Not every idea is worth airing. Not every point of view is worth hearing. Not everything that "a lot of people believe" should be credentialed by homepage space. Would the NYT editorial board run "Did Homosexuals Ruin Culture?" or "Did Black People Get Too Big for Their Britches?" I guess we'll see.

If I lived in Los Angeles, nothing would keep me from this. Not inertia or traffic or a cloud of locusts. NOTHING.

For non-Jews/non-NYers: It's crucial to understand that Jews in NYC have always been treated as a uniform political bloc, and Jews who oppose Israel's policy toward Palestinians have always been treated as marginal/dismissable. A public breaking-off of 1/3 of NY Jews from that history is monumental.

The survey question should be "What do you do when the Lubavitchers come up to you on Sukkot and ask 'Are you Jewish?'" - say no - say no and later feel guilty - say yes and shake the lulav - say yes and keep walking briskly

I'm getting a lot of pushback along the lines of "How dare they not break down 'Other' by religion!" but none whatsoever complaining that LGBTQ+ is an umbrella category. (Both represented 14% of the electorate.)

This is a stunning political realignment--Mamdani lost Jews, Catholics, and Protestants but won by sweeping "Other" and "None." As a Jewish voter in the 33% I hope my neighbors (literally) in the 63%, who were flooded with dishonest mailers, social media, and texts, will now keep an open mind.

I'm amazed he didn't say, "I haven't been following that."

Mamdani reiterates his support for trans folks, his determination to fight "the scourge of antisemitism," and his pledge to fight Islamophobia--and throws a punch at the billionaire-funded campaign of lies against him. "In a time of political darkness, New York will be the light." This is a SPEECH.

"I wish Andrew Cuomo the best in private life, but let tonight be the last time I utter his name." --Mamdani's victory speech is already rocking!

In case any of you thought Andrew Cuomo was going to be gracious in defeat, congratulations on never having heard of Andrew Cuomo.

Uh-huh.

I know it's so alien for some of you to feel good on an election night. Savor every second. We don't get a lot of these.

This account will be equal parts hopeful and gloating for the rest of the evening. To that end: Pour one out for the pile of NYC billionaire money that was utterly incinerated tonight!

People who are leaving NYC, please post pix of your U-Hauls!

I don't know what will happen in NYC tonight, but I do know that regardless of outcome, any number of public figures, celebrities, politicians and institutions that oppose Mamdani have done so with a level of rhetorical ugliness, racism, and dishonesty that should neither be forgotten nor forgiven.

From @rickperlstein.bsky.social, just the antidote to sentimentality you need!

Anyway, Dick Cheney is a fossil fuel now. It's what he loved most. Besides killing.

I voted yes on 6 because I've seen too many years that are not like this year, in which a checked-out NYC electorate wanted a break from politics the year after a presidential election and didn't pay enough attention. I think that's one reason we got Adams.

I'll be skipping any obits that begin "Whatever you think of what he did as Vice President..." It's what you do when you think nobody can stop you that counts.

I believe Bailey would be the first gay Sexiest Man Alive in the 40 years People magazine has been doing this. Yeah, this is all silly, but it will not sit well with some people, and...good.* *if true

"Breaks silence"? WTF are you talking about? Diane Ladd died THIS MORNING. RIP to a wonderful actress, and RIP, I hope, to one of the most grotesque and overused phrases in journalism.

The only response to this a good citizen can make is "Go fuck yourself," and I hope that my beloved home, my still great city, bellows it at top volume tomorrow.

I just saw Nouvelle Vague and loved it--a movie about the creation of a great work of art that feels (aptly) casual, tossed-off, impolite, just as Blue Moon is a movie about theater that feels (aptly) like good theater. I don't think anyone in movies is having a better year than Richard Linklater.

Not aware of current surroundings 6%

Should the Democrats be searching for more charismatic young politicians who speak plainly and cheerfully and galvanize young voters? Nah, that'd be dumb. (Also, about those rankings: Eliot Spitzer, Anthony Weiner, Eric Schneiderman, and Sheldon Silver would like a word.)

You think you can shame me, Netflix? BRING IT.

Final shot of Suddenly, Last Summer.

The gay man who restyles himself as an arrogant bully because he's spent his entire life trying to prove that he's worthy of the company of straight homophobes is a very familiar type to me. I went to college with this one. There are many like him, although, happily, infinitely more who are not.

If you write a "What the Democrats need to do" op-ed in which you keep saying that you're not saying what everyone thinks you're saying, maybe scrap the draft, or admit that yes, you are actually saying it. This is a subtweet about that guy I always pick on.

Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are warming up in the bullpen right now.

Lord.

"Vibes" and "culturally" are doing a lot of work here. It's a way of not having to state that rich Republican candidates are good at overcoming class differences with appeals to bigotry. You can say "Democrats need to find a way to fight that," but you can't pretend it's not the problem.

You can't make this up.

Gonna be the Gay History Nerd for a sec: This headline continues a decades-old tradition of explaining gay cultural phenomena to readers via straight confusion/resentment--and of assuming that highly specific references are designed to confuse or exclude, not delight. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/31/s...

This is a rabbit hole well worth falling into. Go down into the replies and up into the quote tweets, and enjoy a fantastic group writing project.

Today is Lee Grant's 100th birthday. This remarkable movie/TV/stage actress and filmmaker is the definition of a survivor. Read up on her fascinating life. Better yet, see her movies! (Also, if you can hunt down anything from her Emmy-winning run on Peyton Place, totally worth it.)

I know I've posted a lot about this, but even if you don't live in New York, you have to admit that the Andrew Cuomo campaign is...something special.

Scene from my early '70s childhood: Me, in probably flammable Batman costume, holding orange box: "Trick or treat for Unicef!" Scary voice from behind closed apartment door: "I hate the goddamn United Nations! Let me see that--" Me: [runs, terrified] Happy Hallowe'en, everyone!

I would 100% watch another season of The Crown. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/w...

"I'm holding my nose and voting for Cuomo." Yeah, and? Nobody is going to award you bonus points for supporting someone you have the discernment to know is awful. Elections are only about results. You vote for him, you own the consequences.

Milky Wad

People will say this is very esoteric--and it is--but it's also astonishing.

Yesterday someone glowered at the sticker on my jacket and snapped "I don't share your politics!"--and all it said was "Manhattan Votes Early." Maybe she'll like my "Jews for Mamdani" button more. Here's hoping!

On Facebook, I asked a stridently anti-Mamdani voter, "Do you hope you're wrong about him?" and without hesitating, she replied, "Nope." They want him to be a Jew-hating monster because they think that's an acceptable price to pay to force unity over Israel among Jews. That is not going to happen.

It is astonishingly ugly. People I once thought were decent are spouting delusional, baseless, vile stuff about what they "know" Mamdani believes and about what he's going to do. In NYC, this has turned into a real "Well, now we all know who we are" election. There'll be no bridging that rift.

EVERYBODY DOES THIS!

I don't write by longhand, but I will still happily nominate Emma Thompson for the job of President of Writers for this.

I'm not sure I've ever read a political interview for which the subject was more wildly unprepared. These are all reasonable, sharp questions, and half her answers start with "Wait, wait, wait..."

I cannot tell you how much I wish that this was even one of my ten greatest fears.

Mamdani supporters: This should worry you. Do not underestimate the money and power behind the campaign against him. Go vote.