Ed Cox hits Trump remarks by Andrew Cuomo, Bill de Blasio
Ed Cox, chairman of the New York Republican State Committee, speaks at the New York Delegation breakfast at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, on Monday, July 18, 2016. Credit: Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.
ALBANY — Democratic Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo warned President-elect Donald Trump he would stand up with progressives against the Republican’s hard-line policies. Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told Trump he will stand by those fearing Trump’s policies.
On Monday, state Republican Chairman Ed Cox called them “two scorpions in a bottle” vying for the 2020 Democratic nomination in the kind of heated rhetoric that is marking the days since Trump upset Democrat Hillary Clinton to win the White House.
“We have witnessed … a naked and unseemly fight to position themselves to be the 2020 Democratic nominee for president,” Cox said Monday. “These two scorpions in a bottle are each trying to outdo one another with slanderous fearmongering hyperbole, rather than focusing on their respective jobs running New York State and New York City.
“Both officials need a strong working relationship with the federal government and with each suffering from low job approval ratings, they should get back to working on behalf of New York’s citizens, not their own political ambitions,” Cox said.
Said Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi: “Only Ed Cox can call standing up for the rights of New Yorkers divisive. He should really leave the country club once in a while.”
Cuomo and de Blasio have used a similar rhetoric more common in campaigning to make their points:
For instance, Cuomo said Sunday that “We will stand up and say, ‘You try pull us apart and we will stand stronger for each other.’ We will stand up and say, ‘Yes we are black, white and brown — but we are one.’ ”
On Monday, de Blasio hammered home his message with:
“To all Latinos who heard their culture denigrated — we stand by you. To all the African Americans who heard their history denied — we stand by you. To all the women who heard their rights being threatened — we stand by you ... ”
Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.
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