The Times reports:
“Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo intends to take a lead role in a broad campaign pressing for a crackdown on the improper dealing of firearms, swerving into national politics on an issue that has caused him some political heartburn in New York but has become a defining subject of the 2016 presidential campaign …”
Two things:
- Gun control is not a defining subject in the presidential campaign by any stretch of the imagination.
- By political heartburn they mean effectively ending Andrew’s presidential aspirations.
“… Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, has pledged to throw his weight behind the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, one of the country’s most prominent gun control groups, in an as-yet-unannounced effort demanding that the Justice Department more closely scrutinize so-called bad apple gun merchants, according to people familiar with the campaign …”
This just shows how out of touch Cuomo is. The Brady’s were long ago supplanted by Bloomberg/Everytown.
“… “The political climate is right again for action,” said Mr. Cuomo, who has endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for president. He added, “The appetite is there, I think, in the presidential election, especially in the Democratic primary but also in the general election.” …”
His delusions on the issue are what got him in trouble in the first place. If he wants to advise Hillary on it more power to him.
“… To start, Mr. Cuomo will be among the chief signatories of a letter to Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, to be released as early as next week, urging the Justice Department to punish what the Brady Campaign describes as a small fraction of gun dealers who sell an overwhelming share of weapons used to commit crimes. He has promised to lobby other governors around the country to join in the push …”
This would probably be more effective if Cuomo were thought of a national political leader in general, not just gun control. I don’t see more than a handful of other governors going along with him.
“… In addition to an emerging group of governors lobbying for federal action, the Brady Campaign also intends to enlist prominent mayors and police chiefs in related initiatives …”
Mayor Bloomberg has been trying this for years and it has not worked out too well. Stealing ideas from him is all the Brady’s have left.
“… It is unclear what Mr. Cuomo’s deeper participation in gun politics, at the national level, might mean in New York, where his stance on gun control has cost him votes. His popularity plunged across rural areas upstate after he signed the Safe Act … “There’s no doubt it cost me popularity,” Mr. Cuomo said on Thursday, adding that on this particular issue, “the polls don’t matter.” …”
Sure they do. That is why Cuomo is not included in any ’16 presidential polls.
