George Latimer, a Democratic congressional candidate who is challenging Representative Jamaal BowmanD-N.Y., recently criticized a “Squad” member’s profanity-laced campaign rally in the Bronx, and argued that the progressive leader had “bought into the theater of conflict” in Washington, D.C., endangering the party’s and the country’s much-needed “unity.”
Diplomatically describing Bowman’s remarks at an election campaign rally, he said Representative Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlso joining Rep. Bernie Sanders, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., as “must-see TV,” Latimer said that no matter the pressures, he personally “knows how to maintain a public sense of balance and calm, even in the face of criticism.”
“I think a lot of the criticism that my opponent has leveled at me is unfair and inaccurate, but I don’t think I have the right to use my anger to show that I’m angry,” Latimer, who currently serves as Westchester County executive, said Monday at an event with religious leaders in Mount Vernon, New York. ,I don’t think I have the right to curse in public and behave a certain way. I’ve been like that all my life, and when I grew up on the streets of Mount Vernon, you know, there’s a lot of pressure and stress on you every day. But we try to absorb it, and I try to be respectful to everybody. And even if people say bad things about me, I try not to behave badly.”
“I tried my best not to be overly critical in my conversations. You just said a second ago that I was diplomatic. Yeah,” Latimer said, responding to a reporter’s question. “That’s kind of my ultimate guilt trip. The important thing is to understand that we agree in a lot of areas of public policy. We may disagree in some areas of public policy, but what’s happened in Washington, and what I’m afraid the current president has assumed, is that this is more about the theater of conflict than finding common ground. And even if you have differences with your fellow Democrats, you should still be able to come together and work through it.”
NY DEM slams ‘Squad’ member’s expletive-filled speech at rally with AOC: ‘Insane’
George Latimer, Democratic candidate for New York’s 16th District, speaks during a press conference at Mount Vernon Democratic Headquarters on June 24, 2024 in Mount Vernon, New York. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
“And I believe, based on my personality, based on what I’ve done in the past, that we can find common ground and work together. I’ve already said that if I lose this election, my campaign will be over,” he said. “Those who support me will be encouraged not to cause any further division. So if there is any division in the future, it won’t come from my challenge. It will come from how the current president and his supporters view these issues.”
during a speech At an expletive-laden event in the Bronx, Bowman lashed out against the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the pro-Israel advocacy group that supports Latimer.
“We’re going to show AIPAC the power of the motherfucking South Bronx!” Bowman said at a rally Saturday at St. Mary’s Park in Mott Haven. “People ask me why I said all these nasty things. What am I supposed to do? You’re coming after me! You’re coming after my family! You’re coming after my kids! Shouldn’t I retaliate?”
He leapt onto the stage, chanting, “We’ll show them who we are!” Bowman prompted the crowd to chant “Cease fire now. Cease fire now.”
“We will not sit idly by while American tax money is killing babies, women, and children. My opponent supports genocide,” Bowman said. “My opponent and AIPAC are the ones destroying our democracy. And it’s up to us, all of us, to save our democracy.”
“It was inappropriate. Full stop,” Latimer said Monday of Bowman’s use of profanity in a public place.
Representative Jamaal Bowman during a rally at St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx borough of New York City on June 22, 2024. (David D. Delgado/Getty Images)
Rep. Bowman said AIPAC would see the ‘power of the motherfucking Bronx’ during rally speech
If he loses Tuesday’s primary, Latimer — who holds a double-digit lead — said he would likely come to church for “introspection,” and he encouraged Bowman to take the same approach if he loses.
“Look at what you did to contribute to this moment, as opposed to the accusatory effort that you point in the other direction. And I hope that’s a basis for us to move forward. And let me go one step further. The party may be divided on some individual issues, but the nation is even more divided than that,” Latimer said. “Our responsibility is not only to unite the party, but to unite the nation.”
“I don’t accept the notion that because people have different views on major issues they become enemies. I believe we are all still Americans,” he said. “I believe our core values are the same. Some of them come from the values we have. Religious traditionSome of it comes from the secular tradition, but we have to focus on that or as we move toward democracy, our differences will become so important to us that we will lose commonality.”
Representative Jamaal Bowman greets Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez while campaigning in the Bronx on June 22, 2024. (Reuters/Joey Malone)
“I’m not a pompous person,” Latimer said earlier in the event, setting himself apart from his opponent. “You’re not going to get me to say the outrageous things that sometimes get you in the media. But having the support of these individuals behind me is very important to me as I look forward. What I hope to do, if I get into Congress, is find ways to be helpful in the programs and services that they provide to the people who live in their communities and represent here in the Bronx, as well as Mount Vernon, Westchester County.”
Latimer said there needed to be a “sense of urgency” in Congress, because he’s heard from people in the district that “they want the federal government to stop this performance art and start doing some performances.”
“Whether one person can make a difference. I don’t know,” Latimer said. “But I believe that every single congressman, if you can find the will to work on the substance, not just the symbolic things, not just rehashing the problems of the past. There were terrible problems in the past, but now we’re here, and we have to figure out how to move forward.”
