John Kennedy mocks idea of Mamdani attending 9/11 memorial
John KennedyUnited States senator from Louisiana
Kennedy responded to the attendance question with a disparaging conditional statement rather than an unambiguous yes or no.
“It might be appropriate if he goes while wearing a paper bag over his head.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should Zohran Mamdani attend New York City’s 9/11 memorial?
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Gov. George Pataki, and some relatives of September 11 victims said Mayor Zohran Mamdani should not attend the 2026 commemoration, citing concerns about his rhetoric and associations. Mamdani said he would attend to honor victims, families, survivors, and first responders. Other elected officials and September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows said excluding the sitting mayor would politicize a ceremony meant for collective remembrance. The dispute is over the civic meaning and appropriateness of attendance, not over whether Mamdani has endorsed the September 11 attacks. Mamdani attended the 25th-anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero on September 11, 2026, shaking hands with Giuliani beforehand, and no protest took place. The argument over whether he should have been there continued after the ceremony, and the case remains open to record it.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Reports senators' responses to the petition. Sheehy endorsed giving families control over attendance; Kennedy answered with a disparaging conditional statement.
Before the quotation
Fox News asked senators whether it would be appropriate for Mamdani to attend.
After the quotation
Kennedy did not provide a separate direct answer in the cited report.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The paper-bag remark is sarcastic disparagement, not a genuine unresolved condition.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Zohran Mamdani
Corrections to this statement
These notices document reporting corrections, classification changes, and topic-label updates.
Classification correction
Correction to: Statement by John Kennedy
- Previous classification
- Mixed or conditional. The statement permits attendance only rhetorically and under a humiliating condition, so it is recorded as mixed or conditional.
- Corrected classification
- Condemns. The paper-bag remark is sarcastic disparagement, not a genuine unresolved condition.
We corrected the editorial classification of John Kennedy's response about Mamdani’s appearance at the memorial. The paper-bag remark is sarcastic disparagement, not a genuine unresolved condition. This corrects our labeling, not a later change in the speaker's position.
This corrects an editorial classification.
Reports senators' responses to the petition. Sheehy endorsed giving families control over attendance; Kennedy answered with a disparaging conditional statement.
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Emma Vigeland calls Mamdani's handshake with Giuliani at the 9/11 ceremony masterful
“To recap: 1) Giuliani went on a racist rant about Muslims and said he'd be "offended" if Mamdani attended the 9/11 ceremony 2) Mamdani released thousands of documents on 9/11 air quality that implicate Giuliani 3) Mamdani shakes his hand with a smile at the ceremony Masterful.”Read statement
Chris Hayes says Mamdani modelled "civility and grace" by showing up and shaking hands
“Too many people online seem to conflate left politics with being obnoxious and scathing and Mamdani is such a model for combining a principled ideological vision with civility and grace. You shake hands, you act like a grown up even whether others aren't. You show up.”Read statement
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- The Dispute Index
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- John Kennedy mocks idea of Mamdani attending 9/11 memorial
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/224-kennedy-responded-to-the-attendance-question-with-a
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "John Kennedy mocks idea of Mamdani attending 9/11 memorial". First published: 2026-09-10. Last updated: 2026-09-30. https://disputeindex.com/events/224-kennedy-responded-to-the-attendance-question-with-a