Cynthia Nixon Under Fire For Attempted Jab At Governor Cuomo
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Democratic gubernatorial challenger Cynthia Nixon's attempt to skewer Governor Andrew Cuomo at a political roast fell flat, and it's caused some to turn around and roast her.
She may have been a hit on Sex and the City, but Nixon's star turn at the annual Legislative Correspondent's Association Dinner roast had some people saying "stick to your day job."
"Some news outlets have been reporting that I am worth $60 million," Nixon said. "If I had that much money, I could just buy off Andrew Cuomo."
She offered a string of one-liners, but the one that generated the most controversy was an attempt to link Andrew Cuomo to a somewhat scandalous stunt in the 1977 mayoral race between his father, Mario, and Ed Koch.
It involved the use of signs hinting Koch was gay, with a term some deem offensive which rhymes with "Cuomo."
"Andrew Cuomo is known for dirty politics," Nixon said. "His history of cut-throat campaigns has inspired my campaign's new slogan: 'Vote for the (expletive), not for the Cuomo'."
Political consultant Hank Sheinkoph says it was a swing and a miss.
"Well, it wasn't a hit and it wasn't a run, but it is a big error," he told CBS2 Political Reporter Marcia Kramer. "There is no place in public discourse for a comment like that, even from someone who is gay."
Sheinkoph says it "demeans the whole discussion," and that the campaign should be about the issues and not personalities.
Besides, why attack Cuomo on gender politics considering he's the man who got marriage equality passed in New York State?
"This is fairly stupid," Sheinkoph said.
Many New Yorkers agree.
"It's a joke but you got to be careful because everyone takes it so literally from her standpoint," Valley Stream resident Michael Springer said. "She's playing both sides of the coin. If someone else made the comment it would be a big uproar, so I don't think it's right."
"I don't think it's really necessary to play that card, just going to make more headlines," Upper West Side resident Karl Woitach said.
The governor didn't respond to the jest, but told CBS2 that there are four or five candidates running against him on any given day.
"I'm not going to get in the business of commenting on what they say," Cuomo told CBS2, referring not only to Nixon but to Republicans, the Green Party, and other third party candidates.
