New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is backtracking after facing national criticism and calls to resign over his comments that pro-life people “have no place”in the state. Cuomo now says it’s “fine” if pro-life people live in New York and he blamed his insensitive comments on the New York City media.
As LifeNews reported Friday, Cuomo said the following:
You have a schism within the Republican Party. … They’re searching to define their soul, that’s what’s going on. Is the Republican party in this state a moderate party or is it an extreme conservative party? That’s what they’re trying to figure out. It’s a mirror of what’s going on in Washington. The gridlock in Washington is less about Democrats and Republicans. It’s more about extreme Republicans versus moderate Republicans.
… You’re seeing that play out in New York. … The Republican Party candidates are running against the SAFE Act — it was voted for by moderate Republicans who run the Senate! Their problem is not me and the Democrats; their problem is themselves. Who are they? Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay? Is that who they are? Because if that’s who they are and they’re the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are.
Cuomo said his words don’t extend to moderate Republicans, such as those in the state Senate, who he believes “have a place in their state.”
The Weekly Standard has more on Cuomo’s backtracking and blaming the media:
Now his office is backtracking and insisting that the governor said “‘it is fine’ to be anti-gun control, and anti-choice – as he respects both positions.”
And they’re attacking the New York Post for highlighting Cuomo’s extreme comments. “The Post can allow any person they want to publish in their paper but if they are to retain any credibility they cannot be entirely reckless with facts and the truth.”
Here’s the full statement:
The New York Post distorted Governor Cuomo’s words yesterday, saying that the Governor said “conservatives should leave New York.” The Governor did not say that, nor does he believe that.
If you read the transcript, it is clear that the Governor was making the observation that an extreme right candidate cannot win statewide because this is a politically moderate state (either moderate Republican or moderate Democratic).
In the same response, the Governor went on to say “it is fine” to be anti-gun control, and anti-choice” – as he respects both positions.
The Post can allow any person they want to publish in their paper but if they are to retain any credibility they cannot be entirely reckless with facts and the truth.
