Late last month, NBC political director Chuck Todd threw his usual hissy fit when addressing the topic of liberal bias in the media during an interview with The Verge. But in the wake of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s (D-NY) surprise resignation on Tuesday, Todd thanked the governor for making upcoming elections easier for Democrats and for not dragging New York Democrats through an impeachment process. He even hyped the idea that Cuomo could return to office in as little as three years.
Todd launched into his praise for Cuomo on NBC Nightly News after anchor Lester Holt asked him, “what does this mean for the Democratic Party in New York and nationally?” “Well, it's a big sigh of relief both for Democrats in New York and for Democrats nationally. Cuomo a national brand name. He had the ability to drag this out,” he replied.
He went on to warn that Cuomo had the ability to be an albatross around the necks of Democrats in the midterms if he had tried to stay and fight. “It could have sullied Democrats up and down the ballot, could have cost them a couple of House seats, which could cost them control of Congress,” Todd said.
And he was clearly relieved, praising Cuomo for putting “the party before himself.” “And now the Democrats have the rest of this calendar year to regroup. So, while he's not been an asset to the Democratic Party for a year, on this move he actually helped the party and put the party before himself,” Todd touted.
Earlier in the day, Todd was speaking to MSNBC host and Democratic Party fan girl, Andrea Mitchell and suggested that Cuomo could return to politics relatively quickly.
“The resignation gives him – we know the way our world works. It's amazing. The people we've seen make political comebacks. You can't ever rule it out,” he opined. “And I think he realized he could become a pariah in the Democratic Party for sticking it out and fighting…”
According to him, some Democrats in the State Assembly might be thankful for Cuomo as he's ridding them of having to go through an impeachment process. “There was a whole bunch of Assembly Democrats that didn't want to go through this process, didn't want to have to go through this. There’s a lot of congressional Democrats that are glad he did this,” he argued.
Looking into the future, Todd told Mitchell to expect Cuomo to attempt a comeback in three to five years since political life was all he really knew:
So, he eventually did something that maybe over time will at least give him an opening to maybe, oh, not be a full pariah in the party say in three years, four years, five years. I'm not saying this is about the next year or two, but think about what Andrew Cuomo's done his whole life. He's been basically a professional politician his whole life, either working on campaigns for his father, working in the administration – Clinton administration, or running for office himself. This is all he's known. What would he do without the ability to run for office?
“So, look, I expect in my lifetime, Andrew Cuomo to probably run for office again. What that office is, I don't know, but that's what this resignation tells me today,” Todd predicted.
Chuck Todd’s relief for Democratic Party election prospects on NBC Nightly News was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Liberty Mutual and Flonase. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they fund.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports
August 10, 2021
12:40:44 p.m. EasternANDREA MITCHELL: So, Chuck, this is a big national story. Andrew Cuomo could have been a presidential candidate down the road. And who knows, as you point out, whether this is going be rising from the Phoenix later on, but this is really his only alternative given how united the Assembly was against him.
CHUCK TODD: His career was either permanently over or almost permanently over. And he chose the path of almost permanently over. Right? The resignation gives him – we know the way our world works. It's amazing. The people we've seen make political comebacks. You can't ever rule it out.
And I think he realized he could become a pariah in the Democratic Party for sticking it out and fighting or he can – not saying he will generate good will, but I promise you, there’s a whole bunch of state assembly members that are relieved. Right? There was a whole bunch of Assembly Democrats that didn't want to go through this process, didn't want to have to go through this. There’s a lot of congressional Democrats that are glad he did this.
So, he eventually did something that maybe over time will at least give him an opening to maybe, oh, not be a full pariah in the party say in three years, four years, five years. I'm not saying this is about the next year or two, but think about what Andrew Cuomo's done his whole life. He's been basically a professional politician his whole life, either working on campaigns for his father, working in the administration – Clinton administration, or running for office himself. This is all he's known. What would he do without the ability to run for office?
So, look, I expect in my lifetime, Andrew Cuomo to probably run for office again. What that office is, I don't know, but that's what this resignation tells me today. He wants to live to fight another day.
NBC Nightly News
August 10, 2021
7:04:49 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Let's bring in our political director and moderator of Meet the Press, Chuck Todd. Chuck, what does this mean for the Democratic Party in New York and nationally?
CHUCK TODD: Well, it's a big sigh of relief both for Democrats in New York and for Democrats nationally. Cuomo a national brand name. He had the ability to drag this out. It could have sullied Democrats up and down the ballot, could have cost them a couple of House seats, which could cost them control of Congress.
But now that's not there. And now the Democrats have the rest of this calendar year to regroup. So, while he's not been an asset to the Democratic Party for a year, on this move he actually helped the party and put the party before himself.
HOLT: All right, Chuck Todd. Thanks.
