Revision History

Former President Barack Obama and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani made their first joint public appearance on April 18, 2026, reading to preschoolers at a South Bronx childcare center — a carefully staged event that papered over Mamdani's past criticism of Obama as "pretty damn evil" and signaled the former president's growing investment in the democratic socialist mayor's political future. The visit, centered on Mamdani's signature universal childcare initiative, comes as polling shows the mayor with a 43-48% approval rating at 100 days, strong marks on childcare but weaker numbers on the budget and public safety.