First Draft: Why Did Top Democrats Just Attend a Genocide Parade?
Zohran Mamdani was attacked for not attending a New York event with Israelis accused of war crimes. Plus, the UK banned Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker, while Donald Trump had a full weekend brain fade.
On this day in 1980, CNN made its debut as the world’s first 24-hour news network, a model that would change the face of TV newscasting – for the worse, critics say.
Good morning, friends. Prem here. Wishing you a wonderful Monday wherever you are. Happy June! Today I’m grateful for the gift of good sport. Seeing Arsenal vs. PSG go to penalties (sorry, Mayor Mamdani), and the young San Antonio Spurs surviving against the Oklahoma City Thunder was a blast. I’m super-conflicted on Spurs vs. Knicks, though. Love Spurs basketball, but also love the prospect of an NYC win and Karl Anthony-Towns finally getting his flowers… Who are you rooting for?
In today’s ‘First Draft,’ a breakdown of all the genocidal Israeli officials who were happily parading in New York City – and all the Democrats who marched alongside them. Plus, Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur are banned by the UK over their views on Israel and Donald Trump posts yet more evidence of his unfitness for office for all the world to see.
Let’s dig in!
New York’s Proud Genocide Parade
In October 2025, Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa uttered a fateful phrase. “Every parade has the right to exist in New York City.”
But does that mean the mayor has to go to every parade?
On Sunday, New York was host to the Israel Day Parade. Crowds of pro-Israel marchers, Christian Zionists, Israeli officials, and U.S. politicians descended on the Upper East Side.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani attracted vicious criticism for being the first New York mayor in more than 60 years not to attend the event, which honors an apartheid state internationally that is credibly accused of genocide.
Mamdani avoided marching alongside Israeli officials who have expressed extremist, genocidal, and viciously racist sentiments about Palestinians – and at least one for whom the International Criminal Court is reportedly seeking an arrest warrant.
That did not stop many other Democrats from marching. New York Senator Chuck Schumer, Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Council Speaker Julie Menin, disgraced former Mayor Eric Adams, disgraced former Governor and failed mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo, Rep. Dan Goldman, Rep. Jerry Nadler (and Alex Bores, vying to take Nadler’s seat) – were in attendance. New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler joined them.
So, who were all these New Yorkers marching with? Let’s take a survey.