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Obama dubs Mamdani an ‘extraordinary talent’
Former president praises New York City mayor’s ability to connect with working-class voters on a late-night television interview.
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Malvika Choudhary - Wed, 06, May 2026
- 18:55 EDT
- 28
Barack Obama with Stephen Colbert / Screengrab from the show
Former President Barack Obama praised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as an “extraordinary talent” during an appearance on a talk show.
The remarks came during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where Obama and host Stephen Colbert discussed the future direction of the Democratic Party and its messaging to voters.
Also Read: Mamdani skips Met Gala, highlights fashion workers instead
Obama made the comments in a pre-recorded interview filmed at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. During the discussion, the former president dismissed concerns about divisions between liberals and progressives within the Democratic Party, arguing that Democrats broadly share common goals tied to economic fairness and equality.
Obama praises communist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani: “Look at somebody like Mamdani — who I think is an extraordinary talent..." pic.twitter.com/aQkGYsQZU3
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 6, 2026
Pointing to Mamdani as an example of a politician connecting with voters, Obama said the mayor “wants people to be able to afford housing in New York” and added that Democrats need to “talk to regular people like we’re not in a college seminar.”
Colbert responded by saying Mamdani “talk[s] like a normal person” and “lives a normal life,” while also “naming what is obviously wrong,” remarks Obama agreed with during the exchange.
The praise comes weeks after Obama and Mamdani appeared together publicly for the first time at a Bronx child care center, where they read to preschoolers and participated in a singalong of “The Wheels on the Bus.” The event included discussions on early childhood education and affordability issues in New York City.
According to reports, Obama has also offered to serve as a “sounding board” for Mamdani, whose focus on housing affordability, child care and working-class issues has raised his national political profile.
Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist who took office in January, has emerged as a prominent figure among younger progressive Democrats.
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