Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) sat down with CBS’s Charlie Rose for an exclusive interview on CBS This Morning to promote his memoir All Things Possible: Setbacks and Success in Politics and Life.
Throughout the interview, which aired on Tuesday morning, Rose gushed over the New York Democrat and lobbed numerous softball questions at Cuomo before hinting that “I think he would like to be president. I think it's in his blood.”
The promotional interview began with the CBS host declaring Cuomo’s father to be a “liberal icon.” Rose went on to help the New York Democrat promote his life story:
In his book, Andrew Cuomo documents his rise and fall in politics and in life, including his unsuccessful bid for governor in 2002. And a year later his separation from wife Kerry Kennedy. You didn't want a divorce?... And you believed that you could work? You knew you had problems as many marriages have problems?
The CBS host continued to promote Cuomo’s supposed transformation as a politician, especially when it comes to the time he spends with his family:
You knew what a politician was like from your father and his life because he was a politician. Away from home. Away from home at crucial times for you. Do you repeat that yourself if you're a politician, so you're not there and you're distracted and you're not devoting as much time to home as you probably do now?
--
Governor Cuomo also has a nine-year relationship with Sandra Lee of television's Food Network. To find another woman helps you come to grips with what happiness is as well?
The gooey interview didn’t stop with Rose swooning over Cuomo’s work habits:
ROSE: Now running for a second term for governor, Andrew Cuomo is re-establishing a family dynasty in New York politics, though he's had to get used to criticism of his leadership style.
CUOMO: Well you micromanage.
ROSE: Yes, they say that too.
CUOMO: You should delegate more. Hands on, too hands on.
ROSE: Right. And you're not transparent, they say.
CUOMO: Yeah, I know.
ROSE: And they say, you don't suffer fools.
CUOMO: Yeah. And you push too hard.
ROSE: Yeah.
CUOMO: You micromanage.
ROSE: Yes. All of that. Do you plead guilty or not guilty?
CUOMO: You can't have one without the other. I plead guilty. I work very hard.
After the pre-taped interview ended, Rose made sure to throw in one final advertisement for the New York Democrat:
I think he would like to be president. I think it's in his blood. We talked about his father who made a decision on the tarmac not to enter the New Hampshire primary. And many people thought he would. And he was a front-runner at that time. Clearly he thinks about it and it's in his blood.
Rather than play clips of any substantive questions from the interview, the segment conclude with Rose defending Cuomo over allegations that he shut down his own commission for investigating corruption within his administration:
He also talked about some of the political issues, the Moreland Commission that he had after creating, had canceled and he was embarrassed by that and the way it was perceived. So, he’s an interesting man.
See relevant transcript below.
CBS This Morning
October 14, 2014
CHARLIE ROSE: New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo leads his reelection race by 20 points according to one recent poll. So much of the talk in this campaign focuses on what he may do next. The Democrat learned about political power at an early age.
His father’s a liberal icon, three-term New York governor Mario Cuomo. But Andrew Cuomo's first run for office ended in a humbling collapse. It was followed by a very public divorce from the daughter of Robert Kennedy. He covers it all in his new memoir out today. It is called "All Things Possible: Setbacks and Success in Politics and Life.” I spoke with Governor Cuomo at his New York City office for his first national broadcast interview about the book.
ANDREW CUOMO: I had a blessed youth in many ways. And then my career was doing great. I was in Washington. I was one of the youngest cabinet secretaries. I was in the White House, I was flying around on Air Force One. Everything was great. And then it seemed–
ROSE: Married to a Kennedy.
CUOMO: Yep, it seemed like one day I woke up and all of a sudden, everything was terrible. It was living my nightmare. I came back. Came to New York, after a great time in Washington. And I ran for office. The same office that my father held with distinction for 12 years. And it was a disaster.ROSE: You had to withdraw.
CUOMO: Right.
ROSE: In his book, Andrew Cuomo documents his rise and fall in politics and in life, including his unsuccessful bid for governor in 2002. And a year later his separation from wife Kerry Kennedy. You didn't want a divorce?
CUOMO: No.
ROSE: And you believed that you could work? You knew you had problems as many marriages have problems?
CUOMO: You know, denial is a powerful force and I just literally blotted it out. I was sure that I could fix it. I was always, up until that point I had always been successful in fixing things and I was going to fix this. And my wife at the time kept saying I want a divorce. But I just couldn't hear it. And it became real when a reporter said, I'm reporting on it, it’s going to be in the newspaper.
ROSE: You knew what a politician was like from your father and his life because he was a politician. Away from home. Away from home at crucial times for you. Do you repeat that yourself if you're a politician, so you're not there and you're distracted and you're not devoting as much time to home as you probably do now?
CUOMO: I did repeat it early on. And that was a mistake. My girls were born while I was in Washington. I was in the Clinton cabinet, and we were working all the time. I took too much time from my family. I took too much time from my marriage. And I paid for it. I have not made that mistake the second time around.
ROSE: How do you know?
CUOMO: Because I have spent so much time with my daughters that they say please, go to work. Please, don't you have something to do? You're a governor. Can't you please find something to do and leave us alone?
ROSE: Governor Cuomo also has a nine-year relationship with Sandra Lee of television's Food Network. To find another woman helps you come to grips with what happiness is as well?
CUOMO: Yes.
ROSE: Now running for a second term for governor, Andrew Cuomo is re-establishing a family dynasty in New York politics, though he's had to get used to criticism of his leadership style.
CUOMO: Well you micromanage.
ROSE: Yes, they say that too.
CUOMO: You should delegate more. Hands on, too hands on.
ROSE: Right. And you're not transparent, they say.
CUOMO: Yeah, I know.
ROSE: And they say, you don't suffer fools.
CUOMO: Yeah. And you push too hard.
ROSE: Yeah.
CUOMO: You micromanage.
ROSE: Yes. All of that. Do you plead guilty or not guilty?
CUOMO: You can't have one without the other. I plead guilty. I work very hard.
ROSE: You know, you say to people, if there's something about Andrew Cuomo you don't like, Andrew Cuomo, the Governor of New York says, it is only because I am the way I am that we've had the success we've had. That's what you said.
CUOMO: Yes, I believe that. I believe that. I'm not sitting on a beach in the south of France saying, go ahead, guys, you run it. Good luck. I'm a delegator.
ROSE: Yeah, but I mean that's where you come from. That's your tradition.
CUOMO: That's who I am. It’s what I told the people of this state.
NORAH O’DONNELL: Of course, he's up for re-election. Do you think he runs for president?
ROSE: I think he would like to be president. I think it's in his blood. We talked about his father who made a decision on the tarmac not to enter the New Hampshire primary. And many people thought he would. And he was a front-runner at that time. Clearly he thinks about it and it's in his blood. He also talked about some of the political issues, the Moreland Commission that he had after creating, had canceled and he was embarrassed by that and the way it was perceived. So, he’s an interesting man.
JANE PAULEY: Charlie, had his father written a book?
ROSE: He has, yes.
PAULEY: I mean, before -- what I'm getting at is, do you write a book because you're thinking about your future in the White House?
ROSE: Frequently people do, it becomes the campaign narrative. Hillary Clinton just wrote a book about her previous four years.
O’DONNELL: Sure.
ROSE: What's interesting is the relationship between the two of them. They still talk all the time, yet, they are very different people.
O’DONNELL: Yeah, great interview. Great interview.
— Jeffrey Meyer is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Jeffrey Meyer on Twitter. [1]