As Democrats Freak Out Over Socialist Takeover, Kamala Harris Speaks With Zohran Mamdani
In the same week Democrats began sounding alarms over radical left-wing revolutionaries gaining power and hijacking the party, there is a new report from Axios that Kamala Harris privately spoke with far-left New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and held closed-door meetings with progressives, including pro-Palestinian activists, as she appears to lay the groundwork for a potential 2028 White House run.
Axios reported, "Harris, who occasionally has texted with Mamdani in the past few months, called him two days after the mayor's handpicked candidates swept three congressional races in New York City, ousting a pair of incumbents."
"It's the latest sign the former vice president is laying the groundwork for a potential White House run in 2028 — and is looking to strengthen or repair her relationships with left-wing Democrats," the report said.
Axios did not reveal the specifics of the conversation, but the timing is telling.
Democratic Party elites are increasingly fearful that Democratic Socialists are gaining real power inside the party, and Harris' private outreach to Mamdani suggests she understands the far left may be impossible to ignore ahead of 2028.
The wake-up call for the Democratic Party came last week in New York City, where Democratic Socialists scored closely watched House primary victories over candidates backed by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
The result sparked panic inside the party, as establishment Democrats went to MSM to rant:
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville/ New York (D) Congressman Tom Suozzi
'START YOUR OWN MOVEMENT': Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville is calling on Socialists to start their own movement and stop using the Democratic Party to advance it.
— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) June 26, 2026
"If it's such a powerful, sweeping movement that's got momentum everywhere, then go ahead and be at the… pic.twitter.com/et3mZzqIA8
New York Attorney General Letitia James
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich
🚨 DEMOCRATS IN FULL CIVIL WAR — MODERATES VS SOCIALISTS!
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) June 26, 2026
Even Elissa Slotkin is reading the tea leaves: “The Democratic Party is a circular shooting squad… we just don’t have people who understand the moment and what leadership means.”
James Carville straight-up telling the… pic.twitter.com/IlGBHWUNMQ
Hakeem Jeffries
Hakeem Jeffries refuses to answer if he will work with New York City Democrat Socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 25, 2026
CNBC: How are you going to work with some of these folks?
JEFFRIES: “Her views are clearly not my views… in terms of what brings Democrats together…” pic.twitter.com/JdjmwxSfr2
Our take is that Harris might not just be repairing relationships with socialists but also hedging against a party base that is quickly shifting far left as the establishment scrambles to contain it.
That's because mainstream America might not be ready for a socialist takeover. The Trump team fired up their narrative machine and blasted the "communists" last week ... Trump said on Truth Social last week:
"These are not social Democrats; these are hard-core, godless Communists. This is the most serious threat to our Country since its existence 250 years ago."
Polymarket odds on Democratic Presidential Nominee 2028
Whether Harris asked Mamdani to dial back the socialist propaganda remains unknown as the party, with no guardrails, increasingly embraces socialism and Marxism - just as much of Latin America is eradicating far-left extremists from power.
Twins top prospect Walker Jenkins carries young fan off field after collapse during national anthem
Story by
Jack BaerStaff writerThu, July 2, 2026 at 12:37 AM UTC·1 min readMinnesota Twins minor leaguer Walker Jenkins stepped up before Tuesday's St. Paul Saints game in a way that had nothing to do with his top prospect status.
Jenkins, the No. 14 overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, went viral on Wednesday via a video that showed him taking care of a young fan who collapsed while standing with the players during the national anthem.
AdvertisementAdvertisementJenkins noticed the fan wobbling and was soon carrying him off the field, eventually giving him to a staff member at the dugout.
The Saints, the Twins' Triple-A affiliate, confirmed Wednesday morning that the boy, named Lincoln, is doing well and has received some team merchandise.
After helping Lincoln, Jenkins proceeded to go 3-for-5 with a double, triple and three runs scored in a 12-6 win over the Buffalo Bisons. He was a home run shy of the cycle.
The Twins selected Jenkins fifth overall out of South Brunswick High School in North Carolina in the 2023 MLB Draft. He quickly developed into one of the best prospects in the minors, showcasing five-tool talent while playing well above his age at each level.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThis season, Jenkins, 21, is slashing .273/.394/.436 in 30 games with the Saints.
Philadelphia 76ers among teams expressing interest in LeBron James: Source
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6 Potential Landing SpotsBest Place To Sign?Record 24th SeasonLA LegacyWarriors Make SensePhiladelphia 76ers among teams expressing interest in LeBron James: Source
LeBron James and Joel Embiid shake hands after a February game between the Lakers and Sixers. Adam Pantozzi / Getty Images
By Tony JonesJuly 1, 2026 8:39 pm EDT UpdatedThe Philadelphia 76ers have expressed interest in acquiring free agent forward LeBron James, a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations told The Athletic.
On the heels of Wednesday night’s blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown — which sent Paul George and multiple draft picks to the Boston Celtics — the Sixers have thrown their hat into the proverbial ring for the star forward, who became an unrestricted free agent after eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Philadelphia makes sense from a basketball perspective. The 76ers have enough scoring, depth and ballhandling at the top of the roster to allow James to ease into a role. And with James — or even without him — Philadelphia projects as a championship contender. The Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat are also considered among the frontrunners for James’ services.
James, 41, remains an All-Star-caliber player and one of the league’s most impactful talents. The 76ers were eliminated in the second round of last season’s playoffs by the New York Knicks, who went on to win the NBA championship.
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Tagged To: NBAPhiladelphia 76ersPacers' Ivica Zubac Trade Looks Even Better After Lakers Acquire Walker Kessler
Pacers' Ivica Zubac Trade Looks Even Better After Lakers Acquire Walker Kessler
Indiana was heavily linked to Walker Kessler before the trade deadline, but acquiring Ivica Zubac instead may have been one of the franchise's smartest decisions.Alex Golden|
In this story:
Indiana PacersLos Angeles LakersUtah JazzLos Angeles ClippersOn Wednesday, July 1, 2026, the Los Angeles Lakers agreed to a lucrative four-year, $130M deal with Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler. Los Angeles and Utah have agreed to complete a sign-and-trade that will send Kessler to the Lakers for two unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, and two first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030.
This is a massive haul that the Lakers are paying to solidify the now and future of their center position, going after the best five man on the open market. Indiana was once rumored to have interest in the Jazz's big man during the NBA Trade Deadline period, but Utah reportedly declined the Pacers offer. This was the exact same offer that Indiana ended up sending the Los Angeles Clippers for Ivica Zubac.
While there are reasons to believe that trading for Kessler would have been the better move for Indiana, there is no denying that Indiana in retrospect made the right move in February. While Kessler is a solid young player with plenty of room to grow, he is making an average annual value of $32.5M. Indiana's big man, Ivica Zubac is making $20.3M this season, and $21.7M the folliwing season according to SpoTrac.com.
Being able to acquire a center that is just as good, or slightly even better for $11M less this season is a steal in itself, and it allowed the Pacers more financial flexibility to sign another free agent in the offseason.
If the Pacers had acquired Kessler at the trade deadline and agreed to the same exact deal the Lakers agreed to, Indiana would have been a first-apron team, and would not have been able to inked Kelly Oubre Jr. to the two-year, $17M contract they signed him to -- unless they elected to move off of Jarace Walker's $8.4M contract.
Nobody knew exactly how much Kessler would demand on the open market, and maybe the Lakers had to overpay to keep the Jazz from matching the offer, but for a Pacers team that is trying to win a championship next season, adding Zubac and Oubre Jr. for almost $4M less than what the Lakers will be paying Kessler in his first season was a no-brainer decision.
At the end of the day, the Pacers feel the best way to build a roster is with depth. By focusing in on acquiring a player at the Trade Deadline who fits perfectly into their budget, fills a hole on their roster, and has the skillset to elevate this team's ceiling, Indiana was not only able to address their starting center need, but their backup wing depth.
The Pacers front office of Kevin Pritchard, Chad Buchanan, and Ted Wu have done a terrific job of targeting the right players with the right skillset to ensure that this team is strong enough to compete in the improved Eastern Conference. There would have been other holes to fill had Indiana tied itself to an overpay for Walker Kessler, especially when it can get similar -- if not better-- production from Ivica Zubac for $11M less per season.
You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.
Published 22 minutes ago
ALEX GOLDENI was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and I am the host and creator of Setting The Pace: A Pacers Podcast. I have been covering the team since 2015, and talking about them on the podcast since 2018. I have been a credentialed media member since 2023.
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