Daily Cuomo: 'If something breaks or something doesn't work, that's on me'

Discussing the ongoing response to the coronavirus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) told reporters on Thursday, “If something breaks or something doesn’t work, that’s on me.”

The comment stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s remarks on responsibility.

Asked by reporters in March if the “buck” stops with him, Trump said while “normally” that would be the case, it did not apply now. He also infamously said, “I don’t take responsibility at all” for the slow and inadequate response to the pandemic from him and his administration.

From an April 2 press conference:

REPORTER: Have you changed?

 

ANDREW CUOMO: Have I changed? No. I defy change, my kids will tell you that. Cara will tell you that. They have been trying to get me to change for many years. They have tried to teach me for many years.

 

Intellectually I think I’m open to growth and change. I just have trouble doing it in practicality.

 

I think it’ll change me. I think it’ll change me. This is very — it’s incredibly hard, it’s incredibly difficult — my brother touched on it.

 

You know, I take my job very seriously and I take my responsibility very seriously. And I don’t make excuses. I don’t — if I fail, I fail. You know? If something breaks or something doesn’t work, that’s on me. I see those number of deaths every day and I take that personally. And I feel the pain that families are feeling and I’m doing everything I can, but people are still dying, and that is very hurtful and humbling and painful. Just painful.

 

And this is a long time to be under that level of pain. What do you look like when you come out the other side? I don’t know. I don’t know.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.