Two bastions of extreme leftist-think seem to have perpetuated a competition for biggest loser status for politicians. In the balmy climes of the Golden State, one man is fending off a recall campaign gathering momentum while a man in New York spins from one scandal to the next in a neck-snapping-gawker craze. Coming down the backstretch – in less than thoroughbred style – Governors Andrew Cuomo of New York and California’s Gavin Newsom are neck and neck in the race to the bottom.
How did they get there in this loving, touching, squeezing liberal winter of love? It’s genuinely mind-boggling and well worth a dive into the masterful moves of the coastal competitors.
Killing Grandma Takes a Toll
It’s 2021 – of course, the significant missteps during a pandemic are far from over. The desperate peddling of information and misinformation by state administrations about practices during COVID-19 has begun to spiral in a downhill slalom. Lauded for his handling of the crisis just weeks ago, the governor who penned a self-aggrandizing book on just how well he handled the bug is now being referred to as Chris Cuomo’s Fredo.
When faced with the reality of exposure for the cover-up of sending sick and contagious people into the sterile world of New York’s nursing homes, the Emmy award winner now faces an angry electorate and vilification from his political party. No one can abide by the man who generated “killing off grandma” headlines. It’s not a good look for Democrats. Hence, the calls for Cuomo’s head.
State Senator Jessica Ramos – a prominent New York Democrat – tweeted a not-so-kind missive to her followers about the governor’s recent point and blame game: “Trash. No one Believes you. At no point did the Administration notify the legislature about a DOJ investigation. People died, and Cuomo lied, then he had the gall to write a book.”
Touché. The book thing will haunt for some time to come.
The death toll for the Empire State stands, at the time of this writing, at 46,981. But the winner in the pandemic peddling belongs to Governor Gavin, who nosed Cuomo by a few thousand with a death toll of 50,991.
Total Recall
In the next competitive event, it appears these two governors are losing their political status by whatever means available. In New York, Cuomo’s own party is attempting an ouster. But California is in the throes of a recall campaign. And the once-revered Golden State Warrior, Gavin the dapper Newsom, is starting to face the facts of his future political career: He is now treading water in the deep end of the pool. How did the dashing dear get to this point?
A couple of things come to mind: a murky deal with a Chinese manufacturer and the lack of a woman of color appointed to replace the last one: Kamala Harris. It seems the man is making everyone mad enough to try and remove him from his perch. What appeared to be an uphill battle before – the recalling of a duly elected governor – now seems all but gift-wrapped with a jaunty bow.
#MeToo Also Bites
Rounding the corner in what may be their final stretch, it would appear Newsom and Cuomo are both determined to make a good showing in the most misguided championship event played to date. But unless Newsom can pull a sex scandal out of his Speedo, the title just may be Cuomo’s to lose.
Last week, a former staffer, Lindsey Boylan, publicly called out the NY governor who, as she describes, “created a culture within his administration where sexual harassment and bullying is so pervasive that it is not only condoned but expected.”
This behavior sounds vaguely familiar. Boylan elaborated: “His inappropriate behavior toward women was an affirmation that he liked you, that you must be doing something right. He used intimidation to silence his critics. And if you dared to speak up, you would face the consequences.” Since then, a second former aide has come forward with an explicit allegation of sexual harassment against Cuomo.
One of these two men will be declared a winner soon enough in the coastal elite match-up. Will there be a recall? Will there be tar and feathering and a public dragging through the Big Apple? Or both?
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Read more from Sarah Cowgill.
