Out of tune

To the editor:

Zohran Mamdani has certainly taken some positions that raise serious questions. But when Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says Mamdani has to appeal to a broader electorate, that can bring a response of "Look who's talking!"

In 2016, Jeffries supported Hillary Clinton's nomination for president. Even a Fox News poll showed Bernie Sanders to be the most popular politician in America. Ironically, Clinton could (and still can) compete with Donald Trump as one of the most hated people in America. Neither would get a majority of the popular vote.

Clinton strongly supported her husband's Republican-type policies. He never got a majority of the vote and won only because Ross Perot twice took away votes from Republican candidates. She also supported establishing a no-fly zone in Syria while Russian troops were there, which would have increased the possibility of World War III.

In supporting Clinton, Jeffries went as far as stating that she always supported civil rights and implied that Sanders had not. In fact, Sanders' involvement in the civil rights movement dated back to the early 1960s. In 1964, Clinton supported Barry Goldwater for president. He opposed civil rights legislation.

Mamdani will have to convince  people that he has sincerely changed his views on defunding the police and will have to come up with more realistic policies than affordable, city-owned grocery stores. But Jeffries, who is part of the Democratic establishment that has led the party in the wrong direction, is not the man to get advice from. That's like getting advice from Pat Boone on how to sing rock and roll.

Richard Warren