Watching GOP Attorney General candidate Saritha Komatireddy surgically destroy incumbent Letitia James in their debate two weeks ago, I suddenly felt like Marvin Berry in “Back to the Future” looking on in disbelief as time-traveling Marty McFly performed “Johnny B. Goode.”
asserted
McFly → watch → Goode
In the famous scene, he calls his cousin, musician Chuck Berry and holds out the phone saying,
“You know that new sound you looking for?
asserted
you → call → sound
There I was, like Marvin Berry excitedly blasting clips from my iPhone to my friends and family, who have long abandoned hope that common sense could rule here.
uncertain
sense → blast → hope
That fresh sound was a New York candidate for office acknowledging and vowing to fight disorder, crime and fraud in the Empire State.
asserted
sound → acknowledge → State
“It’s not a new way forward for me, but it might be a new way forward in this political scene and that’s why it’s resonating so broadly,” she told me Tuesday morning over coffee.
uncertain
she → ’ → coffee
Komatireddy was a relatively unknown former federal prosecutor when she squared off against James, whose biggest priority as AG has been sticking it to Trump.
asserted
priority → square → Trump
She threw fair, clean punches without personal attacks.
asserted
She → throw → attacks
The 41-year-old made the sitting AG look flat-footed, confused and out of her depth.
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AG → make → depth
It was being a good prosecutor,” she said.
asserted
she → say → ?
“This is what I spent my career doing: talking to juries — a cross section of the community, folks who come from all walks of life — and presenting my case with evidence, with arguments and asking for their trust and confidence.
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who → spend → trust
Okay, if it wasn’t a performance, it was a clinic in dismantling one’s opponent.
asserted
it → dismantle → opponent
The showdown produced a slew of made for social media moments, including James’ painfully awkward silence when asked to name a single previous AG she admired.
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she → produce → AG
More importantly, it provided a surge of momentum for Komatireddy’s campaign.
asserted
it → provide → campaign
She landed important endorsements from law enforcement organizations across the state and a nod from former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly.
asserted
She → land → Kelly
“I’ve gotten a groundswell of support,” said the Upper East Side resident, which is evident as we walk near Wall Street.
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we → get → Street
She was approached by a middle-aged finance dude who stopped to shake her hand while another one patiently waited to wish her luck.
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one → approach → luck
“Anyone is better than Tish James,” the second man told me, but he was “impressed” by Komatireddy in the debate.
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he → tell → debate
While ringing up her coffee order, he stopped and asked if she was the lady running for AG.
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she → ring → AG
An immigrant from Wales, he said he became a citizen in 2002 and had registered to vote for the first time after seeing her in action.
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he → say → action
Even in ultra progressive NYC, she has people whispering support for her.
asserted
she → have → her
But Komatireddy said she’s “not some partisan firebrand.
asserted
she → say → ?
I’m not in this for political headlines …
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I → ’m → headlines
I have worked for Democrats and Republicans.
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I → work → Democrats
Born in Coney Island to Indian immigrant parents, she attended public high school in Missouri before earning her undergrad and law degrees from Harvard.
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she → bear → Harvard
She clerked for then future Justice Brett Kavanaugh in DC but “always wanted to make my life in New York.”
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She → clerk → York
“Growing up, my father would always call me the New Yorker in the family because I speak the quickest and was born there.”
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I → grow → family
On her second date with her husband, the pair went to a Yankees game and she recalled him asking if she planned on staying in the Big Apple.
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she → go → Apple
She assured him, “This is home.”
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This → assure → him
It’s where she’s built her impressive career that has spanned administrations.
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that → ’ → administrations
In 2013, she was appointed assistant US attorney for the Eastern District, where she investigated and prosecuted terrorists and drug cartels.
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she → appoint → terrorists
Under the Biden Administration, she served as DEA Chief of Staff before going into private practice.
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she → serve → practice
She endeared herself to parents when debate moderators asked the candidates which book they last read.
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they → endear → book
James haughtily said she was reading Democratic Congressman and fellow Trump agitator Jamie Raskin’s book.
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she → say → book
Meanwhile, Komatireddy quipped “Little Blue Truck” or “El Camioncito Azul” as it’s known in Spanish.
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it → quip → Spanish
It’s her 2-year-olds’ favorite book.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
“I have all of those books,” Komatireddy told me, her face immediately melting from business mode into a warm smile.
asserted
face → have → smile
Her “relatable” side has been evident through her clever campaign videos — a scrappy operation that consists of her and one “very talented video guy.”
asserted
that → consist → her
In one catchy video, she tackles subway crime and fare jumpers as Kris Kross’ “Jump Jump” plays.
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Jump → tackle → crime
But her most viral one explains how the rampant retail theft that has led to drug stores locking up their goods, has been encouraged by our soft-on-crime policies.
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stores → explain → policies
“I think we got kicked out of two CVS stores in the process of filming that one,” she said.
asserted
she → think → one
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
