Mario Cuomo
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| Mario Cuomo | |
 Governor Cuomo speaking at a rally, June 1991 |
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52nd Governor of New York
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| In office January 1, 1983 – December 31, 1994 |
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| Lieutenant | (1) Alfred DelBello (1983-1985) (2) Warren Anderson (1985-1986) (3) Stan Lundine (1987-1994) |
| Preceded by | Hugh L. Carey |
| Succeeded by | George E. Pataki |
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| Born | June 15, 1932 Queens, New York |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Matilda Cuomo |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Mario Matthew Cuomo (born Queens, New York, June 15, 1932) served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994. Cuomo became nationally known for [2] his keynote speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention and the subsequent speculation over the next decade that he might run for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States.
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[edit] Early life
He was born in the New York City borough of Queens from a family of Italian origin (his father, Andrea Cuomo was from Nocera Inferiore). His mother was Immacolata. Mario's family owned a store in south Jamaica, Queens. He attended P.S. 50 and later earned his bachelor's degree in 1953 and law degree in 1956 from St. John's University. He was signed and played in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system until he was injured when a ball hit his head, and subsequently became a scout for the team.
[edit] Political career
He first became a household name in and around New York City in the late 1960s when he represented residents of Queens' Forest Hills section when they opposed the construction of a public-housing development in that neighborhood, which has a high per-capita income and is famous for being the site of the Forest Hills Tennis Center. He ran for lieutenant governor in 1974 but was not elected. He was appointed New York Secretary of State by Governor Hugh Carey in 1975.
Cuomo was defeated by Ed Koch in the 1977 Democratic primary for the New York City mayoral election, but was nevertheless nominated by the Liberal Party. On the Liberal ticket in the general election, Cuomo once again lost narrowly to Koch. Cuomo was elected lieutenant governor on Carey's ticket in 1978. He became governor in 1982, defeating Koch in the 1982 Democratic primary and Republican businessman Lewis Lehrman in the general election, and won election for three consecutive terms, serving until 1995.
Cuomo gave the keynote speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco, and media reports speculated during several presidential election campaigns that he might run for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States, but Cuomo always declined to run. Perhaps the closest he came to running was in 1992, when he kept an airplane waiting on the tarmac as he decided whether to fly to New Hampshire to enter that state's primary. [1] He was also spoken of as a candidate for nomination to the United States Supreme Court, but when President Bill Clinton was considering nominees during his first term to replace the retiring Byron White, Cuomo stated he was not interested in the office.[2] Because of Cuomo's refusal to take up the party's banner for national office despite his popularity within the liberal wing of the Democratic party during the 1980s and 1990s, his name has in some circles become a metaphor for a reluctant political leader.
In 1994, Cuomo ran for a fourth term. In this election, Republicans attacked him for his opposition to the death penalty by highlighting the case of Arthur Shawcross (a multiple murderer convicted of manslaughter who was paroled from New York in 1987 and on release became a serial killer). Republicans were able to associate Shawcross with Cuomo much like Willie Horton with Michael Dukakis six years earlier.
Cuomo was defeated by George Pataki in the 1994 Republican landslide that also unseated Texas Governor Ann Richards, and brought a Republican majority to the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. (Cuomo and Richards appeared in a humorous television commercial for Doritos shortly afterward, in which they discussed the "sweeping changes" occurring. The changes they are discussing turn out to be the new Doritos packaging.)
A March 2007 Marist College poll of 641 registered voters were asked whether they thought various governors were good. Governor Cuomo, a Democrat, received a 74 percent favorable rating, above those received by Governors Pataki, Carey and Rockefeller. The Marist Poll Director said "When people reflect, people look back and say: 'Mario Cuomo, pretty good governor.' "[citation needed]
[edit] Views
Cuomo is notable for his liberal political views, particularly his steadfast opposition to the death penalty, an opinion that was unpopular in New York during the high crime era of the 1980s and early 90s. While governor, he vetoed several bills that would have re-established capital punishment in New York State (the death penalty was in fact reinstated by Pataki the year after he defeated Cuomo in the 1994 election, although it was never put into effect and its statute declared unconstitutional by the New York Court of Appeals in 2004).
On abortion, Cuomo emphasizes his Catholicism as a basis for his personal opposition, yet is unwavering in his pro-choice views, believing that moral decisions should be left to each person to make. He has also been outspoken on what he perceives to be the unfair stereotyping of Italian-Americans. Cuomo also opposed the move of the National Football League's New York Giants and New York Jets to the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, choosing instead to attend the home games of the Buffalo Bills while serving as Governor, referring to the Bills as "New York State's only team." Cuomo is a strong proponent of social welfare.
[edit] Family and personal life
Cuomo's elder son, Andrew Cuomo, was married to Kerry Kennedy (divorced in 2003), the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel. He served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Bill Clinton from 1997-2001. In an attempt to succeed his father, he ran as Democratic candidate for New York Governor in 2002 but withdrew before the primary after making ill-advised criticisms of Republican incumbent George Pataki's leadership after the terrorist attacks on the city on 9/11 the previous year. He remained on the ballot as Liberal Party candidate but received only a very small percentage of the vote as Pataki was re-elected. In November 2006, Andrew Cuomo was elected New York State Attorney General, replacing Eliot Spitzer, who was elected Governor of New York.
Cuomo's younger son, Chris Cuomo, is a journalist on the ABC Network newsmagazine Primetime and on Good Morning America. He was picked as one of People Magazine's 50 Sexiest People in 1997.
Cuomo's daughter, Maria Cuomo Cole, is married to Kenneth Cole, the famous New York fashion designer.
Cuomo is an avid player of fantasy baseball. He always has an Italian player on his team, regardless of how many Italian players are available or how well they are doing.[3]
Cuomo is the author of Why Lincoln Matters (2004) and sits on the Advisory Council of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.
In 1996, he wrote Reason to Believe. He also wrote a Narrative Essay entitled, "Achieving the American Dream" about his parents struggles coming to America and how they prospered.
Barnard College at its 1983 commencement ceremonies awarded Cuomo its highest honor, the Barnard Medal of Distinction.
Cuomo is currently of counsel at the New York law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
[edit] References
- ^ Gitell, Sam. "New Hampshire Factor." New York Sun, 26 September 2006. Joe Klein's roman à clef Primary Colors depicts a fictionalized Cuomo's uncertainty on whether to run.
- ^ Sack, Kevin. "CUOMO ANNOUNCES HE IS NOT SEEKING SEAT ON HIGH COURT." The New York Times, 8 April 1993. George Stephanopoulos wrote in 1999 that Clinton came within 15 minutes of nominating Cuomo before the latter preemptively rejected the post.[1]
- ^ Walker, Sam: "Fantasyland: A Season on Baseball's Lunatic Fringe" Viking, 2006
[edit] External links
- Support Governor Cuomo for President in 2008 website
- Text, Audio, and Video of Cuomo's 1984 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address - "A Tale of Two Cities"
- Text and Audio of Cuomo's Address at the University of Notre Dame -- "Religious Belief and Public Morality"
- Lewis Lehrman 1982 NY Governor Campaign Retrospective. Lehrman narrowly lost to Mario Cuomo (51% to 48%)
- Biography at Willkie Farr & Gallagher website
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John J. Ghezzi |
Secretary of State of New York 1975 – 1978 |
Succeeded by Basil Paterson |
| Preceded by Albert Blumenthal |
Liberal Nominee for Mayor of New York City 1977 |
Succeeded by Mary Codd |
| Preceded by Maryanne Krupsak |
Lieutenant Governor of New York 1979 – 1982 |
Succeeded by Alfred DelBello |
| Preceded by Hugh L. Carey |
Governor of New York 1983 – 1994 |
Succeeded by George E. Pataki |
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