Governor of New York
One curious development during the coronavirus pandemic has been the reinvention of the reputation of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The hardball Democratic political leader is disliked by the progressive wing of the party and drew ire across the board for everything from his record on funding New York’s MTA, disbanding the Moreland Commission on ethics, the controversial SAFE Act gun regulation bill and numerous other accusations of political expediency.
But come COVID-19 and a vacuum of effective communication from senior politicians around this unprecedented health crisis, Cuomo’s daily press conferences gained national attention and became appointment-to-view TV. As sirens blared constantly in New York City, the metropolitan area became the worst hit part of the U.S. and the deadliest disease in the city’s history. The broadcasts comforted residents of New York State during a really tough time.
Cuomo’s communication cut through the propaganda and misinformation with solid data, simple messages about complex problems and a compelling dash of personality and human empathy.
Love him or hate him, everybody needed that during what was a truly horrendous time.
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