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This CNN Host Addressed an Issue That Liberals DO NOT Want to Talk About

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  February 24, 2026 6:55 AM

He’s not a conservative, nor a ‘woke’ leftist. CNN’s Fareed Zakaria considers himself a sensible centrist—he’s a liberal. Let’s be straightforward: he delivered a lengthy segment on Democratic Party politics that probably upset the network’s viewers last Sunday, as he sharply criticized the chaos in blue cities that has taken over the country. These urban strongholds, which are centers of liberal influence, struggle with effective governance, reckless spending of taxpayer dollars, and a strong obsession with raising taxes (via NY Post): 

During his show “Fareed Zakaria GPS” on Sunday, the lefty journalist blasted Democrat-run cities for overspending on entitlement programs. 

“New York is really a prime example of a problem Democrats seem unwilling to confront,” he said. “Blue cities are out of control, promising more, spending more, delivering less and pushing off the fiscal problems to some future date.” 

Zakaria called out Mamdani, the 34-year-old socialist mayor leading the Big Apple who recently suggested hiking city property taxes by as much as 9.5% to support his massive $127 billion budget proposal. 

“Zohran Mamdani’s basic instinct is correct. Focus on affordability, especially housing — but not by providing government subsidies,” Zakaria said, adding that subsidies have only driven up the cost of rent. 

[…] 

“For Democrats in city halls, there is a choice. Stop governing as if the goal is to announce new entitlements, and instead make government work. Safer streets, functioning schools, predictable sanitation and above all, enough housing that the middle class can find places to live.” 

[…] 

…Zakaria also took aim at Democratic leadership in Los Angeles and Chicago.

The City of Angels has a roughly $950 million budget for tackling homelessness this year — but homelessness has grown 80% in the city from 2015 to 2024 despite funding, Zakaria noted. 

In Chicago, the mayor’s approval ratings are “underwater” and pension promises are so large “that they will surely bankrupt the city at some point,” the host added. 

They’re not serious people, Mr. Zakaria. And all their main action items are niche, exclusionary, and not popular.