Published 14:46 IST, August 18th 2020
New York Governor accuses Trump of 'division', calls COVID-19 a 'man-made threat'
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo blasted US President Donald Trump for his handling of COVID-19 pandemic and accused him of worsening the division in the society.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo blasted US President Donald Trump for his handling of coronavirus pandemic and accused him of worsening the division in the society. Speaking at virtual Democratic National Convention, Cuomo said that not only the federal government failed to combat the virus, but it also didn't see it coming.
“And our current federal government is dysfunctional and incompetent. It couldn't fight off the virus. In fact, it didn't even see it coming,” the Democrat told the Convention.
Cuomo, who has been responsible for virus response in New York, opined that the White House was still fixated on China when the virus infected the Northeast. He said that the government initially tried to deny the virus, then tried to ignore it, and then tried to politicise it, warning Americans of “man-made threat by our own negligence.”
'That man is Joe Biden'
The New York Governor said that the virus is ricocheting across the United States and the country trails the world in defeating COVID-19. He appealed to the people of the United States to choose a leader who can unify and not divide, saying Americans have learnt hard way how vulnerable they are as a divided society and with an “incompetent government”.
“Now, we need a leader...who can unify, not divide...I know that man. I've worked with that man. I've seen his talent. I've seen his strength. I've seen his pain. And I've seen his heart. That man is Joe Biden,” exclaimed Cuomo.
During the Convention, Michelle Obama launched a scathing attack against Trump, saying he is the ‘wrong’ man for the job. The former first lady of the United States said that she has seen the difficulties of the presidency first hand, adding that one cannot ‘fake’ their way through the job. She went on to argue that Trump has not provided the necessary moral leadership as the country faces crises on multiple fronts.
“Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head...He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is,” she said.
Updated 14:46 IST, August 18th 2020