Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo delivers his daily coronavirus press briefing...

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo delivers his daily coronavirus press briefing in the Red Room of the Capitol on Monday. Credit: Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuo/Darren McGee

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s visit Tuesday to the White House might help him get some support from President Donald Trump for federal funding to help New York’s empty coffers. While the governor met with the president, Congress announced a nearly $500 billion package that did not include any of the additional money Cuomo sought. 

Cuomo’s other big ask was for federal help in commandeering an adequate supply of testing reagents so the state could get moving on the massive amounts of tests that need to be performed before the state can reopen. Cuomo had plans to meet with officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Emergency Management Agency about testing concerns when the surprise offer to meet in the Oval Office was extended. 

While there was some speculation that Cuomo would appear at Trump’s late-afternoon coronavirus briefing, that’s highly unlikely. As for a photo-op from the Oval, Cuomo, as he did in at least four of his recent White House meetings, avoided appearing with the president. That deprived Trump of getting the kind benefit President Barack Obama received during his 2012 reelection campaign when he met with then-Gov. Chris Christie on the Jersey shore after superstorm Sandy.

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