Two Peas in a Pod?

This is an old saying which defines two people being, in some ways, very much the same.  “Peas in the same pod” were the words recently written by Albany newspaper columnist, Chris Churchill, in an article alleging that the words very much describe similarities between Andrew Cuomo and Donald Trump.

Back in 2016, Churchill opined in a prior article that Donald Trump’s election as President was not good news for Andrew Cuomo who had aspirations for the White House.  “Weary voters in 2020…would be looking for a different personality type.”

“Trump is a bully from Queens,” Churchill wrote at the time.  “New York City through and through. Hotheaded, he tends to yell.  We’re told he’s vindictive.  Cuomo is a bully from Queens.  He’s New York City through and through.  Hotheaded, he tends to yell.  We know he’s vindictive.”

Trump is a bully from Queens, Cuomo is a bully from Queens.  New York City through and through.

Fast-forward to today.  2020 has come and gone and so has Donald Trump’s Presidency.  The gubernatorial election of 2022 in New York is in the offing and Andrew Cuomo is facing allegations of sexual harassment and of hiding facts about nursing home deaths from COVID while he was writing a book lauding his leadership in fighting the pandemic.  Things look grim for Andrew Cuomo right now.

Churchill also makes a comparison of Trump’s accusation of a “witch hunt” being orchestrated by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller over his connections to Russia to Cuomo’s criticism of “politics at its worst” in describing the investigations being coordinated by Attorney General Tish James and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, since both of these public officials could be potential candidates for Governor.

The political approach of Cuomo, according to Susan Lerner of the good-government group Common Cause, is to undermine “faith in governmental checks and balances, just as Trump often did.”

“Two peas in a pod” is, of course, an over-simplification.  Cuomo had a lot of experience in government before becoming Governor, and Trump had none before he became President.  Trump is rich and Cuomo isn’t.  Cuomo articulated an understandable explanation of what was happening at the beginning of the COVID crisis, and Trump didn’t.

But, I think Churchill still has a point to make.  When you come from the “rough and tumble” of an outer borough like Queens, and then you make it to the big time either in Manhattan, the State of New York or the United States itself—you carry a certain chip on your shoulder as being a guy who made it despite all of the obstacles put in your way by old money, old politicians and the enemies you have made along the way.

When in trouble you go on the offensive and attack the veracity of the attackers.  Divert the attention of the public.  Change the spin.  Stall and time will be on your side.  Ultimately, you might still win.  “Two peas in a pod?”  What do you think?

Rolland Kidder