Self-boosting Andy ends the Cuo show
Gov. Cuomo wrapped up 111 consecutive days of coronavirus briefings Friday with a self-congratulatory address from his State Capitol office that ended with a tribute to . . . himself.
“Don’t worry — I’m not going anywhere,” Cuomo said from behind his desk in Albany. “I will still do what I do, we just don’t have to do it every day and that’s a good thing and let’s hope it stays that way.”
Cuomo cheered the state’s fight against COVID-19, saying hospitalizations and infection rates were at all-time lows — while waxing poetic about love.
“We showed that in the end, love does win. Love does conquer all — that no matter how dark the day, love brings the light,” he said. “That is what I will take from the past 111 days. And it inspires me and energizes me and excites me.”
The briefing — which was held with no members of the press present and so without the question-and-answer sessions that have marked nearly all of his other 110 briefings — lasted all of 10 minutes and was capped with a campaign-like video montage of sound bites and photos from previous Cuomo briefings.
“New York loves everyone. That’s why I love New York,” he says in the video.
It ended with the message: “Remember: Tomorrow is Saturday” — a reference to Cuomo’s daily PowerPoint presentations.
Cuomo earned a huge following from his press conferences during the pandemic — with devoted fans dubbing themselves “Cuomosexuals” and spawning several spoof
Twitter accounts like @andrewcuomospowerpoints and @andrewcuomostan.
They reacted Friday to the loss of their daily fix.
“Bawling,” @GCONNELIE tweeted. “It reminded me of commencement. But remember folks: People may be ‘over it’ but Covid-19 ain’t over.”
Another tweeter, @BazintheCity, thanked Cuomo for his “leadership, empathy and laughs.”
“It was a like having a beer with an uncle at a BBQ ,” he wrote. “Proud to have you as my governor as are all New Yorkers.” Some were in disbelief. “I’ve religiously watched every single day and at points, never thought we’d get here,” @farbav said. “I can’t believe this is the last briefing.”
Others found it hard to say goodbye.
“Is there going to be a support group for those experiencing severe withdrawal from truth and facts after today?” @SparklayBarclay tweeted.
Another fan joked about Cuomo’s daily PowerPoint slideshow that pointed out the day of the week.
“Yes, I rely on these to know what day it is; now I’ll be lost,” @Coltalbanyco wrote.
On Thursday, Cuomo bade farewell to the press corps ahead of his final day, praising those who have tirelessly covered the pandemic from all parts of the state.
He gave his first briefing on March 2 in Manhattan with Mayor de Blasio a day after the state recorded its first coronavirus case. The majority of the press conferences thereafter were held in Albany.
Cuomo said he still plans on holding press conferences as needed — and in anticipation of a “second wave” — but right now the state has reached the “other side of the mountain” in regards to taming the pandemic.