He is fresh and everyone else is tired

Published 08/01/2005, Substack 

He is fresh and everyone else is tired-Murray Kempton

If you have been around long enough, it is hard not to think of the Kempton quote when watching the rising star that is Zohran Mamdani. Especially if you are like me, someone who lived in New York during John Lindsay’s time as mayor. Mamdani like Lindsay, has that American cultural quality that the Italian journalist Beppe Severgnini described as “crisp.” Indeed, in August of 2025, there is nothing stale about Zohran Mamdani.

One hopes that Mamdani is as good a student of history as he is a communicator on TikTok and You Tube. In New York City, things can go stale very, very quickly. Garbage strikes, the police union, blizzards, subway crime-you’ve seen the movie before. And there are a good many New Yorkers who have lived it and may have reason for pause. But charisma, regardless of the decade, is very powerful. Add to his charisma and political skills, the looming presence of Donald Trump…He is fresh and everyone else is tired. That his rise may be more due to juxtaposing him against the president, may offend his supporters, but has to be considered. That he has used his political skills to seize this moment deserves praise as well.



For those not familiar with John Lindsay, I would recommend The Ungovernable City, by Vincent Cannato.



Another politician from this era that I am reminded of is John Tunney, the former senator from California. In his Wikipedia entry, this quote from the New York Times is cited:

His hairstyle and mannerisms drew comparisons to Robert F. Kennedy; New York Times praised Tunney for his "Kennedyesque, prize-fighter glamour" and "Kennedy-like accent and mannerisms", calling him "a swinger who wears his hair styled like a tight, furry helmet.”

And as cinephiles know, he was the inspiration for the Robert Redford film, The Candidate.



Having revealed my skepticism and caution to ordain Mamdani as the genuine article, (not to mention actually getting elected mayor-he could lose) I am hopeful that he is a sign of a new generation stepping up to take their place as leaders of the country. But I’m also worried that we have seen this movie before.



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