It's somewhat ironic that Governor Cuomo attacked the state of political reporting in a column that could only be read online.

In a biting Op-Ed that appeared on the Washington Post's website, the governor posed 35 rhetorical questions about the state of politics, and took particular aim at the social media site Twitter, about which the Governor asks, "When did political debate become reduced to 280 characters on Twitter?"

Cuomo then made two media appearances to discuss his critique, first on CNN, then WAMC public radio in Albany where he continued to rail against Twitter.

"This is how Trump was elected. The degradation of the system. He had celebrity so that got people's attention," the governor said.

Cuomo was then asked about a New York Times article from Friday that claimed tensions between Cuomo and Transit Authority head Andy Byford had deteriorated to the point that the two men have not spoken since January. The article said Byford even considered quitting. Cuomo disputed the story, but confirmed the part about the two not speaking.

"It's sad to me in many ways to see what happened to the New York Times,” said Cuomo. “They have to sell newspapers, and I understand that. Why haven't I spoken to the New York City Transit Head since January? Because I was in Albany negotiating the budget."

Cuomo's use of the word "sad" to describe the New York Times was nearly identical to attacks on the paper from President Trump, the man he set out to criticize in the op-ed.

"Calling the New York Times sad? We've already seen that from the President,” founder of Seneca Strategies Monica Klein said. “The President loves to attack to the press. He loves to criticize progressives. And that is what the governor is doing."

On Tuesday morning, Trump also criticized the paper, saying on Twitter that it owed him an apology and that it is the "enemy of the people." Trump often disputes the New York Times’ stories and then attacks the paper's credibility, even while sometimes granting it exclusive interviews.

 


The story about Byford and Cuomo appeared on Good Friday before a long holiday weekend, but Cuomo breathed new life into it five days later. As for Biden, who is expected to formally announce he is running for president, Cuomo is expected to endorse him right away. The governor has been saying for weeks that Biden's the best chance for the Democratic party to defeat Trump next year.