Joe Biden late on Sunday was finally forced to offer an opinion on the Andrew Cuomo scandal as it spirals out of control. But the networks on Monday allowed mere seconds to his lame, calculated reply, one that really said nothing. ABC, CBS and NBC devoted just 51 seconds total (within larger stories on the Democrat) to Biden’s take on his scandal-ridden friend.
Here’s the sum total of the President’s comments on Sunday: “I think the investigation is underway, and we should see what it brings us.” Rather than call that a slimy non-answer, Good Morning America allowed a scant eight seconds on Biden in their 43 second total story on Cuomo. Reporter Stephanie Ramos sounded like a Democratic operative: “President Biden asked over the weekend whether Cuomo should resign, and he agreed we should wait to see the investigation's outcome.”
NBC’s Today managed just 11 seconds on Biden’s reply. Reporter Anne Thompson parroted, “President Joe Biden urging patience.” To her credit, she did highlight other Democrats, using tough language to describe the Governor: “This morning, Andrew Cuomo stands alone, increasingly a political pariah in New York and the nation.” The NBC segment in total was three minutes and one second.
CBS This Morning offered the most focus on Biden: 32 seconds out of a two minute and six second story. Before playing the brief clip of Biden, co-host Gayle King offered only mild curiosity about whether the President of the United States would weigh in:
GAYLE KING: Many people are wondering if the White House was going to weigh in.
JERICKA DUNCAN: Stepping off Marine One, the president said that Democrats should wait and see.
REPORTER: Do you think Governor Andrew Cuomo should resign?
JOE BIDEN: I think the investigation is underway, and we should see what it brings us.
CBS’s Jericka Duncan waited to the very end of her segment to mention the latest damning evidence against Cuomo. His vaccine czar is allegedly pressuring local officials to support the Governor at the risk of slower vaccinations:
But according to The Washington Post, New York's Vaccine Czar, Larry Schwartz, has been phoning local officials in order to gauge their loyalty to the Governor. According to the report, one official believed getting vaccines to his area could suffer if Schwartz was not pleased with his response. And the Governor's office and Schwartz deny that the Governor did anything wrong. Schwartz told the Post that when he made those calls, it was not in his role as a vaccine czar but only as Cuomo's friend.
Good Morning America skipped this part of the story. Today’s Thompson, however, noted it: “And this morning, reports that Cuomo’s vaccine czar has been calling county executives to gauge their loyalty to the Governor. The New York Times and Washington Post reporting one executive was so upset by the call, the person filed an ethics complaint with the state attorney general’s office.”
The lack of interest in Biden's lame reply on CBS This Morning was sponsored by Neutrogena. On ABC’s Good Morning America, it was Hyundai and on NBC’s Today it was Volvo. Click on the links to let them know what you think.
Transcripts are below. Click “expand” to read more.
CBS This Morning
3/15/2021
7:16 AM ETGAYLE KING: President Biden has weighed in for the first time on the scandal surrounding New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who faces multiple allegations of sexual harassment. Many Democrats say Cuomo should resign and resign now. Our national correspondent, Jericka Duncan, is following thi story. Good morning to you. Many people are wondering if the White House was going to weigh in.
JERICKA DUNCAN: Stepping off Marine One, the president said that Democrats should wait and see.
REPORTER: Do you think Governor Andrew Cuomo should resign?
JOE BIDEN: I think the investigation is underway, and we should see what it brings us.
DUNCAN: Some lawmakers want action now. So far, 18 New York congressional Democrats have called for Cuomo to resign, including New York senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.
SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND: It’s clear that Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of his governing partners as well as the people of New York.
DUNCAN: On Friday, a seventh woman accused the Governor of sexual harassment. In a personal essay, Jennifer Bakeman writes that she didn't think the Governor wanted to have sex with her, but that he wanted her to know she was powerless. The former Albany reporter says there were multiple occasions where Governor Cuomo put his hands on her arms, shoulders, the small of her back, and her waist in view of colleagues. On Friday, the Governor again denied the claims that he inappropriately touched anyone.
CUOMO: I never harassed anyone. I never abused anyone. I never assaulted anyone. And I never would, right?
DUNCAN; He's adamant that it is not affecting his ability to govern at a critical time for the state. But according to The Washington Post, New York's Vaccine Czar, Larry Schwartz, has been phoning local officials in order to gauge their loyalty to the Governor. According to the report, one official believed getting vaccines to his area could suffer if Schwartz was not pleased with his response. And the governor's office and Schwartz deny that the Governor did anything wrong. Schwartz told the Post that when he made those calls, it was not in his role as a vaccine czar but only as Cuomo's friend. Tony?
Today
03/15/217:11 AM
HODA KOTB: Also this morning, demands are growing for embattled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign after new allegations of inappropriate behavior toward women emerged over the weekend. His support is crumbling among the state’s top Democrats. And now, President Biden is weighing in. NBC’s Anne Thompson is at the New York State Capitol in Albany. Hey, Anne, good morning.
ANNE THOMPSON: Good morning, Hoda. Governor Cuomo is digging in, determined to stay in office until the investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against him is complete. This despite a cascade of demands from politicians, many fellow Democrats, saying that he needs to step down for the good of the state.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New Calls on Cuomo to Resign; More Accusations as Biden Urges “Patience” In First Comments]
This morning, Andrew Cuomo stands alone, increasingly a political pariah in New York and the nation. In his first comments on the scandal, President Joe Biden urging patience.
JOE BIDEN: I think the investigation is underway, and we should see what it brings us.
THOMPSON: But many aren’t willing to wait. This morning, almost all of the state’s Democratic congress-people are calling on Cuomo to go. Along with its two U.S. Senators, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.
SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND [D-NY]: Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of his governing partners, as well as the people of New York.
THOMPSON: Cuomo says he’s not going anywhere.
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO [D-NY]: People know the difference between playing politics, bowing to cancel culture, and the truth. Let the review proceed. I’m not going to resign.
THOMPSON: Ratcheting up the pressure on the 63-year-old Governor, two more younger women who, last week, said he had been inappropriate with them, bringing the total to seven.
CUOMO: It’s very simple. I never harassed anyone. I never abused anyone. I never assaulted anyone.
THOMPSON: The seventh accuser, journalist Jessica Bakeman. In a new first-person account in New York magazine, Bakeman describes how the Governor physically touched her while she covered him in 2014, writing, “He uses touching and sexual innuendo to stoke fear in us. That is the textbook definition of sexual harassment.” Asked about Bakeman’s allegations, the Governor’s office referred us to his earlier denials.
And this morning, reports that Cuomo’s vaccine czar has been calling county executives to gauge their loyalty to the Governor. The New York Times and Washington Post reporting one executive was so upset by the call, the person filed an ethics complaint with the state attorney general’s office.
Now, Cuomo’s vaccine czar, Larry Schwartz, tells The Washington Post that he didn’t do anything wrong. In the meantime, this week, we should get a better idea of just what the timeline will be for the state assembly’s impeachment investigation and the investigators appointed by the attorney general will interview accuser Charlotte Bennett. Hoda?
KOTB: Alright, Anne Thompson for us in Albany. Anne, thank you.
Good Morning America
3/15/2021
7:11 AM ETMICHAEL STRAHAN: Now we’re going to go to the escalating political crisis with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who is facing growing calls for his resignation by members of his own party as another woman accuses him of inappropriate conduct. Stephanie Ramos is outside the New York City office with the latest this morning. Good morning, Stephanie.
STEPHANIE RAMOS: Good morning, Michael. It was business as usual for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, this weekend releasing statements about the the Covid vaccine all while a seventh woman came forward accusing him of inappropriate behavior. Her name is Jessica Bakeman. She's a former statehouse reporter in Albany, and she wrote in New York magazine while posing for a photo at a holiday party at the Governor's mansion in 2014, he grabbed her hand, asked if she felt uncomfortable, and he thought they were going steady. Seven women have now accused the Governor of either sexual harassment or inappropriate touching. Cuomo has denied ever touching anyone inappropriately, for weeks asking New Yorkers to wait for the attorney general's investigation before forming an opinion. President Biden asked over the weekend whether Cuomo should resign, and he agreed we should wait to see the investigation's outcome.
STRAHAN: And Stephanie, many lawmakers have already made up their mind that Cuomo should resign.
RAMOS: They have, Michael. 16 out of the 19 house Democrats in New York's delegation have called on Cuomo to resign. Both New York senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand initially said an independent investigation into the allegations against Cuomo was essential, but they are also saying he should step down. Cuomo has called that move, resigning before an investigation is complete, anti-democratic. Michael?
