The Colombian-American legislator opens up about the political calculations behind that stunning move, her fractured relationships with fellow progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz, and why she believes her campaign for mayor never gained traction. Ramos also reflects on growing up in Jackson Heights during the cartel wars of the 1980s, her father’s influence on her public service career, and whether her independent streak will cost her politically as she faces a primary challenge from Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas next year. It’s a raw, revealing portrait of an elected official who refuses to play it safe — even when it might be the smarter move.

Ramos’ picks:

* A NYC park: Flushing Meadows Corona Park

* Books: “Black Edge“ by Sheelah Kolhatkar, “Invisible Child“ by Andrea Elliott

* A NYC place for landmark status: Casa Amadeo record store

* An AI tool: ChatGPT

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Mentioned:

* New York Editorial Board

* Max Politics, by Ben Max

* Manuel de Dios Unanue

* El Diario La Prensa

* Roosevelt Avenue’s history

Show notes

Guest: Jessica Ramos, New York State Senator (Queens), Chair of the Labor Committee

Topics Discussed:

* The Cuomo endorsement

* Campaign struggles

* Fractured progressive relationships:

* Zohran Mamdani’s meteoric rise

* Growing up in Jackson Heights

Key Moments:

* [01:55] Ramos explains her Cuomo endorsement

* [07:42] Refuses to say whether she’ll vote for Mamdani or Cuomo in the general election

* [12:27] Her assessment of Mamdani’s campaign success

* [19:25] Reveals she hasn’t spoken meaningfully to AOC in years

* [22:42] Shares a previously untold story about Assemblywoman Cruz

Recorded at: Pulitzer Hall, Columbia Journalism School, New York City

In this wide-ranging conversation for the Juan Manuel Benítez Wants to Know podcast, Sliwa reveals how billionaires tried to pressure him to drop out of the race, why he believes Eric Adams “had a price” when he withdrew, and his vision for tackling homelessness, mental health crises, and housing affordability in NYC. He also opens up about patrolling the subways with the Guardian Angels, his wife’s cat rescue work, his love of electronic dance music, and why he’s not afraid of socialists.

Sliwa’s picks:

Book: The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair

Parks: Central Park and Elizabeth Street Garden

Music: Electronic Dance Music, including Bunt

We talk about the federal indictment that was later dropped by the Trump administration, the toll of constant speculation, and the uphill battle of running for reelection while navigating both policy crises and personal scrutiny. Plus: thoughts on Trump and Biden, Israel and Gaza, immigration, ChatGPT, and why he still loves Prospect Park. It’s Eric Adams — defensive, defiant, and determined to change the narrative. Will it work?

ERIC ADAMS' PICKS

* A book: The Science of Mind, by Ernest Holmes

* A museum: Brooklyn Museum

* Parks: Prospect Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park

* An AI tool: ChatGPT

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The personal elements of our conversation - his immersion approach to learning Spanish, his use of AI chatbots as tutors, his love affair with the subway system - illuminate someone who approaches life with genuine intellectual curiosity. Levine's evolution from young activist who "demonized" government workers to seasoned official who understands systemic complexity reflects the kind of political maturation that's rare in our current moment. His recommendation of Fort Tryon Park as an overlooked gem and his passionate defense of Gothic architecture under threat reveal someone who sees beauty and possibility in overlooked corners of the city he's spent decades serving.

Sep 9

39 min 50 sec

In this revealing conversation, host Juan Manuel Benítez sits down with Kathryn Wylde, the powerful voice of New York's business community who's stepping down after decades at the helm of the Partnership for NYC. As the business world grapples with Zohran Mamdani's surprising mayoral primary victory, Wylde offers unprecedented insight into how corporate leaders really feel about the self-proclaimed socialist who could become their next mayor.

Wylde reveals that business leaders were "shocked" by Mamdani's win after investing heavily in Andrew Cuomo's expected victory, but explains why the panic has subsided since election night. She details Mamdani's immediate outreach to reassure the business community and draws surprising parallels to Bill de Blasio - noting that while their policies may be similar, Mamdani lacks de Blasio's "vindictiveness" toward the wealthy.

* What Kathryn Wylde is reading:

The gods of New York : egotists, idealists, opportunists, and the birth of the modern city : 1986-1990, by Jonathan Mahler

* The New York place she loves:

Green-Wood Cemetery

* Her second home:

Quebradillas, Puerto Rico

Lander reveals why he made the strategic decision to endorse his former opponent, what role he might play in a Mamdani administration, and why he believes Andrew Cuomo shouldn't be mayor. The conversation digs into the realities of progressive coalition-building, the $2 billion the city wastes annually on preventable settlements, and Lander's bold proposal to convert golf courses into affordable housing.

But this isn't just political strategy. Benítez explores what shaped Lander as a person - his anthropology fieldwork in London's Bangladeshi community, his Jewish values rooted in "every human created in God's image," and why he cursed Andrew Cuomo in formal Yiddish during the campaign. Lander opens up about his love of sci-fi novels where NYC boroughs become superheroes, his obsession with Prospect Park's Celebrate Brooklyn concerts, and his quest to restore the old Kentile Floors sign that once made F train riders "feel like home."

It's political journalism that remembers people are people first - and asks the question everyone wants answered about New York's political future.

Lander’s picks

Books

• Currently Reading: “The Gods of New York” by Jonathan Mahler (about 1986-1990 NYC politics)
• Recent Favorites:
  • "A Half-Built Garden" by Ruthanna Emrys (climate fiction)
  • "The City We Became" by N.K. Jemisin (sci-fi where five boroughs have superhero avatars)

Museums

• Brooklyn Museum - loves First Saturdays 
• Tenement Museum - especially new exhibit on Black New Yorkers, calls it "super interactive"

Parks & Places

• Prospect Park - "place closest to my heart on planet Earth"
• Celebrate Brooklyn Concert Series - saw Gogol Bordello recently
• Kentile Floors Sign - wants to restore it somewhere and give landmark status, says it made you "feel like home" on F train

Technology

• Uses ChatGPT for song ideas, public policy questions
• Wife uses Claude
• Calls AI "collective intelligence" - impressed but worried benefits will go to few people