When it got here to protection of the Andrew Cuomo sexual-harassment scandal, it was a story of two networks this morning. MSNBC’s Morning Joe devoted its whole first half-hour to overlaying the story in all its lurid element. And no fewer than 9 instances, Morning Joe referenced CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, who suggested brother Andrew in the course of the scandal.
Over on CNN’s New Day, the Cuomo section was buried 22 minutes deep into the opening half-hour (aside from teases for the story). And even then, solely a measly 5 minutes had been dedicated to the scandal. Mentions of Chris Cuomo’s involvement? Zero. A measure of how badly CNN needed to bury the story: New Day reported on Barack Obama’s birthday celebration plans earlier than discovering a couple of minutes for the Cuomo scandal.
Amongst different commentators, Morning Joe introduced on Susan Del Percio. And talking of burying issues, in its chyron [see video clip] Morning Joe continued to invoice Del Percio as a “Republican strategist” In actual fact, Del Percio’s most up-to-date “strategery” gig dates again seven years to when she was an advisor to—yup—Democrat Andrew Cuomo!
Whereas Mika Brzezinski launched Del Percio solely as somebody with “expertise in New York politics” with out mentioning her Cuomo connection, it was left to Del Percio herself to later point out that, “I used to be with the governor’s workplace again in 2014.”
That mentioned, when Del Percio received rolling, she completely unloaded on Cuomo. She mentioned there was “no protection” for his actions, and scalded him for opening his video assertion by saying, “this has been very troublesome for me and my household.” Del Percio identified that it is also been very troublesome for not less than 11 different folks—Cuomo’s alleged victims. 
Del Percio branded Cuomo’s video a “shame,” and went on to say that Cuomo’s habits, primarily based on her expertise with him, was “stunning however not shocking.”
Del Percio additionally repeatedly raised Chris Cuomo’s involvement with Andrew. Along with advising Cuomo in the course of the present scandal, Del Percio talked about that in 2014, at a time she was working for Cuomo, Chris [who was already at CNN] was “within the governor’s workplace” in the course of the Moreland Fee mess. That was a fee Cuomo had arrange supposedly to research corruption in New York authorities. However because the New York Occasions reported, Cuomo undermined the fee when it received uncomfortably near implicating . . . Cuomo himself!
Earlier than Del Percio spoke, MSNBC’s John Heilemann opined that “the top is in sight now” for Cuomo. Heilemann went on to explain Chris Cuomo’s entanglement together with his scandal-engulfed brother, and the way that creates “moral points” for Chris at CNN.
Here is a few of Heilemann:
The top is in sight now. The query is how Governor Cuomo decides to go down, and I simply don’t assume there are going to be many individuals round him. One of many few people who might be round him, I feel, is his brother Chris Cuomo. And you understand, we knew about this Chris Cuomo factor. Chris Cuomo received in some bother at CNN when a few of this got here to gentle earlier in the middle of this story. So this isn’t precisely new. However the truth that — I feel lots of people will elevate questions. I don’t assume there’s something mistaken with the governor speaking to his brother. I feel tlisted here are some questions, reputable questions, which have been raised about whether or not a CNN anchor needs to be giving personal recommendation to an elected official, whether or not he is his brother or not. And I feel Chris Cuomo’s been reprimanded for that already. There’s an moral query on that facet of the home.
There was nothing inherently inaccurate in New Day’s brief section. The present did report the accusations in opposition to Cuomo, and depicted him as being very remoted. New Day‘s sins had been ones of omission. In stark distinction with Morning Joe, New Day did not carry on any analysts or commentators to blast Cuomo. This, along with its handy failure to say its personal Chris Cuomo’s involvement. Co-host John Berman ended the section with a bland, “we’re watching.”
Word: Our video clip begins with an amusing second. Joe Scarborough—his tongue buried firmly in his cheek—says “it will need to have harm” NYC Mayor De Blasio to have put out a press release calling on Cuomo to resign or be impeached. In actual fact, De Blasio and Cuomo have been famously feuding for years, and nothing possible provides De Blasio extra pleasure than to view Cuomo’s present predicament. Morning Joe had De Blasio on throughout its second hour to let Hizzoner unload at size on Cuomo.
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Here is the transcript. Click on “broaden” to learn extra.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
8/4/21
6:14 am EDTMIKA BRZEZINSKI: The Mayor of New York Metropolis, Mayor Invoice De Blasio, who’s no fan of the governor, wrote partly, “he should resign, and if he continues to withstand and assault the investigators who did their jobs, he needs to be impeached instantly.”
JOE SCARBOROUGH: [facetiously] You already know that needed to harm the mayor to have to jot down that.
. . .
MIKA: Let’s herald NBC Information and MSNBC nationwide affairs analyst, host and government producer of Showtime’s The Circus, and host of the Hell and Excessive Water podcast from The Recount, John Heilemann, and political strategist, with expertise in New York politics, Susan Del Percio.
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah! Yeah!
MIKA: John, I want to begin with you! Susan’s the skilled right here.
. . .
JOHN HEILEMANN: The top is in sight now. The query is how Governor Cuomo decides to go down, and I simply don’t assume there are going to be many individuals round him. One of many few people who might be round him, I feel, is his brother Chris Cuomo. And you understand, we knew about this Chris Cuomo factor. Chris Cuomo received in some bother at CNN when a few of this got here to gentle earlier in the middle of this story. So this isn’t precisely new. However the truth that — I feel lots of people will elevate questions. I don’t assume there’s something mistaken with the governor speaking to his brother. I feel tlisted here are some questions, reputable questions, which have been raised about whether or not a CNN anchor needs to be giving personal recommendation to an elected official, whether or not he is his brother or not. And I feel Chris Cuomo’s been reprimanded for that already. There’s an moral query on that facet of the home.
. . .
WILLIE GEIST: What did you make of his assertion? I suppose we shouldn’t be stunned by it, understanding him, however as a protection of his actions, what did you make of it?
SUSAN DEL PERCIO: Effectively, to start with, there is no such thing as a protection for his actions. We’ve a report that exhibits what he did, and it was all backed up with others’ testimony. And that he thought he might exit and victim-blame? Let’s additionally not overlook how he began his assertion, which was to say, this has been very troublesome for me and my household. Effectively, guess what? We all know not less than 11 different individuals who this has been very troublesome for.
So, that’s typical Andrew Cuomo. So let’s not make a mistake about that. That is the best way he tackles issues. Nobody does defiance higher than he does. That video was a shame . . .
And but, we are saying this about some issues with Trump: it’s stunning however not shocking. That is how he operates, and it’s constant. I used to be with the governor’s workplace again in 2014 throughout Moreland, and it’s the identical form of defiance we noticed. The Moreland Fee was about ethics that led to one in every of his staffers, Joe Percoco, being convicted of ethics costs.
However his brother was there, too, by the best way. Heilemann brings it up: this isn’t an uncommon factor for the Cuomos to get collectively. I noticed Chris Cuomo within the governor’s workplace again then. [Editor’s note: Chris Cuomo was already at CNN at the time.] I’m not stunned it occurred now. He’s very constant.
