White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiSunday shows preview: guidance of CDC school for reopening leads to discussion; Texas fights winter break Biden to meet virtually with Canada’s Trudeau on Tuesday Iran sets early test for Biden’s diplomacy-first approach MORE avoided answering questions on Sunday about or President Biden
Joe Biden Nearly 70 deaths in states with severe winter weather: report Two additional deaths confirmed in Louisiana related to severe winter weather Attorney filing lawsuit to overturn 2020 election results, referred by judge for discipline MORE still believes that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo Governors in Hot Water Over Their Coronavirus Response Media’s Flushing Promotion of Gov. Cuomo Looks Pretty Bad Now that Cancun Cruz Deserves to Be Dragged, But Selective Outrage from Media Is Painfully Clear (D) represents the “gold standard” when it comes to leadership during the coronavirus pandemic.
On ABC’s “This Week,” host Jonathan Karl played a band from last April of Biden and said Cuomo was “kind of the gold standard” while New York fought sky high. in the early months of the pandemic, adding that the governor “did a great job”. Cuomo’s handling of coronavirus outbreaks in state nursing homes is now the subject of a federal investigation by the FBI and the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, investigating unidentified members of Cuomo’s government.
When asked if Biden still believes Cuomo represents the “gold standard,” Psaki insisted that Biden continue to work with Cuomo, as he would with all governors.
“We work with Governor Cuomo just as we work with governors across the country,” said Psaki, noting his position as president of the National Governors Association. “He plays an important role in ensuring that we work closely together in getting aid to people in his state and to states across the country, and we will continue to do so.”
Psaki said the investigation of deaths in nursing homes during the pandemic is up to law enforcement agencies to “determine how that path will evolve as we look ahead, but we will continue to work with a range of governors, including, of course, Governor Cuomo. because we think that the people of New York and the people of states across the country need help not only to get through the pandemic but also to get through this tough economic time, and that’s where our focus remains. “
When Karl insisted again whether Biden still believes Cuomo is the gold standard for leadership during the pandemic, he asked her to answer “just yes or no,” Psaki said, “It doesn’t always have to be a yes or no, Jon . “
“I think the president is focused on his goal, his goals as president of the United States,” said Psaki. “I am not here to provide new labels or names for the president, I am here to communicate with you about our focus and what his goals are as president.”
Cuomo has faced mounting criticism, including from other Democrats in New York, which has also led Democratic State Senate leaders to take steps to do away with his emergency powers amid questions about the death of nursing homes. He declined to apologize, but accused critics of being in a “toxic political environment.”