The Point: Andrew Cuomo (still) isn't resigning

View this email in your browser   April 22, 2021  | by Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski Andrew Cuomo (still) isn't resigning Friday will mark a milestone for Andrew Cuomo: It will be six weeks to the day from when the majority of New York's Democratic congressional delegation, as well as both of its US senators, called on him to resign over multiple allegations of sexual harassment by former staffers.    Cuomo, as you may have noticed, is still the governor of New York. And he has shown zero signs of leaving -- even as the focus of the political world has moved on from him as other events have grabbed the spotlight.  According to Google Trends, search interest in the terms "Andrew Cuomo resign" peaked the week of February 28-March 6 and has been generally on a decline ever since. Early returns on this week's search interest suggest searches for "Andrew Cuomo resign" are much lower.   Reporters are still asking Cuomo about his future plans. On Wednesday, he was asked whether he would resign if the ongoing investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James concludes that he broke any laws.   "Let's see what the review says and we'll take it from there," Cuomo said, adding: "I'm not going to have any comment on a review that's underway beyond that."   James has not offered any timeline for when her investigation will wrap up.  The New York Assembly's Judiciary Committee is also conducting its own look into the allegations made against Cuomo.   Cuomo, meanwhile, continues to lead the state's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which last fall led to wide praise for him and talk of a potential national run down the line. He was visiting a vaccination site in Yonkers on Wednesday, for example.   Recent polling suggests that there is no real urgent desire among New Yorkers for him to go. Fifty percent said Cuomo should not immediately resign in a Siena College poll released last month, while just 35% said he should go immediately. And 48% said he could continue to serve as governor effectively even amid the controversies. Just 34% said he had been rendered ineffective.   None of this is to say that Cuomo has fully survived this scandal. At some point, the investigations will wrap up -- and offer their conclusions. And Republicans are falling all over themselves to take him on next November (if he runs for a fourth term).   But what all of it does prove is that we have short political attention spans. And that if a politician can weather the initial furor -- and calls for him (or her) to resign -- they can nearly always stay in office far longer than it might look when scandals break. The Point: Look over there! It's a(nother) shiny object!   -- Chris QUOTE OF THE DAY "We're going after you ... in a legal way, of course." -- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's message to "bigots" with the chamber's overwhelming passage of the anti-Asian hate crimes bill. MEANWHILE, IN COLORADO Washington, DC, isn't the only place seeing Democratic differences over climate policy.   A Colorado Senate committee passed a landmark bill establishing greenhouse gas reduction goals. But more than six hours of testimony revealed a wide split among state Democrats over their climate strategy -- similar to the rift between moderates and progressives on Capitol Hill over the Green New Deal, and the critics of Biden's newly announced climate policy who say it doesn't go far enough.   Democratic Gov. Jared Polis has taken a business-friendly approach that's heavy on incentives and voluntary agreements to help Colorado reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. But some fellow Democrats worry those efforts could fall short without tougher regulations.   Polis' office has said it would not sign the bill as it is now – with clear benchmarks for polluters. In the meantime, this state-level tussle could serve as a cautionary tale of what's to come nationally.   -- Sonnet CHRIS' GOOD READS "Liz Cheney vs. MAGA"   The mask-wearing question everyone is asking    Is the pandemic opening the possibility for radical change in society?   ISO: Restaurant workers   All about whatabout-ism The dance baby boom   These people really love to fly   A beautiful remembrance of Stephen Brown MUSICAL INTERLUDE Bartees Strange covers Bon Iver's "Skinny Love." So so good. Today's episode: DC statehood's Senate challenge. WHAT LIZ KNOWS Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney may be the lone critic of Trump running for president again in 2024, but the numbers seem to back her up.   In this latest episode of The Point, Chris explains why Cheney has taken such a big gamble to fight against Trump.   Stick with The Point on YouTube and subscribe! ONE BIG VIRTUAL SUMMIT This is what a virtual climate summit, attended by 40 world leaders, looks like. At the summit, President Joe Biden committed the United States to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 50%-52% below its 2005 emissions levels by 2030.  You are receiving this message because you subscribed to CNN's The Point with Chris Cillizza newsletter. Unsubscribe from this list Check out other CNN Newsletters Create your CNN Account Share the Point Newsletter Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get The Point in your inbox.   Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski. You can follow Chris and Lauren on Twitter and connect with The Point on: Our mailing address is: One CNN Center Atlanta, GA 30303   Copyright © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., All rights reserved.

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