January 8, 2021
From Governor Andrew Cuomo:
Let me make some comments about the sadness and disgrace in Washington. People say, “well, President Trump started it yesterday.” I disagree. President Trump didn’t start it yesterday. President Trump started this four years ago. When you spread hatred and distrust and division, don’t be surprised at the ugliness. This is four years of placing wedges in every crack in society. This is building walls. This is putting children in cages. This is speaking poorly of the Muslim community. This is saying at a KKK march, “there are good people on both sides of the argument.” This is four years of appealing to the worst in human instinct, and preying on people’s fears, and that’s what yesterday was. The story ends the way the story began. They talk about reaching out to better angels. This is a man who has spent four years touching the darker side of humanity, exploiting fear, exploiting fear of people who are different, praying on insecurity. That’s what yesterday was. It was an explosion of hate that he created over four years.
That’s his legacy. That is his legacy. Yes, when you, as president of the United States, with that large microphone, tell people to be frightened of other people, tell them to be violent, speak about carnage, arm yourself, defend yourself. Don’t be surprised at the anger and the hell that you have rallied. That was him. That’s his legacy. And even his great conservative allies now turn on him, because it was a universal disgrace and embarrassment for all Americans. And it was a disgrace, talk about making American great again, he made a mockery of America for the entire world to see. Party of law and order, and then, he couldn’t stop thugs from breaking windows and climbing in and vandalizing the nation’s capital. Party of law and order. Law and order. And for hours on TV they couldn’t even stop a crowd of thugs from breaking in to the Capitol. Think about the great irony, “I stand with the police.” It went on for hours. The party of Law and Order. Anyways, in some ways, I think it brings the story to a full and fitting climax. The American people reject hate, reject violence, reject division, and they do it now with one clear voice. And that’s what he accomplished. Universal condemnation, which is what he deserved.
