New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s coronavirus response was a failure.
More than 32,000 people have died from the virus in his state. That’s more than 7 times the deaths in Florida, a Republican-led state that is often the subject of Cuomo’s ire. Indeed, it’s several times greater than most states and countries. If New York were its own country (and if you believe China’s numbers), New York would be second only to Italy in regard to how many people have died from this pandemic.
And somehow, we’re supposed to believe this is all President Trump’s fault.
During the Democratic National Convention on Monday, Cuomo railed against the president and the “failed federal government” for “standing by” while New York was “ambushed.” He accused Trump of doing nothing to help New York, which is patently false. The Trump administration sent thousands of ventilators, most of which New York did not end up needing, and hundreds of additional hospital beds on the USNS Comfort when the virus was at its peak. New York also received financial assistance, though Cuomo complained it wasn’t enough.
It’s fair to argue the Trump administration could and should have done more financially to help New York. But the fact is, the federal government would have been throwing money at an open wound that Cuomo’s disastrous policies created.
For starters, he downplayed the risks of the coronavirus back in late February and early March and refused to take preventive steps to shut down the state. Then, he signed a mandate requiring nursing homes to accept and care for recovering coronavirus patients, essentially turning his state’s most vulnerable homes into breeding grounds for the virus. As a result, more than 7,000 elderly New Yorkers have died from COVID-19. That’s more than most states’ total death tolls.
So, no, New York’s coronavirus story is not one of success. Don’t let Andrew Cuomo pretend otherwise.
