Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) lashed out at some he had considered his “political friends” before scandal brought an early end to his time in office.
Cuomo sat for an interview with the New York Post, and he said that even those he expected to have his back seemed to wash their hands of him as soon as the going got tough.
“Nobody. It was tough. Traumatizing,” Cuomo said, upon being asked who had stood by him in his time of trouble. “Biden, a friend 20 years, not knowing details, immediately said about me, ‘He’s got to go.’ Biden had troubles years before and I stood by him. Gave him the benefit of the doubt. It was heartbreaking to see him trash me without reading one page, making one phone call.”
The former governor said more or less the same of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senator Kirsten Gillbrand (D-NY), and Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and even former President Barack Obama.
“Pelosi? Please. I know her 30 years. Her daughter worked for me,” Cuomo explained. “Obama? He’s been tough. When troubles come you like to think you’re different. You’re not. Enemies and haters accumulate. Schumer, Gillibrand, pals working in the state, friends I respected, fell like dominos.”
Cuomo went on to suggest that they had deserted him because they believed he had lost his “power” and could no longer be a political advantage to them.
“Lose your power and heartless politicians read the tea leaves. You’re dead. Over. Pols grab another piece of meat. The phrase ‘political friends’ is an oxymoron,” he said.
He did admit that his own gruff exterior could have played a role in their willingness to abandon him, saying, “OK, I’m not warm and fuzzy. What politician is? Maybe my duality started when my father was no longer governor. I saw him hurt. His vulnerabilities exposed. They broke his heart. The press next crucified me, his campaign manager kid. So I learned then not to expose a weakness or show your inner self. You know why? It gets used against you. A reaction becomes ‘Now we know where to hurt you.’”
Still, the former governor — who resigned amid multiple accusations of sexual misconduct and assault in addition to questions about his handling of nursing home policy during the COVID pandemic — made it clear that he was not ready to say that his political career was over.
“Look, my interest is public service. There are no term limits so I can make another go in four years. I’m someone who delivers. And who knows, could be there’s nobody to beat me. Also who knows — maybe by then I’ll be sweeter,” he concluded.