New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo slammed President Trump and his administration handling to the coronavirus pandemic during his Democratic National Convention speech Monday night, accusing the White House of “negligence” that elicited a series of blistering response from the president.
In a serious of tweets shortly after night one of the Democratic Convention concluded, Trump criticized the New York Governor for not having a “good memory” while linking a video showing Cuomo praising the Trump administration for its assistance and response when the state was the epicenter of the virus.
“Cuomo, just like his brother Fredo, has not got a very good memory!’ the president wrote.
Cuomo, just like his brother Fredo, has not got a very good memory! https://t.co/H8J0RjNlvb
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2020
The retweeted video from the Trump campaign feed is a video compilation of Democratic governors including Cuomo, California Gov. Gavin Newson, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham all praising the Trump Administration’s coronavirus response. In the video, Cuomo is seen speaking from four different coronavirus press conferences, all applauding Trump and his administration swift response.
“What the Federal Government did, working with states was a phenomenal accomplishment,” Cuomo said during a press conference from April 19th that is shown as one of the few clips of the New York governor.
“His team has been on it,” Cuomo said during April 6th press conference in another part of the clip. I know a team when they’re on it and I know a team when they’re not on it. His team is on it. They’ve been responsive late at night, early in the morning.”
The video continues with a third clip of the Governor praising Trump for his “extraordinary efforts and acts of mobilization.”
“These were just extraordinary efforts and acts of mobilization and the federal government stepped up,” Cuomo said in another part of the video from April 19th presser. “We needed help and they were there.”
Trump also retweeted a clip from where Cuomo praised the president’s response to New York need as “quickly” and “efficiently,” while emphasizing to “keep politics out of it.”
NY Governor Andrew Cuomo on President Trump's response to the coronavirus:
— Trump War Room – Text TRUMP to 88022 (@TrumpWarRoom) August 18, 2020
He “has been responsive to New York and responsive to New York’s needs and he’s done it quickly and he’s done it efficiently.” #DemConvention pic.twitter.com/OBmchMJPmY
“I’ve worked very hard with the President of the United States, we’ve had our political differences in the past, no doubt. But there’s also no doubt that I’ve worked hand in glove with the president here,” Cuomo said in an April 11th press briefing. “And he has been responsive to New York and responsive to New York’s needs and he’s done it quickly and he’s done it efficiently. I’ve literally had conversations with him in the morning where he turned around that decision by that afternoon. I’ve been in the federal government I know what it’s like to make a decision and he has really responded to New York’s needs. So, keep politics out of it. Focus on government and focus on policy.”
The president also lashed out at Cuomo handling of the coronavirus in New York nursing homes, a controversial policy from the New York Governor that essentially ordered nursing homes to return elderly patients who were confirmed as positive cases from hospitals in a measure to free up hospital bed.
“Now AP estimates that the real Cuomo number of people killed because of his total incompetence is 11,000, not the 6000 that was originally thought!” Trump tweeted.
Now AP estimates that the real Cuomo number of people killed because of his total incompetence is 11,000, not the 6000 that was originally thought!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2020
New York officially reported a care home death toll of more than 6,600 and the Cuomo administration has refused to release the actual number, leaving speculation that the state is intentionally manipulating its nursing home deaths figures.
According to the Associated Press New York is only counting residents who died on nursing home property, not individuals who were transported to hospitals and died there, a discrepancy that could add thousands more to the state’s nursing home coronavirus death toll.
Cuomo in his DNC Speech slammed the Trump administration for its management to the coronavirus pandemic, describing the administration as “dysfunctional and incompetent.”
“Our nation is in crisis, and in many ways, COVID is just a metaphor,” Cuomo said. “Donald Trump didn’t create the initial division. The division created Trump; he only made it worse. Our current federal government is dysfunctional and incompetent. It couldn’t fight off the virus. In fact, it didn’t even see it coming.”
Cuomo added, “We saw the failure of a government that tried to deny the virus, then tried to ignore it, and then tried to politicize it. The failed federal government that watched New York get ambushed by their negligence and then watched New York suffer, but all through it learned absolutely nothing.”
During his five-minute speech, Cuomo did not mention the controversy over nursing home deaths. Instead, Cuomo sought to blame the incompetence of the administration for the rising number of coronavirus cases in the United States, while praising the Democratic nominee as a leader who can “restore the soul of America.”
“Americans learned the critical lesson, how vulnerable we are when we are divided. And how many lives can be lost when our government is incompetent,’ Cuomo said. “Americans’ eyes have been opened, and we have seen in this crisis the truth: that government matters and leadership matters. Now we need a leader as good as our people: a leader who appeals to the best within us, not the worst; a leader who can unify, not divide. Joe Biden can restore the soul of America. And that’s exactly what our country needs today.”
For months, New York was the epicenter of the virus, which ultimately led to the death of more than 32,000 New Yorkers, the highest death toll in the nation. New York currently has reported over 431,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with New York City accounting for more than 235,000 of those confirmed cases.
It was reported after Cuomo’s speech that he wrote a book that chronicles his management of the coronavirus pandemic and offers a close account and assessment of his interactions with state and local political officials, as well as President Trump and his administration. Titled “American Crisis,” the book is scheduled to be released on October 13, just three weeks before Election Day.
20202020 Conventions2020 ElectionCoronavirusDemocratic ConventionDemocratic National ConventionDNCGov. Andrew CuomoJoe BidenNew YorkNursing HomesPresident TrumpTrump AdministrationTrump Campaign
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