Chris Cuomo is speaking from the heart with his older brother. The CNN newsman shared an uncharacteristically sweet, emotional moment with his older brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, on Wednesday, as he praised him for the way he’s guided his state and even calling him “the best politician in the country.”
While the governor has appeared on his brother’s night news program, Cuomo Prime Time, frequently over the past few months, the two often have a jokingly combative on-air relationship.
However, all bickering was put to the side when Chris shared words of genuine love and support while admitting that having his brother as a guest has been “an unusual thing.”
“We’ve never really done it, but this was an unusual time. And they were unusual needs. You stepped up in an unusual way,” Chris said. “And of course I won’t always be able to keep having you on… it will never be seen as fair in people’s eyes. And we both get that, that’s okay, you have plenty of people to talk to.”
However, and Chris explained it, June is “a big month” for the Cuomo brothers. Especially considering June 15th marks the birthday of their late father, Mario Cuomo, who died in January 2015 at the age of 82.
Mario served as the governor of New York for three terms from 1983 to 1994, and Chris told his older brother that their dad was “proud when you became governor, because of what he knew you would do.”
“What he wanted to see is what you do with the opportunity. And everything that he ever said mattered to him about public service, is what you demonstrated right here and right now, during this period, when your state needed it most,” Chris continued. “Not everybody likes you, not everybody likes me. Everybody seems to like pop now, I guess that’s the benefit of being out for a while.”
“But I hope you recognize what even I’m able to recognize — being spawned from the same wolf pack — I hope you are able to appreciate what you did in your state and what it means for the rest of the country now and what it will always mean to those who love and care about you the most.”
Chris went on to sing his brother’s praises even more effusively, telling Andrew that he is “wowed” by what his brother did to help the people of his state during an unprecedented time of emergency.
“Obviously I love you as a brother, obviously I’ll never be objective, obviously I think you’re the best politician in the country,” Chris shared. “But I hope you feel good about what you did for your people because I know they appreciate it…. I’ve never seen anything like what you did and that’s why I’m so happy to have had you on the show. And I hope you know that.”
“Nursing homes were the most tragic situation,” says New York Gov. Cuomo of the many deaths in nursing homes due to coronavirus. “…We lost lives all across the country…There is no doubt and we have to figure out how to do it better next time because there will be a next time.
— Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) June 25, 2020
“Look. We’re not very — we’re not big on sweet talk [but] that was sweet,” Andrew said, after Chris shared his kind words. “What dad was all about was making a difference. And he would say, ‘Who cares what they say? It’s what you know, it’s [knowing] what you did is right.'”
“I did what was right. I’m comfortable with what I did. I think the facts bear it out. I think the numbers bear it out. I think we saved tens of thousands of lives,” Andrew shared, adding, “I hope he’d be proud of me.”
The governor went on to share a story — which he previously opened up about during a recent interview with Good Morning America — about how he often turned to his late father for advice during these difficult times.
“He talked to me a lot through this, by the way,” Andrew told Chris. “[Over] 111 days, I did a briefing every day, I couldn’t sleep at night, I would close my eyes and I would say, ‘What would pop say?’ And he spoke to me. And he helped me tremendously to get through it.”
Andrew then shared some supportive words of his own, telling Chris, “What you do is the same thing. You’re doing the right thing. You get up every night and tell the truth whether they like it or not. This is the truth the way you see it and that’s all you can do.”
“I love you very much. I appreciate you being on,” Chris said, as he wrapped up their chat. “I’ll see you soon.”
