who shrugs at that deserves scrutiny.
The optics around Mamdani aren’t helped by photos and meetings like the one with Rebecca Kadaga, a Ugandan official who once championed draconian anti-LGBTQ legislation, or his public associations with figures who make New Yorkers uncomfortable. These aren’t smear tactics — they are facts that voters deserve to see in full, not sanitized away by party operatives or friendly pundits.
Bill Maher’s warning that a Mamdani victory could have national implications was not the tantrum of a partisan hack but a sober observation about how the Democratic Party markets itself to voters nationwide. The left can either reclaim common-sense patriotism and mainstream values, or double down on embracing radicals and then be surprised when swing voters walk away in droves.
Patriots should be clear-eyed: this is about leadership, judgment, and the safety of our cities. Conservatives must keep pushing these questions into the light, demand real answers, and hold every candidate accountable — no excuses, no soft-pedaling, and no more sacred cows. The future of our towns and the moral character of our nation depend on it.
