How Soon They Forget
Remember last year at this time? There was so much fawning and adulation for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo that many were discussing the chance that he would become the Democrats’ 2020 presidential nominee. Never mind that there was already a primary and caucus season that led Joe Biden to have enough delegates. The scheme was that Biden would wait until he was the nominee, then claim declining health was preventing him from carrying out the mission. That would have left the choice of nominee to the Democratic National Committee…and Cuomo would have been anointed with the nomination and a fast track to the White House.
He had a $5 million book deal to tell how he successfully led the state out of the pandemic…he won an Emmy® award for his televised news conferences and daily sessions with the camera…and he was seen as the one who could go toe-to-toe with fellow New Yorker Donald Trump on the campaign trail.
That unraveled in a hurry, once we learned about the governor’s orders sending infected people back into nursing homes, potentially killed untold numbers of seniors. It unraveled further when some die-hard Democrats claimed the governor encouraged a hostile work environment, including sexual harassment. This from a governor who publicly had zero tolerance for allegations against others. It was sort of pushed aside, with the idea that an investigation would settle it all.
That investigation was led by Democrats, which gave Republicans suspicion about things…but that report issued by the New York attorney general this week was amazing in its specificity, its condemnation of the governor, and declaration that both he may be subject to both criminal and civil penalties.
If Cuomo is removed from office, the lieutenant governor moves up…and becomes the state’s first female governor, leading into an election year next year.
That’s the problem with jumping too fast and too hard in support of someone. They often disappoint.
