On March 24, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo gave a press conference to update constituents and the media on the spread of the coronavirus in New York. Cuomo was lucid, emphatic, and connected while talking about the truth of the situation.
In a time when President Donald Trump has completely botched the handling of this pandemic, having a moment where a politician is fighting against it with truth and a sense of urgency is something Americans are welcoming and honoring across social media.
Trump has been critical of Cuomo, going back and forth with him on Twitter about his handling of the coronavirus. Trump said that he has to "do more." And he also called on Cuomo to keep politics out of the conversation.
Cuomo wants “all states to be treated the same.” But all states aren’t the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chi… https://t.co/B3oXcY48Np— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1584447731.0
According to The Daily Beast, Trump said that when dealing with governors and states responding to the coronavirus "It's a two-way street... they have to treat us well, too."
While leaders like Trump are finding ways to argue, fight, and not do much real work, Cuomo has stepped up as a leader in more ways than one throughout this crisis as New York has become the hotspot of the coronavirus in the United States.
New York State is now virtually tied with Italy in the rate of confirmed cases — both stand at around 105 per 100,0… https://t.co/hB8Gx2pIUf— Rania Khalek (@Rania Khalek) 1585010447.0
Here are eight ways Governor Cuomo has handled the crisis way better than Trump:
1. He is telling the truth in a time when that's hard but necessary
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the apex of the coronavirus will be "higher" and "sooner" than experts anticipated… https://t.co/nX9v3jovxh— CNN (@CNN) 1585063210.0
Telling people that the peak of the coronavirus is still looming in the near future is a tough move. On the one hand, people deserve the truth so they can make arrangements and keep safe. But on the other hand, this kind of thing can create a lot of fear in people.
But leaders have a moral duty to tell the truth, especially when times get tough, and that's exactly what Governor Cuomo is doing.
New York Governor Cuomo: "The rate of new infections is doubling about every three days."— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@Yashar Ali 🐘) 1585062272.0
2. He values the American people over the stock market
"You can't sacrifice human life to get the stock market up." NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo tells @ABC there is a way to bal… https://t.co/ipIZUpzxvm— ABC News (@ABC News) 1585129265.0
Trump has suggested that the stock market is more important than American lives and Cuomo is raging against that notion stating that there is a way to balance the economy while maintaining a culture of containing the virus.
To a headstrong capitalist like Trump, people can be conflated to monetary value far too. Especially in a time when the stock market is in a downward plunge, verging on the brink of total collapse. Cuomo is making it a point to say that while the economy is obviously important, its salvation should not come at the cost of human lives.
3. He is being creative in a time where creativity can save lives
NY Gov. Cuomo calls for "splitting ventilators," in which two patients would simultaneously share one ventilator ma… https://t.co/KvTEkxCqh1— MSNBC (@MSNBC) 1585141323.0
Sometimes in crises, you need to think creatively. New York simply does not have the number of ventilators needed to respond to the demand for them. So splitting ventilators might actually be a life-saving move in many cases.
4. He has compassion for people
LOVE WINS: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo shared a positive message on Tuesday as he addressed the coronavirus outb… https://t.co/kFsuiFBy0c— CBS News (@CBS News) 1585080874.0
5. He is calling out the Trump administration on a national stage.
Andrew Cuomo says Trump administration's inaction will decide who dies https://t.co/wOcAtysMJW https://t.co/7NcceEpv80— CBS News (@CBS News) 1585086000.0
6. He is holding FEMA accountable when accountability is what we need most in America.
This screenshot from Governor Cuomo's press conference says it all, as he tells FEMA: "You want a pat on the back f… https://t.co/rqskRXmXix— Adam Klasfeld (@Adam Klasfeld) 1585063763.0
7. Cuomo is creating more beds in makeshift hospitals with the help of the New York National Guard
While Cuomo has a history with closing down hospitals, he is taking action when it counts to right his wrongs and help to create beds when he desperately needs them.
If pride was something that motivated Cuomo, he might not create beds and might pretend that the problem was not as serious, but this action can possibly be seen as the governor attempting to right a wrong he made in the past.
Regardless, his action in creating more beds is exactly what the people of New York need right now.
8. He is holding the federal government accountable for not doing all they could be doing to help.
Wait. The Department of Health and Human Services has 20,000 ventilators that it's not releasing for public use?… https://t.co/SRxucuD8qU— saira rao (@saira rao) 1585063085.0
According to Cuomo, the federal government currently has a stockpile of 20,000 ventilators that they have not released. This stockpile would certainly help New York as it struggles to accrue around 30,000 ventilators to meet the needs of New York citizens.
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At the end of the day, what leadership is about is honesty, action, and compassion. Cuomo is showing all of those merits in a time where America, and especially New York, desperately need it. The same cannot be said for other leaders in our country — including Trump.