While Andrew Cuomo has a positive approval rating there is no real intensity to that approval. Only 37 human beings actually like him enough to have given him any money in July, two months before his primary. Panhandlers in Times Square get more donors in a day. That's just not intense. It is, in fact, pathetic.
'Approval' is just misleading in his case. It is too coarse a measure. And - as word of his bullying shutdown of the Moreland Commission circulates, even his 'approval' is slipping.
All the approval number tells us is that he is at least superficially acceptable to voters. He's not Eliot Spitzer. He's not David Patterson. Ads promoting New York and Cuomo are always running. People are aware of him.
But there is no actual intensity in his 'approval' ratings among New York's voters. They don't like him enough to give him money. They sort of accept his presence. They don't yet see any alternative.
That may change. Zephyr Teachout is a credible progressive Democratic alternative to Andrew Cuomo. Yesterday she defeated his bullying attempt to keep her off the New York Democratic Primary Ballot. Today the New York Times called for Democratic Primary Debates between Teachout and Cuomo. (Editorial: "A Teachout Moment") Her candidacy needs your advocacy.
(This is an update of my last diary: Nobody Likes Andrew Cuomo)
Thirty-seven donors in the period from July 12 to August 4. That's just sad. Makes me want to send him a card or something. Maybe get him a coupon for a vacation at Bebe Rebozos, I don't know.
Zephyr Teachout - his almost unknown challenger - had well over 300 donors in the same period. She's the real deal. She's making campaign appearances across the state - when Cuomo isn't even taking questions from the press but once a week. Cuomo's bullying scared off all known New York politicians, so we only have a Rumsfieldian dilemma before us - (a known known, and an unknown).
But Teachout- a nationally respected law professor - said she'd ban fracking on day 1 of her administration, work for fair public school funding, and publicly financed campaigns across the state. She's impressive on the air - Chris Hayes has had her on.
Now of course Cuomo raised more money in July. His already at $30 Million war chest symbolizes how immoral the system is - huge contributions from the super rich and people who want to do business with New York State. He's the governor of the 1%.
And no elected democrat has defended his abrupt, cynical, and possibly illegal shutdown of the Moreland commission. Senator Gillibrand 'doesn't know enough'; NYC Mayir de Blasio: 'Not familiar with the details'. Etc, etc. Democratic elected officials don't like Andrew Cuomo either.
There are 28 days until the primary.
Tell your friends to learn more about Teachout. She's for campaign finance reform. She's against fracking. She's for fair funding for public schools, not privatization.
Tell your elected representatives you want to see a debate.
Tell your newspaper and TV stations, you want a debate and you want to see them ask him if he is going to Israel right now to avoid a debate.
Nobody likes Andrew Cuomo; there is an alternative but we need to spread the word.