Andy’s talk strays far from home

ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo’s first of six regional State of the State addresses this week seemed geared as much toward a national audience as it did New York.

Cuomo, during his 43-minute speech at 1 World Trade Center on Monday, again tried to claim the progressive mantle he hopes could play well at home while also springboarding him into the national conversation for 2020.

It’s clear he wants to be a voice in defending against many of President-elect Donald Trump’s policies.

“In this moment, it’s kind of tough to do a speech that doesn’t have national implications with what Democrats see as a threat to all their core values,” said Neal Kwatra, a Democratic operative with ties to Cuomo.

“But it’s also inevitable for him starting his seventh year to talk about issues here in New York that you want to catch fire around the country, especially when your party is in the wilderness,” Kwatra added.

Cuomo’s critics accuse him of putting his national ambitions and desire to build his reputation with progressives over the state’s interests.

State GOP Chairman Ed Cox referenced Cuomo’s father, the late Gov. Mario Cuomo, who famously agonized about running for President before deciding against it.

“He’s no longer thinking about New York,” Cox said of the son. “He’s now thinking of going where his father didn’t. It’s latesecond termitis.”

Ironically, while Cuomo talked about the need for unity, he made no attempt to mend fences with state lawmakers, with whom he’s been warring and who have no plans to attend any of his speeches this week.

Legislators are still angry that Cuomo’s appointees to a commission last year blocked the first legislative pay raise since 1999.

Cuomo, during his 1 World Trade Center speech and another in Buffalo on Monday, took several digs at the lawmakers, but primarily ignored them.