Mamdani won the Dem primary 3 months ago.  He has been the ONLY Dem in the race for many weeks now.
I realize Obama wants to be scrupulous about not inserting himself into a live race, but this has not been a live race for months.
Having said that, I am glad Obama called, as long as this doesn't mean he is going to try to cajole Mamdani into moving away from his populist style.  I would like to think this means that Obama now realizes that it was a huge mistake to try to meet fascists halfway, just as it sounded last year like Michelle realized the futility of "When they go low, we go high".
I hope this means that Obama realizes the energy in the Dem party is not with the appeasers, it is with those who proudly and firmly fight for progressive values.  I hope this means that Obama is willing to start working behind the scenes to fundamentally remake the Democratic party and build it around the energy of people who are out there loud and proud, such as Mamdani, Plattner, AOC, Bernie, Jasmine, Liz Warren, Pritzker, Newsom and others who can easily join that team.  And let's hope that means forming a strong alliance with the No Kings organizers, the David Hoggs of the world and the like.
This is a moment.  It is an inflection point.  Dem soft politics as usual will no longer work.  We must unify and amplify the progressive energy that is already out there.  We must make 2026 a wave election, and follow that in 2029 with the most progressive, action-oriented Congress and President in 50 years.
That's what I hope Obama is thinking.  Considering Obama's nature has always been on the conciliatory side, I hope he is listening more than he is telling.  We need Omana and the Clintons, and all the party seniors to help us remake what has become a tired, old, struggling party completely out of power.  We can do this.  The people are begging for energetic, progressive action-oriented leadership that is not afraid to take the fascists head on.