ANDREW CUOMO’S EXIT: A TALE OF TWO PARTIES – ONE REPUBLICAN, ONE DEMOCRAT - YOU CHOOSE

Two things happened Tuesday, August 10, in which Democrats – and the nation – could take

pride. First, the U.S. Senate passed President Biden’s $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. Second, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal. The infrastructure deal isn’t done. The bill that passed the Senate may not clear the House unless Biden and his allies can pass a companion $3.5 trillion “human infrastructure” bill through budget reconciliation. That means we’ll have opportunities for talking about infrastructure for months.

We want to talk about the Cuomo development now! It showed the fundamental difference in our

two major political parties. Cuomo’s situation provided an apples-to-apples comparison of how Democrats and Republicans handle sexual harassment. Both have faced exams on sexual

harassment charges against one (or more) of their stars. With Cuomo’s announced departure, Democrats, in our view, passed their test. Republicans flunked the same exam numerous times.

The fact of this starkly different result makes even clearer just how much our political system has changed, and not for the better. The parties look like they evolved in separate societies; that they didn’t come from a common tradition in which decency, civility, accountability, and dedication to the rule of law triumph over the imperative of retaining power.

The Cuomo Challenge

Andrew Cuomo hails from a powerful political

family. He’s accomplished a great deal in politics on his own. His father, Mario Cuomo, served three terms as New York governor, perpetually flirting with running for president and delivering eloquent convention speeches in 1984 and 1992 that stirred Democratic hearts nationwide. Andrew Cuomo served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Clinton administration, New York attorney general, and nearly three terms as New York’s governor. He’s been an immensely effective political operative, to the point of leaving office with an $18 million campaign war chest. He’s, also, been known as someone you don’t cross in New York politics.

Despite the fear Andrew Cuomo once struck, there he was on August 10 announcing he’d  step aside,

effective 14 days later. He left to a chorus of “Amens” from local, state, and national Democrats. Unfinished business remained: (1) post-resignation impeachment proceedings that could permanently bar him from office; (2) criminal investigations; and (3) civil suits brought by his alleged harassment victims. Legislative leaders appeared genuinely divided over the first question. They must consider Cuomo’s potential complicity in a nursing home scandal and ethical

transgressions involving a book deal. They found themselves torn between moving on and a desire for accountability. Some former prosecutors thought the criminal cases might go away. The civil suits, however, will go forward and probably get settled when Cuomo pulls out his checkbook.   

 

Democratic Unity

Democrats forced Cuomo from office. First, fellow Democrat, Attorney General Letitia James,

conducted the investigation and authored the damning report that forced his hand. Second, New York’s political leadership quickly called for Cuomo’s resignation. They’re all Democrats – U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand,  New YorkCity Mayor Bill de Blasio, and strong majorities in the state legislature. After the James report, they all said Cuomo should leave.  Third, President Biden weighed in early, asserting that if the James investigationproved the allegations against Cuomo, he should resign. Biden restated that position once the report came out. It showed credible evidence supporting the allegations of 11 women who charged Cuomo with offensive touching, creation of a hostile work environment in his office, and other transgressions. 

The Democratic unity left Cuomo no running room. Nobody defended him. As legislative impeachment machinery moved into high gear, Cuomo ran out of options. Timing represented the major surprise in the August 10 resignation announcement.  Many expected he’d leave eventually, but most observers thought the combative Cuomo would fight long and hard in an effort to hang on as long as he could.

 

And Republicans?

As suggested, we believe the most important aspect of the Cuomo resignation story resides in the difference between how Democrats reacted to his difficulties versus how Republicans handled similar situations. First, of course, there’s former President Donald Trump. Must we reiterate the facts of the Access Hollywood tape and the Stormy Daniels payoff? Those Trump sins (and others) were arguably worse than Cuomo’s, but Republicans stood by him.  Had Republican leaders abandoned Trump in October 2016 after the Access Hollywood tape emerged, the nation likely would have been spared the disaster that was the Trump presidency.

Then, there are the Republican second stringers like

Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, accused of sex trafficking in underage girls, and Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, who allegedly helped cover up sexual abuse allegations in the Ohio State University wrestling program while he coached there. In each instance, Republican members of Congress and other GOP elected officials stood by these bad actors or remained silent, which is as bad (or worse).

We’ve said we think America needs two viable political parties arguing over ideas and policy.  We’ve also said we don’t need this Republican Party because it’s not interested in character ideas or policy, only in keeping power. The Cuomo affair demonstrated that we have one party that will police itself in the name of fidelity to our values and institutions.  The other party, as currently led and configured, won’t do that. It deserves that special place in hell for those who thrash those cherished values and institutions.  

                     

POLITICS 2020: An Early Look at the Candidates

Anyone following this blog should know we covet the 2020 presidential election as  an opportunity for ridding the country of Donald Trump and all his administration symbolizes – capitulating to Putin and Russia, racism at home, xenophobia about people of color in other countries, economic insensitivity, and many other transgressions. We doubt Trump faces a serious Republican primary challenge, so we’re closely watching the Democratic field for his opponent.

We began discussing the 2020 race in late 2017 and early 2018 when we offered a six-part American Political Agenda. In posts on October 7, October 20, November 4, November 22, December 11, and January 10 we presented issues we hoped 2020 presidential candidates would address, a code of conduct they should follow, how they can revive our atrophied government, and ways of repairing America’s alliances and standing in the world. We presented these ideas at a high level of abstraction, taking care we not promote any individual’s prospective candidacy.

We continued that trend after the 2018 mid-terms. On November 30, we described our ideal candidate, again not naming names. We emphasized electability, especially in the Midwest where Hillary Clinton failed in 2016, issue discipline, preserving the coalition that won those mid-terms, women’s rights, and the need for personal traits like charisma and a sense of history.

With the turn of the calendar to 2019, the time for abstraction has passed. Like everyone wanting a change at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we must now evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of real people.  So, we note who’s in and offer a sense of their early prospects.

The Top Tier

*Elizabeth Warren (second term senator, Massachusetts, 69) – the first “name” candidate in the race with her January 2 announcement, she made waves with big crowds on her first Iowa trip. A ferocious advocate for consumers and economic fairness, she’s grabbed early attention with a proposal for taxing the wealth – though not the incomes – of the rich.

*Kamala Harris (freshman senator, California, 54) – a January 21 entrant, even before she reached the Senate was viewed as a potential first tier candidate with a chance at being nominated. Her January 27 kick off rally in her hometown of Oakland drew an estimated 20,000 people. She favors Medicare for all, an assault weapons ban, and a $15 minimum wage. With California moving its primary from June to March, she could benefit from next year’s electoral calendar.

*Kirsten Gillibrand (third term senator, New York, 52) – long rumored as a candidate, she jumped in January 15 and also got a positive reception on her first Iowa trip. Gillibrand has $10 million in the bank from her New York campaigns, giving her staying power. She’s been known mostly for crusading against sexual harassment in the military. Though now positioned as a liberal, she might have trouble with progressive Democrats who remember her conservative record as an upstate New York congresswoman.

Left to Right: Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gilibrand

The Middle

*Julian Castro (former housing secretary and former San Antonio mayor, 44) — Castro, who announced January 12, has an uphill climb because he lacks name recognition.  He could work his way into the top tier with a strong

showing in an early primary or caucus.  With Democrats anixious for a big Latino general election turnout, Castro may have a better shot at the vice presidency. 

*Cory Booker (second term senator, New Jersey, 49) - having gotten in on February 1, he already must do some catching up.  Though he supports Medicare for all and teh $15 minimum wage, some liberals remain skeptical of him, partly because of friendly past comments about Wall Street. 

Long Shots

*Peter Buttigieg (seven-year mayor of South Bend, Indiana, 37) – a Navy veteran who announced January 23, Buttigieg promotes his executive experience, military background, and says he symbolizes generational change. He is the first openly gay Democratic presidential candidate.

*Tulsi Gabbard (four term congresswoman, Hawaii, 37) – the first Hindu member of Congress and an Army veteran, she’s seen now as a progressive because she supported Bernie Sanders in 2016. Upon announcing on January 11, her record on LBGTQ issues came under fire. She once supported conversion therapy and opposed same-sex marriage. She says her time in the military changed her mind. 

*Andrew Yang (New York entrepreneur, 44) – without a record in public office, he’s staked his campaign on a universal basic income proposal.

*John Delaney (former Maryland congressman, 55) – after three terms in the House, he left Congress for a presidential bid focusing on education, improved treatment for veterans, and infrastructure.         

Others

This list will soon get longer. Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, billionaire and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, and former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke, a rock star because of the astounding amount of money he raised on-line in his close 2018 senate race against Ted Cruz, have all hinted they’ll run. The closest thing in the party to real heavyweights, former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, can’t put off announcing much longer. The train might leave the station without them.

So, the wild ride has begun.  We hope Democrats won’t try tilting the race toward any candidate, but will let the voters decide policy prescriptions and candidate virtues and drawbacks on the merits. That’s the best way for finding a winner.