Andrew Cuomo supporters quietly angling him for 2020 vice president gig
WANDERING DAGO INC v. John Does, 1–5, New York State Office of General Services, New York Racing Association, Inc., Christopher K. Kay, Stephen Travers, State of New York, Defendants.
United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit.
WANDERING DAGO, INC., Plaintiff–Appellant, v. RoAnn M. DESTITO, Joseph J. Rabito, William F. Bruso, Jr., Aaron Walters, Defendants–Appellees, John
Does, 1–5, New York State Office of General Services, New York Racing Association, Inc., Christopher K. Kay, Stephen Travers, State of New York, Defendants.
Does, 1–5, New York State Office of General Services, New York Racing Association, Inc., Christopher K. Kay, Stephen Travers, State of New York, Defendants.
Docket No. 16-622
Decided: January 03, 2018
Plaintiff-appellant Wandering Dago, Inc., (“WD”) operates a food truck and brands itself and the food it sells with language generally viewed as ethnic slurs. Defendants-appellees (“defendants”)1 are officials within the New York State Office of General Services (“OGS”) who played a part in twice denying WD's applications to participate as a food vendor in the Summer Outdoor Lunch Program (“Lunch Program”), an activity that is organized by OGS and takes place in Albany's Empire State Plaza annually in the summer months. WD contends that defendants violated its rights to free speech and equal protection under the United States Constitution and the New York State Constitution by denying WD's application because of its branding practices.
Could Joe Biden benefit from a little Cuomentum?
People close to Gov. Andrew Cuomo certainly think so and are engaging in a furious behind-the-scenes campaign to tout his leadership during the COVID-19 outbreak and appeal to Team Biden, insiders say.
“Biden bundlers have told me that they are feeling pressure from Cuomo’s orbit to, at the very least, have the vice president bring him up in complimentary ways regarding his handling of the crisis,” said one New York Democratic operative regularly in touch with big Biden donors. They seek to “keep the dust up” and “generate a positive whisper campaign” — potentially even netting Cuomo a spot on the 2020 Democratic ticket with Biden.
For his part, the governor has strenuously denied any interest in the job. “I don’t want to be vice president,” he told Albany radio host Alan Chartock last week.
A former senior Cuomo staffer dismissed that, telling The Post the 62-year-old Cuomo “definitely” has national aspirations and would jump at being Biden’s running mate.
“If given the opportunity there is no question in my mind he would want to go for that,” the ex-staffer said. “This is the Cuomo playbook. Keep out there, publicly deny, work behind the scenes.”
Most party bigs still consider the odds of Biden tapping Cuomo as slim. It would create a geographically limited ticket with two northeasterners, and Biden has publicly promised to nominate a woman for the job — which opinion polls say was a popular move.
Yet the Dem insider said the bundlers — a rarified circle of mega-donors who can also corral big bucks from others — were being hit up to position Cuomo for the veep spot now, or put him in play for the 2024 presidential race.
“The people that work for Andrew Cuomo are not wasting one second of the coronavirus,” the insider continued. “[They’re] talking Cuomo up to the bundlers in the hopes that they bring it back to Biden’s people. … It’s all very calculated.”
With Biden, 77, widely expected to serve no more than a term if elected, the 2024 race could be a freewheeling, wide-open contest for both parties. Cuomo would be a comparatively cherubic 66 then, and would be even better positioned if he could finagle his way onto the ticket now.
As pillars of the Democratic establishment, Biden and Cuomo enjoy a long and solid relationship. The governor backed Biden back in April 2019 — pointedly overlooking the campaigns of Empire State colleagues Mayor de Blasio and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
Ex-Cuomo hands are also finding their way into Biden’s campaign.
Cuomo’s longtime finance director and senior advisor, Jennifer Bayer Michaels, signed on to oversee New York fundraising for Biden’s super PAC in November. Jessica Lucia, another longtime Cuomoite, is now Biden’s national design director. Rachel Niemerski, Cuomo’s former organizing director, is now Biden’s organization director for California.
It may be working.
“I think [Cuomo] is doing a hell of a job,” Biden told MSNBC on March 24. “I think he’s been the lead horse here. I’ve talked to him frequently. He is a friend. I think he’s doing a great job. I really mean it.”
Cuomo has seen his national profile rise dramatically as New York City became the center of the COVID-19 epidemic. A Siena College Research Institute poll released Monday found that 87% of New Yorkers approved of Cuomo’s handling of the crisis. The hashtag #PresidentCuomo routinely zips around Twitter after his regular press conferences.
A CAPS/Harris national poll this week found 45% of Americans held a favorable opinion of Cuomo, just three points behind Trump’s 48% in the same survey.
Cuomo had already taken public steps toward running for a fourth term as governor in 2022, surpassing the three-term legacy of his father Mario.
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