Content Warning: This article mentions sexual assault

When the Covid-19 crisis hit the globe, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was on the receiving end of a high level of media praise. The democratic media elite were fawning over him and his ‘heroic’ handling of the crisis. Many were even flouting a potential presidential run for the governor in 2024. However, Cuomo has a much darker side than the press lets on, and their denial of this has only sent a concerning precedent for holding politicians to account.  

The extent of praise that the governor received is, to me, concerning. Despite the appearance of strong crisis management, Cuomo’s behaviour was simply a facade. The New York state health department recently confirmed that members of staff employed by Governor Cuomo manipulated data in order to hide the true number of care home patients who had died from Covid-19. Further, he allowed care home patients who had Covid-19 to return to their care homes, leading to the virus ravaging through the state’s care homes. He then went on to give the care homes corporate immunity, so they weren’t liable for these extra deaths he’d caused. The media seem to have ignored this aspect to his ‘wonderful’ Covid management. 

With Cuomo, the so-called ‘King of New York’, the concerning behaviour doesn’t stop there. A number of women have accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct and assault. He has been accused of bullying: New York Assemblyman Ron Kim has claimed that the Governor threatened his career if he didn’t issue a statement to cover up wrongdoing. Where Cuomo denies both allegations, the media should be interrogating his behaviour instead of placing him on the receiving end of incessant praise. 

For me, this begs the question: why are the press so adamant about supporting this man? Perhaps they see Cuomo as the solution to their decreasing news ratings. These downwards trends have left news stations scrambling to make their programming more encaptivating. People prefer good news; perhaps CNN’s treatment of Cuomo serves to regain some of their decreasing viewership.

It would be unproductive to ignore the relationship between the pandemic and the media. Where lockdown’s are making people’s mental health worse, it is arguable that media institutions have a responsibility to cultivate a feeling of safety and positivity in their viewership. Perhaps the more light-hearted and ‘relaxed’ approach wasn’t all bad, it did, after all, work to maintain people’s faith in their leader during the uncertainties of the pandemic. Although I think this is unjustified, I do understand the benefit of positive news coverage, especially when everything else is so negative.

While the deliberate press ignorance surrounding Cuomo’s behaviour is somewhat justifiable, the luctrivite celebrity status that Cuomo has been afforded is certainly not justifiable. Perhaps most frustratingly for me, Cuomo signed a seven-figure book deal amidst his shockingly poor management of the pandemic. Granted, the book’s publication has been postponed by the publisher, but it deeply concerns me that a man like this can get this type of book deal. It not only validates his behaviour, but provides no incentive for Cuomo to strive to alter his behaviour. This is a very dangerous precedent to set.

To add insult to injury, Cuomo was a guest on his brother’s CNN show having a good old laugh and a joke amidst the storm of Covid deaths, sexual misconduct allegations and bullying allegations. I think it is a disgrace that Cuomo feels so little remorse for his actions. These ‘fun’ media appearances again, help to validate the governor’s behaviour with fame as well as helping to build his national profile. Perhaps, Cuomo thinks that his personable nature will cease the calls for him to be held to account. This isn’t unprecedented: we have seen time and time again that famous men escape facing the consequences of their actions. Perhaps fame and commercial success pave a way out for Cuomo. 

While I can somewhat understand the press’s incentive to cultivate an atmosphere of safety for their viewership during the pandemic, the forgiveness of Cuomo’s behaviour has gone too far. The fact that this man is still called the “the perfect man for our… times” is deeply concerning. The press have gone too far, and now Cuomo’s fame and commercial success has sent a message of validation for his wrongful behaviour. Where America enjoys putting him on a pedestal, I look forward to the day that Cuomo is removed from office. The New York State Assembly has given the go-ahead to an impeachment trial, and in the meantime I will have my fingers crossed waiting for change.

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