Fawning over Cuomo shows media wanted to make coronavirus 'political from the start': Strassel

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Media gushed over Cuomo for handling of COVID-19

Fox News contributor Kimberly Strassel reacts to press coverage of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's coronavirus response, which is under fire following a scathing report on the state's nursing home policy.

Fox News contributor Kimberly Strassel marveled Friday that the press had fawned over New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D., in spite of his problematic handling of the pandemic, saying it showed the media wanted to "make this virus political from the start."

Appearing on "The Faulkner Focus," Strassel reacted to a montage of media figures praising Cuomo's coronavirus response and overall leadership over the past year. Cuomo is now under fire after a report from the state's Democratic Attorney General revealed health officials underreported nursing home deaths from COVID-19 by up to 50 percent.

"This is kind of shocking because as you just laid out, it really puts bare the degree to which the media wanted to make this virus political from the start," Strassel said, recalling negative coverage of Republican governors like South Dakota's Kristi Noem and Florida's Ron DeSantis for opening their states and being less restrictive with lockdowns, while Cuomo received "hero worship" from many in the media. 

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Cuomo initially required nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients last March, which he reversed after thousands of deaths in the state were linked to the policy. He blamed the Trump administration for providing the guidance on that front, although former Trump health official Brett Giroir said nursing homes were only recommended to receive COVID-positive patients with proper equipment, training, and protocols available.

Cuomo was slammed for telling CNN and MSNBC this week that "incompetent government kills people."

"He's right," Strassel said. "Incompetent government does kill people, and now we have it in this AG report on his own handling. One that's really important is it's not just that stunning number, which is tragic and horrible, but ongoing questions about what looks to be a coverup."

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Strassel also said the harm of extended lockdowns and the effect of isolated learning on students was part of the "immense damage" Cuomo had done to New York.

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"By any metric, this is almost a case study in how not to handle a pandemic, and yet the press fawns on him," he said.