Andrew Cuomo managed to virus-shame and fat-shame -- all in one press briefing

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New York Gov. Cuomo criticizes President Trump's 'ego' amid pandemic

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., reacts to the two New Yorkers' spats on 'Your World'

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday drew outrage for shaming both those who don’t take coronavirus seriously and those who have a weight problem – all in less than 20 seconds.

The Democratic governor’s gave a daily press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday.  He touted the success of certain New York counties that have dropped to a lower tier of coronavirus cases, crediting restrictions.

In this Nov. 18, photo provided by the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Gov. Cuomo holds a press briefing on the coronavirus in the Red Room at the State Capitol in Albany, N.Y.  (Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo via AP)

But the governor then pivoted and appeared to partially blame the severity of the pandemic on people not abiding by the rules.  

“So, the restrictions work and just to make it very simple: If you socially distanced and you wore a mask and you were smart, none of this would be a problem. It’s all self-imposed. It’s all self-imposed,” he said.

Then, making a comparison, he appeared to fat shame: “If you didn’t eat the cheesecake, you wouldn't have a weight problem.”

The governor’s comments were widely condemned on social media, with one Twitter user putting it succinctly: “If something does not work, it’s your failure for not complying. If it does work, it’s my success.”

Fox News reached out to Cuomo’s office with a request for comment, but did not hear back by publication time. 

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The comments come just days after the governor angered state Republicans and other critics with a speech he gave calling on Americans to admit "mistakes." But detractors said he failed to take responsibility for thousands of deaths at nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"The key is to be strong and secure, to admit your mistakes and admit your shortcomings," Cuomo said during a speech at Riverside Church in New York on Sunday. "Don't get defensive. Denying the mistake only assures repeating the mistake." 

Earlier this year, when New York was among the top ranked states in terms of coronavirus cases, Cuomo mandated that COVID-19 patients be sent to nursing homes from hospitals.

Per the governor’s mandate, nursing homes were required to take in patients so long as they were medically stable. The homes were further prohibited from testing incoming residents for the virus before they arrived.

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Between March 25 and May, more than 6,300 COVID-positive patients were admitted to nursing homes, according to a report from the New York state health department. The high number of admitted patients has been widely blamed for the state’s official care-home death toll of more than 6,600.