Jake Tapper Goes On a Tear Calling Out Gov. Cuomo for ‘Crowing’ Despite New York Covid Failures
New York governor Andrew Cuomo received plaudits early on in the coronavirus pandemic for his leadership, but he has since received serious criticism over New York’s handling of the virus and specifically on the thousands of deaths in nursing homes. Cuomo has also faced criticism for the way he’s talked about the crisis in recent interviews — most notably the interviews with his own brother, CNN’s Chris Cuomo.
On Monday night, the governor appeared on The Tonight Show to talk with Jimmy Fallon about how New York has “turned the corner” and “tamed the beast.”
In response to that interview, CNN’s Jake Tapper went on a tear calling out Cuomo for “crowing” about the progress New York has made when “no other state has lost as many lives” thus far.
Tapper — who has repeatedly ripped the Trump administration over failures in the federal response — said that while “there have been institutional failures of government from the White House on down,” New York in particular “is one of the biggest failures in the U.S.”
“New York’s leaders were late and made many mistakes; it’s been an absolute tragedy,” he added.
NY state has lost more than 32,000 lives to COVID-19. So while it's great that the numbers have gone down, it's perplexing to see crowing, Cuomo going on Fallon, etc. No other state has lost as many lives, not even close. New Jersey is next with 17,000+https://t.co/aIphqXdWYz
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 14, 2020
2/ Yes, this has been a major challenge for every leader, but New York's leaders do not have a success story to tell. It's been about missteps and late actions.
From April: "How Delays and Unheeded Warnings Hindered New York's Virus Fight"https://t.co/rTUcF2fbWF
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 14, 2020
3/ From April: "Seattle’s Leaders Let Scientists Take the Lead. New York’s Did Not"https://t.co/KO7vbl8ekZ
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 14, 2020
4/ There have been institutional failures of government from the White House on down. Empirically New York is one of the biggest failures in the U.S. From May:https://t.co/osWSVqrxiX
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 14, 2020
5/ Then there's the whole nursing home disaster.https://t.co/okAd9xnAd0
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 14, 2020
6/ There are many New York citizens put off by the crowing and the poster sales.
It's great that the number have gone down, and I hope to God they stay there.
But New York's leaders were late and made many mistakes; it's been an absolute tragedy.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 14, 2020
Tapper also called out the bizarre poster Cuomo unveiled this week:
(This is the poster sales thing I'm referring to:) https://t.co/1vmtkfi9Fe
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 14, 2020
NY Mag: "while the poster does include Cuomo’s three daughters, criticism of the president, and multiple quirky asides, it does not include references to the now more 32,000 New Yorkers who lost their lives to the virus,…
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 14, 2020
NY Mag: "…Cuomo’s failures to protect nursing-home residents in the state, his petty and counterproductive rivalry with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, or his initial and costly delay trusting public-health experts."
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 14, 2020
