I am not from New York, but I love New York. My heart breaks for New York as their hospital system buckles under the stress of the COVID-19 cases. What makes me feel better for them, is that they are led by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Some days I feel better keeping up with the news..whether it’s CNN or CNBC, I feel better, isolated as we are, by knowing what is happening elsewhere. Other days, we watch the kids’ shows or movies and lately, This Is Us. When I turn on the news, I most appreciate hearing from Governor Andrew Cuomo. And, why not? He is the consummate straight-shooter. His honesty is bracing, yet reassuring. He is a devotee of graphics and powerpoint. The infection and fatality figures are staggering, yet reassuring. He is dealing in facts.
He takes responsibility. When he started directing the resources of the state and asking folks to stay home–he said, essentially, “If this doesn’t work.”; “If any of this annoys you.”–Blame Me. The buck stops with me. I take responsibility. Good or bad. He is dealing in accountability.
At a dinner a few weeks ago, someone said, “The problem with Donald Trump is that he has never read The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” A trader in hyperbole and exaggeration, he is unfamiliar with nuance and subtlety. After nearly five years of bombast, his ability to cry “Fake News” and blame the media, the Democrats, the immigrants, NATO, etc., is expended. Our collective exhaustion with overstatement calls out for a leader that puts the cold hard facts in both his talking points and his powerpoints and spares us sugar coating, day dreaming, or ego coddling.
I’ve read that Governor Cuomo is a fierce negotiator, a power broker. I’ve heard that he has sharp elbows. His style rattles many and his critics assail him for his ruthlessness. I’m sure they are all right. In this moment, as I watch his news conferences from Miami, Florida, I am grateful that he cares more about being respected than being liked. I am grateful for whatever political machinations brought him to leadership. I am not sure I could process the avalanche of information without him.
At this moment, I love Andrew Cuomo.
