Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic front-runner for NYC mayor, visibly faltered under intense scrutiny during Wednesday’s final debate at LaGuardia Community College. His usual polish melted into sweat as rivals Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa refused to let vague responses slide.

As reported by New York Post, Mamdani faced a relentless barrage from Cuomo, the independent ex-governor, and Sliwa, the GOP nominee, who together cornered him on policy specifics with only 13 days left before the Nov. 4 election. The duo’s tag-team approach exposed Mamdani’s inability to provide clear answers on critical issues like education, public safety, and housing.

The night started with Mamdani dodging questions on ballot proposals, prompting Sliwa to jab, “Don’t be a politician.” That quip cut to the core of a debate where platitudes were shredded faster than a campaign flyer in a windstorm.

Policy Vagueness Under Fire

On education reform, Mamdani reiterated opposition to mayoral control and backed state class size mandates but stumbled into empty rhetoric about “the crisis in front of us.” He offered no concrete fixes for systemic dysfunction, leaving the stage open for his opponents to pounce.

Public safety proved another weak spot as Mamdani vaguely touted a Department of Community Safety, claiming social workers could handle mental health and domestic calls alongside NYPD, yet he merely said, “I trust the dispatchers.” Trust is fine, but New Yorkers need plans, not faith, when sirens blare.

Housing, a perennial city headache, saw Mamdani flounder again, mumbling about streamlining private construction processes without a single actionable step. It’s as if he thought repeating the word “crisis” would build apartments overnight.

Cuomo and Sliwa Strike Hard

Cuomo, sharper than in the first debate, flexed his record with LaGuardia Airport’s redesign and the Second Avenue subway, while mocking Mamdani’s inexperience against a “hyper-aggressive” President Trump. He sneered, “He’s a good actor, he missed his calling,” dismantling Mamdani’s rent freeze idea as a hollow promise affecting only 25% of housing units.

Sliwa, sporting a visible tan line from his trademark red beret, joined the fray, telling Mamdani, “Your resume could fit on a cocktail napkin.” He didn’t spare Cuomo either, shouting, “You fled from being impeached,” proving no one escaped the night unscathed.

Both rivals painted Mamdani’s proposals as detached from reality, with Cuomo sarcastically asking if he was “the savior of Jewish people” when the socialist tried reassuring Jewish voters. Such sharp exchanges highlighted a candidate struggling to bridge ideological zeal with practical governance.

Past Scandals Haunt Cuomo

Cuomo, despite his aggressive stance, couldn’t shake his own baggage, particularly the sexual misconduct scandal that forced his 2021 resignation. With one accuser, Charlotte Bennett, in the audience at Mamdani’s behest, his weak defense on the 13 women’s allegations left a sour note.

Mamdani seized on this, branding Cuomo “Donald Trump’s puppet” and arguing his vaunted experience birthed woes in housing, transit, and pandemic nursing home deaths. “The issue is that we have all experienced your experience,” Mamdani shot back, turning Cuomo’s record into a liability.

Sliwa’s refusal to exit the race, despite pressure to bolster Cuomo’s chances, muddled the anti-Mamdani strategy, as his strong showing split the opposition. Analyst Andrew Kirtzman noted, “If Sliwa’s numbers don’t fall, there is no way Cuomo can win,” underscoring the night’s fractured dynamics.

A Debate of Missed Opportunities

Mamdani’s weakest cycle performance, per Kirtzman, saw him besieged, literally laughed at by both opponents, despite his debating talent. Even a ranked-choice hypothetical where he picked Sliwa second drew a wry, “Oh, please don’t be glazing me here, Zohran,” from the Republican.

For all the punches thrown, the debate revealed more about what Mamdani lacks than what he offers, with no clear path on urgent city challenges emerging from his words. New Yorkers watching likely wondered if catchy slogans like “rent freeze” can withstand the gritty reality of governing.

Cuomo and Sliwa, flawed as they are, landed blows by demanding substance over soundbites, a lesson Mamdani must heed with time running out. This final clash at LaGuardia wasn’t just a stage; it was a mirror reflecting a city hungry for leadership beyond promises and posturing.