US News

Gov. Cuomo says White House race is ‘gut check election’ for America

CHARLOTTE – Uttering rhetorical flourishes that echoed his father, Gov. Cuomo slammed the GOP ticket and presented a case for President Obama’s re-election.

“This an election when the country is going to take a long look in the mirror. This a gut check election,” Cuomo said in a speech to the New York delegation.

“We’re going to say, “do you believe in the politics of inclusion? Do you believe in fairness for all? Do you believe in the opportunity for all, that this nation was founded on, is still alive? And our answer is yes!” Cuomo said to applause.

The rhetoric was reminiscent of Mario Cuomo’s “City on a Hill” keynote address at the 1984 convention. Unlike his father, Andrew Cuomo opted to to keep a lower profile role during his first convention as governor.

But he was treated like a national candidate. He spoke in a tent filled with red, white and blue balloons. Security was tight and national media attended.

Cuomo credited Obama with helping dig the country out of a ditch left by Republicans. “People forget. Memories are short,” he said, “People feared there would be a run on the banks.”

“Now (the Republicans) want to present themselves as the savior of the problem,” he said.

“That’s absurd and it’s not going to sell.”

Like his dad, Cuomo trashed taxes cuts for the wealthy as “trickle down” economics of the 1980s. “Been there. It didn’t work. We’re not going back,” he said.

He said Mitt Romney’s blueprint is running mate Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget plan that passed the GOP-run House. He charged the proposals would hurt the middle class and needy.