New Delhi, Nov. 3 -- With just one day left before New York City voters head to the polls, Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani sought to play down former President Barack Obama's decision not to publicly endorse him - even as he acknowledged speaking with the former president by phone.

"I appreciated the call with President Obama and his support for the movement that we have created," Mamdani told reporters during an early-morning press conference in City Hall Park on Monday (November 2).

"I appreciated his words. I appreciated his time, and I appreciate this movement for putting us on the brink of delivering us a new city in this place," the Queens lawmaker added in a somewhat winding response when pressed about Obama's absence from the ...