Politics

Andrew Cuomo Shames Ron DeSantis: ‘You Played Politics With The Virus And You Lost’

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Virginia Kruta Associate Editor
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Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo criticized Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, accusing him of “playing politics” with the coronavirus pandemic.

Cuomo, who appeared Thursday morning on CNN’s “New Day,” discussed his decision to call for anyone visiting New York from a state that was experiencing a spike in coronavirus cases to observe a 14-day self-quarantine. (RELATED: New York To Mandate 14-Day Quarantine For Travelers From States With ‘Significant Community Spread Of COVID’)

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Host Alisyn Camerota began by reminding Cuomo that when New York had been the hot spot, DeSantis had not been in favor of allowing people to travel from there to Florida.

“Remember when Florida did this to New Yorkers and I remember you being not so pleased and calling it political at that time. So what’s different now?” Camerota asked.

“Oh, it’s still highly political. Look, I said the same thing for three months,” Cuomo replied, adding, “I said we’re playing politics with the virus and the virus is going to win. It was all politics and the virus — you can’t beat a virus with politics. The virus isn’t Democratic or Republican.”

Cuomo went on to claim that New York had only been successful in bringing down the number of cases because they had relied on the science rather than the politics. “We don’t want to go back,” he added.

“So what do you say to [DeSantis] today now that the tables have turned?” Camerota asked.

“Oh, I say to them all look at the numbers. You played politics with the virus and you lost,” Cuomo replied, adding that he didn’t understand the mathematics behind claims that increased testing had led to at least some of the increase in reported cases.

“It was never politics. It was always science,” Cuomo continued. “And they were in denial and denial is not a life strategy.”

Cuomo concluded by pointing to the increase in hospitalizations, saying that was proof that some of the states had opened too early for political reasons.