Captain Cuomo at the helm

Gov. Cuomo Friday announced his strident opposition to Trump administration plans to open the Atlantic coast to offshore drilling. And, channeling his inner pirate, vowed to go toe-to-toe, or bow-tobow, with attempts to drill or test in those waters. “I’m going to commission the citizen fleet from throughout the state to go out and interfere with their federal effort just as Winston Churchill did in Dunkirk,” he pledged.

Lest you think a man who said “I’m undocumented” was invoking World War II for rhetorical effect, he added: “If you think I’m kidding, I’m not, and I’m going to lead that citizen fleet.”

We love our coastline. We’re no fan of oil rigs. And we’re fine with asserting states’ rights in the courts. But threatening to set up what sounds an awful lot like a militia to oppose federal action by force, led by a governor? That’s just nuts.

Still, if offshore drilling activity could force Andrew Cuomo standing in a small boat, like Washington crossing the Delaware only in a tight little orange life vest, we just might change our minds.