Like Donald Trump, Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York, gives daily press briefings on the evolution of the pandemic. Calm, precise, pedagogue, attentive and without taboos, the democrat of 62 years appears as a reassuring figure in the middle of the storm. Sometimes in a suit and tie, sometimes in a work uniform, he does not hesitate to evoke his family or, in a humorous way, the difficulty of being confined with his dog, to appear closer to New Yorkers. His style contrasts with that of the president.
“You are supposed to be the president”
When Donald Trump awkwardly invites Americans to “relax”, the governor says the same thing, but more seriously: “There will be no chaos, there will be no anarchy. Order and function will be maintained. Life will go on, different, but life will go on. ” If the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, does not hesitate to accuse Donald Trump of being responsible for the deaths if he does not act more quickly, the governor, whom one cannot really suspect to be an admirer of the president, has so far chosen another strategy. Softness, in firmness. Reach out rather than attack. Negotiate, explain, rather than going into confrontation. And it works: Donald Trump has in recent days praised their “good collaboration” several times. Andrew Cuomo can hope to get what he asks for. Moreover Tuesday, he launched a very clear appeal for help: New York urgently needs 30,000 artificial respirators, “that only the federal government can deliver.”
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As recently as March 16, Donald Trump accused Andrew Cuomo of not doing enough, urging governors to requisition the necessary equipment. The latter returned the ball to him, on Twitter: “No. You have to do something! You are supposed to be the president. ” He is not letting go of pressure on federal authorities to order private companies to quickly manufacture respirators and masks. The 4,000 respirators promised by Donald Trump are not enough. And enlist the help of the National Guard to set up field hospitals, such as the Javits Center, a major Manhattan conference center, where Hillary Clinton hoped to celebrate her victory in November 2016.
“This is the type of leadership that the President of the United States should have provided to the American people throughout this crisis, but that he did not have,” commented on CNN Carl Bernstein, ex-journalist of the Washington Post, which exposed the Watergate scandal. It is rumored that members of the president’s team would seek inspiration from the Cuomo style.
#CuomoForPresident
The state of New York is the most affected in the United States. With only 6% of the total population of the country, it records more than half of the cases, including a very strong increase in the metropolis of 8.6 million inhabitants. The peak of the pandemic could come in a fortnight, Cuomo said. Bill de Blasio was the first to claim a shelter in place for New York City, or invite residents to stay in their homes. The mayor also claims national containment, believing that only “extreme measures” can work. The governor, who was to give his approval, did not immediately follow suit. He first felt that it was not necessary to “cause panic”, before deciding, a few days later, to place the whole state in confinement, a measure in force since Sunday evening.
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Since then, the governor from Queens continues to inform, explain, reassure. And to occupy the land, both literally and figuratively, now making him the most visible governor of the United States. Better, he is now entitled to his hashtag, #CuomoForPresident. He had already been able to show the same leadership in 2012, when the hurricane hit Sandy had caused damage to New York. Andrew Cuomo completely eclipses the mayor of New York, ex-presidential candidate of 2020, with whom he maintains a tense relationship. Clever, he manages to erase certain asperities with this crisis, his authoritarianism not always being to everyone’s taste. Except this time it’s justified. Actor Mark Ruffalo pointed out on Twitter, “We New Yorkers are lucky to have someone like Governor Cuomo in charge.”
Chronicle “Once upon a time in America”:
Au second plan
His father, Mario Cuomo, was already governor. And his younger brother, Chris, is a reporter on CNN, with his own show, the Cuomo Prime Time. Chris Cuomo has also invited his brother several times on his show in recent days, giving rise to rather particular exchanges, which shatter their fraternal love-hate bonds for all to see. With a sprig of commedia dell’arte? Rather judge. When Chris gave him, live, on March 16, with a very serious face, “I appreciate you coming on my show, I love you.” I am proud of what you do. I know you work hard for your state, but no matter how hard you work, there is always a time to call mom. She wants to hear from you, you need to know that, ”Andrew replies:“ I called mum before appearing on this show. ” And: “By the way, she said I was her favorite son. Good news, you are the second. ” This is also the Cuomo style.
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