The Love Gov
By Doreen Munsie
I started seeing him on March 11 and nearly every day for the next 111 days. My husband asked, “What do you see in that guy?” or more accurately, “Why are you watching that?” My daughter just put in earphones and kept working on her computer.
But I was not alone. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s daily briefings were “must-watch” events for millions stuck at home during the coronavirus “pause”. While New York State’s population numbers under 20 million people, his briefings received 59 million online views.
The three-term Democrat’s approval ratings soared to nearly 90%. A dating guru declared him “New York’s most eligible bachelor.” He inspired an array of Cuomo-branded merchandise with one website offering over 600 items. Admirers of all orientations called themselves “#Coumosexuals,” and he was dubbed, “The Love Gov”.
Some found an intelligent, regular guy who talks about family, appealing. He reminisced about the lessons he learned from his father and former state governor, quoted his grandfather, and spoke adoringly of his mother. He teared up when he revealed his brother was infected with Covid-19. He gave us glimpses into his fatherly philosophy. Regarding his daughters’ choices in beaus, he advised dads to always say, “I like the boyfriend” — even if they don’t.
A credible speaker with a generally respectful tone, he gave daily updates on pandemic status, included frank numbers and facts that identified the need to secure more ventilators, hospital beds, PPE, and front-line medical personnel.
He spurred action. Rallying efforts to secure what New York needed, motivating people to wear masks, and prompting 30,000 out-of-state volunteers to step forward to help. He initiated a regional consortium to get federal organizations to focus on local needs. New York went from the state with the highest infection rate in the country to the lowest.
