History failed to record Leon Trotsky’s final thoughts as the ice axe penetrated his skull. But it’s reasonable to suspect that the founding Soviet revolutionary thought something similar to what New York Governor Andrew Cuomo might now be thinking: “Hey guys, I thought we were all on the same side!” Hero Trotsky had a greater claim to revolutionary credibility than Stalin did. Of course, this is why he was destroyed.
Cuomo rocketed in popularity by providing a vivid contrast to Donald Trump during the days of dueling COVID-19 press conferences. The media swooned over the telegenic but incompetent New York governor. From the beginning, COVID was a tool to take down the Big Bad Orange Man. The media now claim they didn’t report on Cuomo’s COVID scandals because of his “cover-up.”
What a load of crap. We’ve known since at least last May the essential facts of Cuomo’s deadly policy to force nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients. None of that mattered because the governor looked good on television. So good that he began receiving mentions as a possible last-minute alternative to the ethically and cognitively challenged Democratic front runner, Joe Biden.
How bad was Cuomo’s leadership on COVID-19? If New York were a country, it would be second in the world for the worst per capita COVID-19 deaths with 2,442 deaths per million. But none of that mattered when Trump was still in the White House. In spite of the well-known nursing home deaths, Cuomo’s “COVID leadership” won him an Emmy, the Edward M. Kennedy (oh God, the irony!) Institute Award for Inspired Leadership, celebrity praise, and the honor of appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone among other magazines. It reminds one of the state-controlled press coverage the Soviets relied upon during famines caused by economic mismanagement.
So what changed for Cuomo? How did his “leadership” on COVID-19 suddenly become toxic when it was “inspired” only a few months ago? Did he fall from grace because of the new sexual harassment claims? Please. Ask Tara Reade whether the media will bury sexual harassment claims for politics. The British news outlet, the Guardian, reported on the Cuomo sexual harassment story over two months ago.
How did Cuomo go from almost replacing Biden as the Democratic nominee to a political corpse? The political assassination of Andrew Cuomo may have something in common with the actual assassination of Leon Trotsky—his ascension threatened other forces within the party.
Public leadership of the American Left has always been a bit of a “king of the hill” game. Think about the bitter rivalry between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.). As the unifying force of Donald Trump hatred fades, the fractures have begun to spread in the monolith. It’s not clear exactly who felt threatened by Cuomo’s rising popularity.
But obviously, there was a coordinated media strategy to take down Cuomo. This didn’t just happen. These scandals have been known for months. It’s shocking to see so many turn on Cuomo so quickly. I’m not expressing any support for the obviously flawed governor. This is about the savagery with which the Left can consume its own and trying to grasp its purposes.
It leads one to wonder how many weeks or days remain before the press begins to express shock and surprise over the Biden family scandals or Biden’s cognitive decline.
Joe Biden should take note of what’s happening to Andrew Cuomo. Like Cuomo, Biden received wrap-around protection from the press. Missteps never mattered so long as he remained useful to the greater agenda. Cuomo’s time apparently has passed. Will Biden’s?
Biden’s scandals have defied gravity for years. If we had a true and curious free press, he would not have won the election even with all of the behind-the-scenes “help” he received from the oligarchs. The first impeachment of Donald Trump was always about protecting Biden family corruption.
Of all the candidates for the Democratic nomination, more people went to extreme effort to make sure a candidate with so many scandal weaknesses ended up on top. Why?
Biden is vulnerable to the 25th Amendment coup that was briefly contemplated against Trump. The warning signs have already emerged. His fellow Democrats have taken steps to curtail his authority over the nation’s nuclear weapons arsenal. It’s almost like they’re worried about his mental state. You don’t have to wonder about the power vacuum that will succeed Biden. Biden is a power vacuum. But to his puppet masters, his fragility is a feature, not a bug.
Perhaps the fall of Cuomo might be a flex to remind Biden that the same thing can always happen to him and his family in the blink of an eye? Perhaps it’s a chess move toward that inevitable day when shadowy figures shed the Biden veneer that barely conceals the Left’s radicalism? Perhaps Kamala Harris is getting impatient?
As cynical as I have become, I am still not cynical enough to perceive fully the motives for the political destruction of Andrew Cuomo. Regardless, Biden better prepare himself because he may be witnessing his own future.