J.C. Polanco is an attorney, a proud member of the Department of Ethnic and Race Studies, and is celebrating his 23rd year in education. Polanco has taught Latino Studies, History, Economics, and Business Law at the Borough of Manhattan Community College of the City University. While serving the students here at BMCC, Polanco served as an executive for the NYS legislature for two decades and is a former Bronx Commissioner and President of the NYC Board of Elections. Today, Polanco also serves as President & CEO of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc., the country’s most influential law school pipeline. J.C. is a Bronx kid all the way; not only was he a New York Yankee batboy for the 1994 and 1995 seasons, and he’s dedicated his career to the people of the Bronx. After growing up in the Fordham section of the Bronx and attending Fordham Prep, Polanco left briefly to study politics and history at the University at Albany. J.C. quickly returned to the Bronx and became a Social Studies teacher at Truman High School in Co-op City. While teaching at Truman and Boricua College, J.C. attended Fordham Law School and the Fordham Graduate School of Business as a night student to complete a law degree and MBA. J.C. has served as a policy commentator for MetroFocus on PBS, Tiempo De Debate on Univision 41, and NY1 Inside City Hall, Consultant’s Corner. Polanco has also appeared on NY1 Pura Politica, NPR’s the Brian Lehrer Show, Fox News, CNN, and many other critical media outlets to discuss politics, election law, and administration. In 2017, J.C. became the first American of Dominican descent to run for citywide office in New York City on a major party ticket.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is a podcast from Doubor. Here again is Larry
Menti with the WOR Saturday Morning.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Show, Welcome back Republican candidate for mayor, Curtis lee What
claims he was offered a bribe to drop out of
the mayor's race, and political analyst J. C. Polanco says
Curtis may have just handed the mayor's job to Zorin
Mam Donnie JC, It's good to talk to you again.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Great to talk to you, Larry. How are you today?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
So what do you make of this story?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
This is over, This campaign is over. It's the Dune deal,
our biggest ninemares out of reality. You are right, Larry,
the divided opposition the way it is, and this allegation
today has just emboldened the Mamdanni campaign. This helps no
one but assembly Mimmdannie. The allegation of being offered bribes
at this point of the campaign without naming names or
(00:52):
going to the FBI as irresponsible, and it's calculated in
a way that inadvertenty has completely assisted of Somebomen Mamdani
with his rallying cry that rich people are trying to
buy the city and look at this, and he yesterday
alone Mam Donnie says that out of all of the opposition,
Slee was the one he trusts the most. This is incredible.
Now at this point, what are we talking about just
(01:14):
shut should everything off and letting this just call him
mayor Mumbani. This is irresponsible unless Curtis Lee what today says,
these are the people who did it. This is an
irresponsible move by by the Curtis Lee or campaign full stop,
because all it does is in bold in And I
love Curtis, but listen, if you think this is going
to bring you some votes, it's not. It's just going
to involve in the Mumbani campaign. This is over today's spots.
(01:37):
Newspole is clear the opposition can beat it if it
was unified. This year makes it worse. So I don't
even know what what to make of this. I mean,
I've been reading about it all morning, without naming names,
without going to the FBI. This was ridiculous and it
was very very poorly poorly poorly consult consultation on the
on the on the part of uh mistiss Wee was
(01:59):
consultants right.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
It lacks credibility, It lacks credibility, and the fact that
he will not name names. He's got to say if
he was offered a bribe, first of all, he should
report it. And then secondly, as you said, we have
to know who that is. And by the way, every
single time in this mayoral race, I am so disappointed
in the New York media. I'm so disappointed that there's
(02:21):
not a reporter out there pressing him over and over
and over again. Well, what does this mean If you
don't give us names, if you can't prove what you're saying,
how do we believe you. Somebody should have been pressing
him on that out there. Have you been disappointed with
the way this race has been covered.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I have been so disappointed. I have so many friends
in the media, people that I've grown up with, people
that are my mean texting friends, people that I would
come and we would meet and have lunch. And I
have never in my life seen the New York City
media just keep it and being the tank for a candidate.
In my life, I've never seen it. They are supposed
to call balls and strikes. That is their job period.
(02:58):
It is not to be a kim paint consultant. It
is not to give billions of dollars of free media.
It is not to make the guy's mail campaign. I mean,
if you take a look at some of the tweets
of the so called New York City media, they can
they write themselves, these media. I mean they write themselves
these mail pieces nike A. Look, I encourage all your
listeners go to Twitter. Look at New York City media.
Look how they've been covering Mamdanni. It's mam Donni dominates,
(03:21):
Mamdanni leads, Mamdanni excites, Oh the Happy Warrior, It's NonStop.
And if Cuomo were to go to Long Island to
meet with Republican Independence and some Democrats formal plots with
wealthy New Yorkers to take what everything is negative, Everything
is a plot, Everything is a sinister when it comes
to one candidate and when it comes to the other.
It's just there's no coverage about some of the incredible
(03:44):
things that have been said on video regarding season the
means of production. Push him on Marxism, Ask him about
how this is a Marxist Ask him about how he
wants to just elect socialists around the city. Ask him
about who has been funding his campaign. Who are these
people that are supporting your race. Some of his major
supporters have been caught on video saying very clearly, ask
him why he was okay with the global I diddentified up,
(04:05):
but we'll complain when someone gets miss gender. I want
to hear those questions, nothing like that.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Do you have a phone call coming in or something
you cut out every couple of seconds? Could you tell
them you're on a roll right now and they shouldn't
be interrupted.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
I don't know why. I don't know why I'm getting
cut off. I don't know what. It's just the New
York City media is supposed to call balls and strikes,
and what they're doing is that they're consultants to this campaign.
Everything is positive regarding him, and it's disappointing.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, I used to work as I used to work
as a TV reporter in New York, and I remember
Mike Tyeebe, I remember John Slattery. I remember people that
would go after them, would go after them and be relentless.
I don't know what has happened, especially to television media,
(04:56):
but you're right. You brought up a great point. The
media has been exactly the same. They are just they
want this to happen. Doesn't it appear like they want
to have mom Donnie to cover, maybe because either they
support him or they just think it's a great story.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
I think they think it's a great story. I think
they think he has a great smile. I think they
like his videos. I think that they are excited about him, enamored.
They want him to win and quit. Frankly, he's a
new shiny object, so obviously people are going to be
gravitating to him. The man does not lose. Look if
you take a look at Assemblymenum Donnie, social media, he
does not lose. Everything is a phenomenal. He looks brave,
(05:35):
he talks great, he talks in sound bites. People are
eating it up. I mean, it's a new way of campaigning,
and a lot of the journalists are in his generation.
We also remember that these are people that are in
his cohort. So if there are a whole hosts of
reasons why this is happening, but one of the major
reasons that is happening, I believe strongly is that social
media has changed journalism. People want to be retweeted, people
(05:57):
want to get liked, people want their posts and tweets
to be shared, and this is what's happening. But the
days of the new York City media holding people accountable
for things that they have said and people that they
surround themselves with. Those days are over unless you're something
I'm dying, because then you know they'll they'll make sure
to cover your protect you at all times. But I
(06:18):
wonder if you have, if you have someone in your
campaign that is popular that says that you're concerned about
humanizing Jews, how is that not How is that not
an issue?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Can you imagine forget that issue? Just you You would
think that they want hits, state, that they want readership,
that they want viewers, that they want to be the
one out in front breaking stories. There's been none of that.
And and Jesse, I will tell you what I think
it is. I think it's just cutbacks in payment and
the fact that you have people from TV stations You
(06:50):
used to have to work for years to make it
up to New York. Now people get hired from you know, Beaumont,
Texas Boom because they're cheap and it's easy and they
get in here. I think the quality of journalism and
this especially when it comes to politics, has fallen off
so much over the last few years, and then this
is what we get all.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
I'm so disappointed. I think there has to be I
think the elders have to bring these young journalists and
explain to them how this is done. And you know,
writing up campaign material and nailers for a leading candidate
for mayor is not how it's done. Or perhaps it's
because they see the writing on the wall and that
this is over, or maybe or maybe it's maybe it's
(07:31):
also I'm thinking about this. Maybe it is a sending
a message to major Adams than former Governor Cuomo that
you were nice to us when you guys were in
you disrespected us, and now we're coming after you. Maybe
that's it. I don't know I can make it out.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I know, I know you have to grasp for answers
because there doesn't seem to be one, except for the
fact that they're just not very good. Thanks so much, J. C. Polanco,
always great to talk to you. You were on fire today.
JC Polanco, political analyst and University of Mount Saint Vincent
assistant professor and attorney, JC, thank you so much. That
(08:06):
was great. Thick Larry, this has been a podcast from
wor
This is a podcast from Doubor. Here again is Larry
Menti with the WOR Saturday Morning.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Show, Welcome back Republican candidate for mayor, Curtis lee What
claims he was offered a bribe to drop out of
the mayor's race, and political analyst J. C. Polanco says
Curtis may have just handed the mayor's job to Zorin
Mam Donnie JC, It's good to talk to you again.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Great to talk to you, Larry. How are you today?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
So what do you make of this story?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
This is over, This campaign is over. It's the Dune deal,
our biggest ninemares out of reality. You are right, Larry,
the divided opposition the way it is, and this allegation
today has just emboldened the Mamdanni campaign. This helps no
one but assembly Mimmdannie. The allegation of being offered bribes
at this point of the campaign without naming names or
(00:52):
going to the FBI as irresponsible, and it's calculated in
a way that inadvertenty has completely assisted of Somebomen Mamdani
with his rallying cry that rich people are trying to
buy the city and look at this, and he yesterday
alone Mam Donnie says that out of all of the opposition,
Slee was the one he trusts the most. This is incredible.
Now at this point, what are we talking about just
(01:14):
shut should everything off and letting this just call him
mayor Mumbani. This is irresponsible unless Curtis Lee what today says,
these are the people who did it. This is an
irresponsible move by by the Curtis Lee or campaign full stop,
because all it does is in bold in And I
love Curtis, but listen, if you think this is going
to bring you some votes, it's not. It's just going
to involve in the Mumbani campaign. This is over today's spots.
(01:37):
Newspole is clear the opposition can beat it if it
was unified. This year makes it worse. So I don't
even know what what to make of this. I mean,
I've been reading about it all morning, without naming names,
without going to the FBI. This was ridiculous and it
was very very poorly poorly poorly consult consultation on the
on the on the part of uh mistiss Wee was
(01:59):
consultants right.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
It lacks credibility, It lacks credibility, and the fact that
he will not name names. He's got to say if
he was offered a bribe, first of all, he should
report it. And then secondly, as you said, we have
to know who that is. And by the way, every
single time in this mayoral race, I am so disappointed
in the New York media. I'm so disappointed that there's
(02:21):
not a reporter out there pressing him over and over
and over again. Well, what does this mean If you
don't give us names, if you can't prove what you're saying,
how do we believe you. Somebody should have been pressing
him on that out there. Have you been disappointed with
the way this race has been covered.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I have been so disappointed. I have so many friends
in the media, people that I've grown up with, people
that are my mean texting friends, people that I would
come and we would meet and have lunch. And I
have never in my life seen the New York City
media just keep it and being the tank for a candidate.
In my life, I've never seen it. They are supposed
to call balls and strikes. That is their job period.
(02:58):
It is not to be a kim paint consultant. It
is not to give billions of dollars of free media.
It is not to make the guy's mail campaign. I mean,
if you take a look at some of the tweets
of the so called New York City media, they can
they write themselves, these media. I mean they write themselves
these mail pieces nike A. Look, I encourage all your
listeners go to Twitter. Look at New York City media.
Look how they've been covering Mamdanni. It's mam Donni dominates,
(03:21):
Mamdanni leads, Mamdanni excites, Oh the Happy Warrior, It's NonStop.
And if Cuomo were to go to Long Island to
meet with Republican Independence and some Democrats formal plots with
wealthy New Yorkers to take what everything is negative, Everything
is a plot, Everything is a sinister when it comes
to one candidate and when it comes to the other.
It's just there's no coverage about some of the incredible
(03:44):
things that have been said on video regarding season the
means of production. Push him on Marxism, Ask him about
how this is a Marxist Ask him about how he
wants to just elect socialists around the city. Ask him
about who has been funding his campaign. Who are these
people that are supporting your race. Some of his major
supporters have been caught on video saying very clearly, ask
him why he was okay with the global I diddentified up,
(04:05):
but we'll complain when someone gets miss gender. I want
to hear those questions, nothing like that.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Do you have a phone call coming in or something
you cut out every couple of seconds? Could you tell
them you're on a roll right now and they shouldn't
be interrupted.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
I don't know why. I don't know why I'm getting
cut off. I don't know what. It's just the New
York City media is supposed to call balls and strikes,
and what they're doing is that they're consultants to this campaign.
Everything is positive regarding him, and it's disappointing.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, I used to work as I used to work
as a TV reporter in New York, and I remember
Mike Tyeebe, I remember John Slattery. I remember people that
would go after them, would go after them and be relentless.
I don't know what has happened, especially to television media,
(04:56):
but you're right. You brought up a great point. The
media has been exactly the same. They are just they
want this to happen. Doesn't it appear like they want
to have mom Donnie to cover, maybe because either they
support him or they just think it's a great story.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
I think they think it's a great story. I think
they think he has a great smile. I think they
like his videos. I think that they are excited about him, enamored.
They want him to win and quit. Frankly, he's a
new shiny object, so obviously people are going to be
gravitating to him. The man does not lose. Look if
you take a look at Assemblymenum Donnie, social media, he
does not lose. Everything is a phenomenal. He looks brave,
(05:35):
he talks great, he talks in sound bites. People are
eating it up. I mean, it's a new way of campaigning,
and a lot of the journalists are in his generation.
We also remember that these are people that are in
his cohort. So if there are a whole hosts of
reasons why this is happening, but one of the major
reasons that is happening, I believe strongly is that social
media has changed journalism. People want to be retweeted, people
(05:57):
want to get liked, people want their posts and tweets
to be shared, and this is what's happening. But the
days of the new York City media holding people accountable
for things that they have said and people that they
surround themselves with. Those days are over unless you're something
I'm dying, because then you know they'll they'll make sure
to cover your protect you at all times. But I
(06:18):
wonder if you have, if you have someone in your
campaign that is popular that says that you're concerned about
humanizing Jews, how is that not How is that not
an issue?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Can you imagine forget that issue? Just you You would
think that they want hits, state, that they want readership,
that they want viewers, that they want to be the
one out in front breaking stories. There's been none of that.
And and Jesse, I will tell you what I think
it is. I think it's just cutbacks in payment and
the fact that you have people from TV stations You
(06:50):
used to have to work for years to make it
up to New York. Now people get hired from you know, Beaumont,
Texas Boom because they're cheap and it's easy and they
get in here. I think the quality of journalism and
this especially when it comes to politics, has fallen off
so much over the last few years, and then this
is what we get all.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
I'm so disappointed. I think there has to be I
think the elders have to bring these young journalists and
explain to them how this is done. And you know,
writing up campaign material and nailers for a leading candidate
for mayor is not how it's done. Or perhaps it's
because they see the writing on the wall and that
this is over, or maybe or maybe it's maybe it's
(07:31):
also I'm thinking about this. Maybe it is a sending
a message to major Adams than former Governor Cuomo that
you were nice to us when you guys were in
you disrespected us, and now we're coming after you. Maybe
that's it. I don't know I can make it out.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I know, I know you have to grasp for answers
because there doesn't seem to be one, except for the
fact that they're just not very good. Thanks so much, J. C. Polanco,
always great to talk to you. You were on fire today.
JC Polanco, political analyst and University of Mount Saint Vincent
assistant professor and attorney, JC, thank you so much. That
(08:06):
was great. Thick Larry, this has been a podcast from
wor
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.