You could call it two conventions, two governors. Both Republican Chris Christie and Democrat Andrew Cuomo are fiscally conservative governors of populous northeaster states. But the two men, both seen to have presidential ambitions in 2016, have wildly different approaches to their party's national conventions.
In New Jersey, Christie spent the week boasting, saying he was third in importance in his party only to Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.
"I'm the keynote speaker Tuesday night," Christie told reporters Thursday. "I got a pretty good gig in the Republican party nationally."
By contrast, in New York City, Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has decided to spend only a few hours in Charlotte, N.C., on September 6 for his party's convention, said national politics is not his role.
"I'm the governor of the state of New York," Cuomo said at a "policy summit" convened by the state Democratic Party this week, assuring journalists he'd help "Mr. Obama." But he added "I have a lot to do as the governor of the state of New York, and I want to do the best job I can as the governor of the state of New York, and I do that best being in New York."
Christie appears frequently on national television programs like "Meet the Press." Cuomo has declined all such invitations since he's been governor, instead granting interviews to radio stations in Albany.
Christie speaks all the time about the New Jersey comeback while out stumping in swing states. Cuomo instead spends his time doing things like convening summits on the yogurt industry in New York.
Wonder why? Listen above as WNYC's Brigid Bergin and New Jersey Public Radio's Nancy Solomon chew it over on This Week in Politics.
Comments [2]
I believe Christie spends a lot more time out of state than Cuomo because of the need to help the Republicans defeat Obama, hold on to the Senate and win back the House of Representatives.
Cuomo is very much like Christie in that he also refused to pass a Millionaire Tax gimmick & went up against the public employee unions.
Two things the liberal press enjoys bashing Christie for but never mention it when talking about Cuomo. Why is that? A biased liberal media is so phony in there outrage.
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