Latest news with #AndrewCuomo
CNN
3 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Andrew Cuomo launches his rebrand: More vertical videos and selfies, less ‘being nice'
People in sports Social media Food & drinkFacebookTweetLink Follow Andrew Cuomo says he's done being nice. In the 10 days since announcing he would pursue an independent bid for New York City mayor, Cuomo has acknowledged the mistakes that led to his stunning Democratic primary loss to state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. And he is trying to prove he can turn the race around before November by rebooting his campaign. Cuomo is trying to demonstrate that he's going to be a different candidate as he hopes to keep donors on board and appeal to Democrats and independents who might be uncomfortable with backing Mamdani, a democratic socialist. Some of his changes are easy to spot. Others are subtler. Cuomo was hard to find in the primary, often dodging reporters who wanted to ask about the sexual harassment allegations and complaints about his handling of Covid-19 that preceded his resignation as governor. Now, he's doing on one-on-one interviews with the city's press corps at traditional campaign spots like subway stations. He's also sitting for podcast interviews where he's explaining what he thinks he did wrong in the primary. Long known for his brash style, short temper and bullying tactics, Cuomo said he had adopted a 'softer' approach during the primary campaign that did not work. 'So much for being nice, that's what I say,' Cuomo told Stephen A. Smith during a recent podcast interview. Cuomo said he'll bring back more of his old style. Perhaps most importantly, he said, he'll call out what he describes as unrealistic ideas from Mamdani, who has proposed freezing hikes on rent-controlled apartments, opening city-run grocery stores and making public buses free. 'Those slick slogans that sound good – everything free. Free buses, free education, free food, everything free. BS, everything is free? If it sounds too good to be true, it isn't.' Cuomo told Smith. Cuomo did attack Mamdani's ideas as unrealistic during their primary debates. Cuomo has a lifelong history with Democratic politics. He is a son of Gov. Mario Cuomo, who joined President Bill Clinton's Cabinet before being elected New York attorney general and then governor three times. 'Mamdani is on the Democratic line but he's a socialist. I'm on the independent line but I am a Democrat. The politics nowadays are topsy-turvy; that's what we're seeing in this election,' Cuomo said on Smith's podcast. It will be an uphill battle given the city's overwhelming number of Democratic voter registrations and Mamdani's popularity among young New Yorkers who were central to his candidacy. Despite having a significant share of the establishment support that has started to line up behind Mamdani, Cuomo is now dismissing that same establishment as reactionary. 'A lot of the voters are knee-jerk; 'I vote for the Democrat.' A lot of the Democratic institutions, the unions, etc., they just knee-jerk go with the Democrat,' Cuomo told Smith. Notably, some key establishment Democrats have not endorsed Mamdani, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents a Brooklyn district. After Cuomo said he would 'hit the streets' and meet voters 'where they are' in his campaign relaunch video, more footage has popped up on his campaign feeds. There is even a hint of trial and error. A recent video was quickly panned in the comments and subsequently reposted by Mamdani supporter accounts who mocked the audio quality of the video because it drowned out Cuomo's voice. Newer videos show Cuomo wearing a wireless microphone as he makes small talk and asks voters what their concerns are. The videos specifically show him speaking with New Yorkers inside restaurants and diners, chatting with a butcher on the Upper West Side, walking the streets of Staten Island by way of the Staten Island ferry, sampling prosciutto, visiting senior centers and the inside of restaurant kitchens. The choices of people in the video seem intentional. So far, the videos showcase Cuomo before his target voters – upper middle class, White ethnic New Yorkers in parts of Manhattan and Staten Island, as well as older Black voters. Great day in the Bronx talking to New Yorkers about the housing crisis and how we can work to make the City more affordable for all 'We're talking about our problems; one of the big ones is affordable housing,' Cuomo says in a video as he walks around Co-Op City in the Bronx. The sprawling, 15,000-unit housing cooperative is the largest in the nation and home to mostly Black New Yorkers. Mamdani's team – credited by both allies and enemies for its use of social media – has brushed off what it sees as an attempt at mimicry. 'We got him making man on the street videos with a guy in carhartt. By next week, he'll be sipping adeni chai and eating khaliat al nahl,' the campaign wrote in a post on X. (Adeni chai is Yemeni milk tea; khaliat al nahl is an Arab pastry.) Cuomo previously tried to present himself as the only leader who could protect the city during President Donald Trump's second term in office. Now, as he looks to November and trying to draw conservatives to his independent bid, that message appears to be in the back seat. Instead, Cuomo has focused his attacks on incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, describing him as 'unelectable,' and on Mamdani, casting his potential mayoralty as a time that will ruin New York. 'It would be devastating to New York City, and it would take a decade to recover,' Cuomo told Smith. While Cuomo attacks Adams, he is also pushing a proposal that would require any independent and the Republican nominee to drop out by September and endorse whoever is polling highest. So far, Adams and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa have refused that idea, setting up a split contest that could benefit Mamdani by dividing his opposition.
CNN
4 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Andrew Cuomo launches his rebrand: More vertical videos and selfies, less ‘being nice'
Andrew Cuomo says he's done being nice. In the 10 days since announcing he would pursue an independent bid for New York City mayor, Cuomo has acknowledged the mistakes that led to his stunning Democratic primary loss to state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. And he is trying to prove he can turn the race around before November by rebooting his campaign. Cuomo is trying to demonstrate that he's going to be a different candidate as he hopes to keep donors on board and appeal to Democrats and independents who might be uncomfortable with backing Mamdani, a democratic socialist. Some of his changes are easy to spot. Others are subtler. Cuomo was hard to find in the primary, often dodging reporters who wanted to ask about the sexual harassment allegations and complaints about his handling of Covid-19 that preceded his resignation as governor. Now, he's doing on one-on-one interviews with the city's press corps at traditional campaign spots like subway stations. He's also sitting for podcast interviews where he's explaining what he thinks he did wrong in the primary. Long known for his brash style, short temper and bullying tactics, Cuomo said he had adopted a 'softer' approach during the primary campaign that did not work. 'So much for being nice, that's what I say,' Cuomo told Stephen A. Smith during a recent podcast interview. Cuomo said he'll bring back more of his old style. Perhaps most importantly, he said, he'll call out what he describes as unrealistic ideas from Mamdani, who has proposed freezing hikes on rent-controlled apartments, opening city-run grocery stores and making public buses free. 'Those slick slogans that sound good – everything free. Free buses, free education, free food, everything free. BS, everything is free? If it sounds too good to be true, it isn't.' Cuomo told Smith. Cuomo did attack Mamdani's ideas as unrealistic during their primary debates. Cuomo has a lifelong history with Democratic politics. He is a son of Gov. Mario Cuomo, who joined President Bill Clinton's Cabinet before being elected New York attorney general and then governor three times. 'Mamdani is on the Democratic line but he's a socialist. I'm on the independent line but I am a Democrat. The politics nowadays are topsy-turvy; that's what we're seeing in this election,' Cuomo said on Smith's podcast. It will be an uphill battle given the city's overwhelming number of Democratic voter registrations and Mamdani's popularity among young New Yorkers who were central to his candidacy. Despite having a significant share of the establishment support that has started to line up behind Mamdani, Cuomo is now dismissing that same establishment as reactionary. 'A lot of the voters are knee-jerk; 'I vote for the Democrat.' A lot of the Democratic institutions, the unions, etc., they just knee-jerk go with the Democrat,' Cuomo told Smith. Notably, some key establishment Democrats have not endorsed Mamdani, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents a Brooklyn district. After Cuomo said he would 'hit the streets' and meet voters 'where they are' in his campaign relaunch video, more footage has popped up on his campaign feeds. There is even a hint of trial and error. A recent video was quickly panned in the comments and subsequently reposted by Mamdani supporter accounts who mocked the audio quality of the video because it drowned out Cuomo's voice. Newer videos show Cuomo wearing a wireless microphone as he makes small talk and asks voters what their concerns are. The videos specifically show him speaking with New Yorkers inside restaurants and diners, chatting with a butcher on the Upper West Side, walking the streets of Staten Island by way of the Staten Island ferry, sampling prosciutto, visiting senior centers and the inside of restaurant kitchens. The choices of people in the video seem intentional. So far, the videos showcase Cuomo before his target voters – upper middle class, White ethnic New Yorkers in parts of Manhattan and Staten Island, as well as older Black voters. Great day in the Bronx talking to New Yorkers about the housing crisis and how we can work to make the City more affordable for all 'We're talking about our problems; one of the big ones is affordable housing,' Cuomo says in a video as he walks around Co-Op City in the Bronx. The sprawling, 15,000-unit housing cooperative is the largest in the nation and home to mostly Black New Yorkers. Mamdani's team – credited by both allies and enemies for its use of social media – has brushed off what it sees as an attempt at mimicry. 'We got him making man on the street videos with a guy in carhartt. By next week, he'll be sipping adeni chai and eating khaliat al nahl,' the campaign wrote in a post on X. (Adeni chai is Yemeni milk tea; khaliat al nahl is an Arab pastry.) Cuomo previously tried to present himself as the only leader who could protect the city during President Donald Trump's second term in office. Now, as he looks to November and trying to draw conservatives to his independent bid, that message appears to be in the back seat. Instead, Cuomo has focused his attacks on incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, describing him as 'unelectable,' and on Mamdani, casting his potential mayoralty as a time that will ruin New York. 'It would be devastating to New York City, and it would take a decade to recover,' Cuomo told Smith. While Cuomo attacks Adams, he is also pushing a proposal that would require any independent and the Republican nominee to drop out by September and endorse whoever is polling highest. So far, Adams and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa have refused that idea, setting up a split contest that could benefit Mamdani by dividing his opposition.
CNN
4 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Andrew Cuomo launches his rebrand: More vertical videos and selfies, less ‘being nice'
Andrew Cuomo says he's done being nice. In the 10 days since announcing he would pursue an independent bid for New York City mayor, Cuomo has acknowledged the mistakes that led to his stunning Democratic primary loss to state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. And he is trying to prove he can turn the race around before November by rebooting his campaign. Cuomo is trying to demonstrate that he's going to be a different candidate as he hopes to keep donors on board and appeal to Democrats and independents who might be uncomfortable with backing Mamdani, a democratic socialist. Some of his changes are easy to spot. Others are subtler. Cuomo was hard to find in the primary, often dodging reporters who wanted to ask about the sexual harassment allegations and complaints about his handling of Covid-19 that preceded his resignation as governor. Now, he's doing on one-on-one interviews with the city's press corps at traditional campaign spots like subway stations. He's also sitting for podcast interviews where he's explaining what he thinks he did wrong in the primary. Long known for his brash style, short temper and bullying tactics, Cuomo said he had adopted a 'softer' approach during the primary campaign that did not work. 'So much for being nice, that's what I say,' Cuomo told Stephen A. Smith during a recent podcast interview. Cuomo said he'll bring back more of his old style. Perhaps most importantly, he said, he'll call out what he describes as unrealistic ideas from Mamdani, who has proposed freezing hikes on rent-controlled apartments, opening city-run grocery stores and making public buses free. 'Those slick slogans that sound good – everything free. Free buses, free education, free food, everything free. BS, everything is free? If it sounds too good to be true, it isn't.' Cuomo told Smith. Cuomo did attack Mamdani's ideas as unrealistic during their primary debates. Cuomo has a lifelong history with Democratic politics. He is a son of Gov. Mario Cuomo, who joined President Bill Clinton's Cabinet before being elected New York attorney general and then governor three times. 'Mamdani is on the Democratic line but he's a socialist. I'm on the independent line but I am a Democrat. The politics nowadays are topsy-turvy; that's what we're seeing in this election,' Cuomo said on Smith's podcast. It will be an uphill battle given the city's overwhelming number of Democratic voter registrations and Mamdani's popularity among young New Yorkers who were central to his candidacy. Despite having a significant share of the establishment support that has started to line up behind Mamdani, Cuomo is now dismissing that same establishment as reactionary. 'A lot of the voters are knee-jerk; 'I vote for the Democrat.' A lot of the Democratic institutions, the unions, etc., they just knee-jerk go with the Democrat,' Cuomo told Smith. Notably, some key establishment Democrats have not endorsed Mamdani, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents a Brooklyn district. After Cuomo said he would 'hit the streets' and meet voters 'where they are' in his campaign relaunch video, more footage has popped up on his campaign feeds. There is even a hint of trial and error. A recent video was quickly panned in the comments and subsequently reposted by Mamdani supporter accounts who mocked the audio quality of the video because it drowned out Cuomo's voice. Newer videos show Cuomo wearing a wireless microphone as he makes small talk and asks voters what their concerns are. The videos specifically show him speaking with New Yorkers inside restaurants and diners, chatting with a butcher on the Upper West Side, walking the streets of Staten Island by way of the Staten Island ferry, sampling prosciutto, visiting senior centers and the inside of restaurant kitchens. The choices of people in the video seem intentional. So far, the videos showcase Cuomo before his target voters – upper middle class, White ethnic New Yorkers in parts of Manhattan and Staten Island, as well as older Black voters. Great day in the Bronx talking to New Yorkers about the housing crisis and how we can work to make the City more affordable for all 'We're talking about our problems; one of the big ones is affordable housing,' Cuomo says in a video as he walks around Co-Op City in the Bronx. The sprawling, 15,000-unit housing cooperative is the largest in the nation and home to mostly Black New Yorkers. Mamdani's team – credited by both allies and enemies for its use of social media – has brushed off what it sees as an attempt at mimicry. 'We got him making man on the street videos with a guy in carhartt. By next week, he'll be sipping adeni chai and eating khaliat al nahl,' the campaign wrote in a post on X. (Adeni chai is Yemeni milk tea; khaliat al nahl is an Arab pastry.) Cuomo previously tried to present himself as the only leader who could protect the city during President Donald Trump's second term in office. Now, as he looks to November and trying to draw conservatives to his independent bid, that message appears to be in the back seat. Instead, Cuomo has focused his attacks on incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, describing him as 'unelectable,' and on Mamdani, casting his potential mayoralty as a time that will ruin New York. 'It would be devastating to New York City, and it would take a decade to recover,' Cuomo told Smith. While Cuomo attacks Adams, he is also pushing a proposal that would require any independent and the Republican nominee to drop out by September and endorse whoever is polling highest. So far, Adams and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa have refused that idea, setting up a split contest that could benefit Mamdani by dividing his opposition.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Sadiq Khan gave advice to Zohran Mamdani after New York primary win
Sir Sadiq Khan shared advice with Zohran Mamdani after the socialist Democrat stormed to victory to become the Democratic nomination for New York mayor. Mr Mamdani, 33, beat Andrew Cuomo in June after carrying out a social media campaign deemed so successful it was praised by some of President Donald Trump's supporters. Since his shock victory, Mr Mamdani and Sir Sadiq have spoken over the phone, a source close to the candidate's campaign told The Telegraph. 'Zohran has been in touch with a number of progressive mayors, including Michelle Wu in Boston and Sadiq Khan,' the source said. The phone call with Sir Sadiq was 'warm and collegial and Mayor Khan had some words of advice', they said, but the pair did not 'talk strategy'. Sources close to Sir Sadiq suggested that Mr Mamdani should shift to the centre to broaden his appeal. Sir Sadiq, who clinched a historic third term last year, initially beat Zac Gold, the Conservative candidate, in 2016 by trouncing his Labour rivals on the Left and then moving towards the centre. Mr Mamdani secured the nomination with promises to make New York more affordable for residents, including rent freezes and launching city-run supermarkets. He will now face Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate, as well as Eric Adams, the incumbent mayor, and Mr Cuomo, who are both running as independents in a crowded field. Mr Mamdani, who has been called a 'communist lunatic' by Mr Trump, has been accused by his critics of posing a danger to the most populous city in the US. During his primary campaign, Mr Mamdani distanced himself from some of his most controversial statements, including past support for defunding the police. A source in London's City Hall told The Times: 'The primary race is very different from the [mayoral election]. He needs to moderate or he could lose the more centrist Democrats.' But a source close to Mr Mamdani's campaign told The Telegraph: 'Zohran won by a significant margin, this wasn't a close race, it was an affirmation that the values he ran on are something that resonate with New Yorkers and they feel really committed to the progressive values he ran his campaign on.' The source added that Sir Sadiq has a ' unique set of experiences ' as the only Muslim mayor of a Western city, which Mr Mamdani will likely speak to the Labour politician about if he is elected. While they share some similarities, Mr Mamdani's policies skew more progressive than those of Sir Sadiq. During his 2016 campaign, the Labour politician pledged to raise the London living wage, a promise he kept within months of taking office. Mr Mamdani also promised to boost the New York City minimum wage, vowing to increase it to $16.50-per-hour and almost double it to $30-per-hour by 2030. Both politicians have also campaigned on the promise to build more affordable housing. Mr Mamdani has promised to freeze rent and spend $100bn building 200,000 units of affordable homes over the next 10 years. During his campaign last year, Sir Sadiq committed to building 40,000 new council homes by the end of the decade. While Mr Mamdani has pledged to deliver free buses in New York City, Sir Sadiq has frozen bus fares six times since he was elected in 2016.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cuomo tones down Trump rhetoric after stunning loss to Mamdani in NYC mayor primary
In the closing weeks ahead of New York City's Democratic Party mayoral primary, as he appeared to be cruising toward capturing his party's nomination, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo focused his campaign's spotlight on President Donald Trump. But following an unexpected loss to democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, Cuomo appears to have toned down his Trump messaging. "Trump's coming for New York. Who do you think can stop him?" the narrator in a Cuomo campaign ad said, over images of the June rioting in Los Angeles sparked by Trump's immigration crackdown. "Trump's at the city gates. We need someone experienced to slam them shut," the narrator said, as he suggested that Cuomo was the most experienced candidate to push back against the president's agenda. The former three-term governor, who resigned amid twin scandals in 2021, pledged, if elected mayor, to protect New York City from what he suggested could be a possible future federal crackdown against immigration protests in the city. And he vowed to mount a national campaign to try and thwart Trump's agenda. Poll Position: Mamdani's The Frontrunner, But Isn't Running Away With The Nyc Mayoral Race Read On The Fox News App But Mamdani's stunning victory over Cuomo and nine other candidates last month to capture the Democratic Party nomination rocked the race for mayor in the nation's most populous city. And as Cuomo resets as he runs in the mayoral general election as an independent candidate, references to Trump have plummeted as the former governor stands for interviews. He didn't mention the president once in his video announcing his general election campaign. Longtime Cuomo adviser and spokesman Rich Azzopardi said "that's not the case" when asked by Fox News Digital if the former governor was de-emphasizing Trump messaging. "It's silly. It's only been eight days since the campaign had a relaunch," Azzopardi said. And he said that in the local interviews Cuomo has done, "it has been more local and pocketbook issues that have come up." "I think New Yorkers know that the person best equipped to protect New York from any excesses that may come out of Washington is Andrew Cuomo, because he's done it before," Azzopardi added. But Mamdani's campaign argues that Cuomo is taking a page from their playbook as he shines a spotlight on his proposals to lower the rent, build more housing, and improve public transportation. Mamdani On Extended Africa Trip Amid Nyc Mayoral Campaign The 33-year-old Ugandan-born state assemblyman from Queens, who was backed by progressive champions Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, surged to a come-from-behind primary victory, thanks to an energetic campaign that put a major focus on affordability and New York City's high cost of living. Mamdani made smart use of social media platforms, including TikTok, as he engaged low-propensity voters. He proposed eliminating fares to ride New York City's vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) "tuition-free," freezing rents on municipal housing, offering "free childcare" for children up to age 5 and setting up government-run grocery stores. And Mamdani, thanks in part to the efforts of a massive grassroots army of volunteers, rode a wave of support from younger and progressive voters to catapult himself into first place. Cuomo now says he's committed to making New York a city with "lower rent, safer streets, where buying your first home is once again possible, where child care won't bankrupt you." And he's taken aim at Mamdani for putting out "slick slogans, but no real solutions." Potus The Pundit: Trump Says Cuomo's Got A 'Good Shot' Of Beating Mamdani Cuomo is one of four candidates in the general election who are taking on Mamdani, who, as the Democratic Party nominee, is the front-runner in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a roughly six-to-one margin. Also in the race are Mayor Eric Adams, the embattled incumbent who announced earlier this year that he would seek re-election as an independent candidate, and Guardian Angels co-founder Curtis Sliwa, who for a second straight election is the Republican mayoral nominee. And Jim Walden, a former federal prosecutor, is also running as an independent. Cuomo, since his primary defeat, has noted that the general election electorate in New York City is much larger than the pool of voters who cast ballots in the Democratic nomination race. "Only 13% of New Yorkers voted in the June primary," Cuomo said in his general election launch video. And as he now faces a broader and more moderate electorate than that in the Democratic Party primary, Cuomo's apparent pivot away from Trump and towards issues of affordability appears strategic. Azzopardi, pointing to the campaign re-launch, told Fox News, "It was important to hit the ground running to meet New Yorkers where they are, and that's what we're doing." "The message is a simple one. It's New Yorkers are generally not hard-core pro-MAGA Trumpers, nor are they socialists. They are in the middle, and the governor is making the case about how he is the person best equipped to bring the first competent administration back to City Hall in 12 years," Azzopardi said. But veteran Democratic strategist Lauren Hitt, who advised an anti-Cuomo super PAC in the Democratic primary, argued that New York City voters are likely to be skeptical of the former governor's message. "Cuomo already had his chance to make New York more affordable, and he did just the opposite. So he can try to slap another label on his campaign, but New Yorkers already know they don't like what he's selling," Hitt article source: Cuomo tones down Trump rhetoric after stunning loss to Mamdani in NYC mayor primary
