Cuomo on COVID: ‘Our Way Worked, and It Was Beautiful’

During a speech at the Democratic National Convention on Monday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) stated that as the federal response to the coronavirus failed, New York’s “way worked, and it was beautiful” and that the state showed “Americans can work together and forge community and a competent government.”

Cuomo said, “New Yorkers were ground zero for the COVID virus, and have gone from one of the highest infection rates on the globe to one of the lowest. We climbed the impossible mountain, and right now, we are on the other side. We did it with the kindness and assistance of so many. New Yorkers want to thank everyone who came to our aid. 30,000 Americans who volunteered to come here to help in our hour of need. Your love gave us the strength to carry on. We went through hell, but we have learned much.”

After talking about how America’s problems go beyond the coronavirus, Cuomo stated, “our collective strength is exercised through government. It is, in effect, our immune system. And our current federal government is dysfunctional and incompetent.”

He added, “As they proved their way failed, we proved that our way succeeded, that America can still rise to the occasion. We can put our differences aside and find commonality. Government can tell the truth and can build trust. We can judge by content of character rather than color of skin. We can care for one another. That Americans can work together and forge community and a competent government. That, of course, we will wear masks, because we are smart and because I care about you and because you care about me. Of course we will socially distance, because staying away shows how close we actually are. Yes, we will set up testing and tracing and do whatever we need to do to mobilize to win this battle, because we are America. We win wars, and we are the greatest country on the globe. And for all the pain and all the tears, our way worked, and it was beautiful. We showed that our better angels are strong and that Americans will rise to their call. We saw that even at the end of the day, even if it is a long day, that love wins. Americans’ eyes have been opened, and we have seen in this crisis the truth, that government matters and leadership matters and it determines whether we thrive and grow or whether we live or die.”

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