Author: Noah Rothman
The views of the Author are not necessarily the views of Enigmose
To hear left-of-center opinion-makers tell it, the model of good governance in the pandemic has been set by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The Empire State governor regularly ranks at the top of lists—a journalistic convention that translates subjective insights into something more authoritative—of executives managing the plague and its fallout. Cuomo’s daily performance before the cameras has been so well-received that it’s contributed to speculation about the governor (somehow) replacing Joe Biden at the top of the Democrats’ presidential ticket in November. After all, “he’s doing what any president should do,” actor Robert de Niro told The Late Show host Stephen Colbert.
The outpouring of affection has culminated in some rather nauseating discussions of the governor’s romantic availability. He’s been the subject of fawning music videos. He’s adorned the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. And if you’re the cloying sort, you can even purchase “crushing on Cuomo” merchandise including, but not limited to, socks adorned with the governor’s face and coffee mugs captioned “Future Mrs. Cuomo.”
The cult of personality that’s sprung up around New York’s irascible governor is partly attributable to the trauma New Yorkers have endured. Cuomo presides over one of the nation’s hardest-hit states, and his affect has been sober enough to convey a sense of authority.
But in terms of performance, the outcomes this governor has overseen are so terrible and contrast so starkly with the adulation he’s received that it’s impossible to see this phenomenon as something other than a contrivance.
The governor has somehow been spared an aggressive effort by the journalistic establishment to relitigate the month of February. What was the president doing at the time to mitigate the terrible effects the pandemic would have on American society in March? If the question was asked of the governor, the answer would be, what everyone else was doing: downplaying the pandemic. “We went through this before: Zika virus, Ebola, et cetera,” Cuomo said on February 7. “But let’s have some connection to the reality of the situation,” he continued, “catching the flu right now is a much greater risk than anything that has anything to do with coronavirus.” Full Article - Commentary Magazine
Cuomo, de Blasio, and New York City Owe Trump an Apology
It is not President Trump who has fallen short in doing his job, rather governor Cuomo and his side-kick Bill de Blasio, mayor of NY City
Many Americans have witnessed daily briefings in which New York State's governor, Andrew Cuomo, makes repeated demands of the President and exploits his moment in the sun by condemning the President and even maligning him. Instead of constantly complaining, it's about time Cuomo apologized to President Trump and to those Americans across the country who specifically helped NYC during her time of need. It is not President Trump who has fallen short in doing his job, rather governor Cuomo and his side-kick Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City. Read More
Rally ’Round the Flag, But Not Around Cuomo
Why New York’s governor seems to be benefitting from the flag effect more than President Trump isn’t too difficult to understand.
A new poll shows Cuomo’s numbers skyrocketing during the coronavirus crisis and has him challenging Trump in a head-to-head matchup. Polls show the president’s approval ratings moving upward during the crisis, too. Both of these politicians seem to be leveraging their nationally televised Corona briefings toward general approval of their handling of the situation. The truth is both of these politicians seem to be benefiting from the 'rally ’round the flag effect.' Seen most spectacularly during 9/11, is a term coined by political scientists to describe how Americans favor their leaders during times of national distress. Read More
