#Andrew Cuomo says ‘COVID is the symptom not the illness’ in DNC speech

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2020 Democratic National Convention/POOL via REUTERS

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday gave a self-congratulatory speech about the coronavirus pandemic at the Democratic National Convention, declaring that “COVID is a metaphor” for a weakened country.

“COVID is the symptom, not the illness. Our nation is in crisis. And in many ways, COVID is just a metaphor. A virus attacks when the body is weak and when it cannot defend itself,” Cuomo said in a pre-taped message.

Cuomo blasted the Trump administration as “dysfunctional and incompetent” and cheered New York under his leadership, saying, “We climbed the impossible mountain. Right now we are on the other side.”

New York, the original epicenter of the US outbreak, has more than twice as many COVID-19 fatalities — more than 32,000 — than any other state, despite having fewer cases than three states.

Cuomo’s role in sending 6,300 infected people to nursing homes during the crisis is credited in part for the higher death rate in New York.

“We saw the failure of a government that tried to deny the virus, then tried to ignore it and then tried to politicize,” Cuomo said in his DNC speech. “The failed federal government that watched New York get ambushed by their negligence and then watch New York suffer, but all through it learned absolutely nothing.”

Cuomo only mentioned Trump by name briefly.

“Only a strong body can fight off the virus. And America’s divisions weakened it. Donald Trump didn’t create the initial division. The division created Trump. He only made it worse,” the governor said.

“Our collective strength is exercised through government. It is in effect our immune system and our current federal government is dysfunctional and incompetent. It couldn’t fight off the virus. In fact, it didn’t even see it coming.”

Cuomo’s national profile increased dramatically during the early days of the pandemic in March — so much so that many Democrats hoped he would get the nomination, rather than Joe Biden.

But Cuomo got around to mentioning the former vice president at the end of his speech.

“Joe Biden is what I call America tough. Tough in the best way. Tough that is smart, united, disciplined and loving. Joe Biden can restore the soul of America,” Cuomo said. “And that’s exactly what our country needs today.”