Bill Clinton Stumps For Gov. Andrew Cuomo
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - Bill Clinton is throwing his political weight behind New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for re-election.
"He has made this a more progressive, more fair, more forward-looking state, and it's turned out to be good for the economy,'' Clinton said at the Manhattan headquarters of 1199 SEIU, the powerful health care workers union.
The former president also spoke out in support Thursday of the causes Cuomo espouses, including a higher minimum wage and pre-school programs.
Clinton said that Cuomo is running against Republican Westchester County executive Rob Astorino, whom he accused of being "the last gasp of trickle-down economics."
He called Astorino an "ultra-conservative" who wants to repeal the state's strict gun control laws, overturn abortion protections and reverse the law allowing same-sex marriage in the state.
Bill Clinton Stumps For Gov. Andrew Cuomo
As WCBS 880's Jim Smith reported, Clinton praised Obama's tactics for restoring all the jobs lost in the recession, making this a critical turning point.
"We are now in a position to define how we're going forward," Clinton added.
Cuomo said Clinton proved the Democratic strategies worked and has taken those lessons to New York.
"The better you do, the better we all do because we are all one at the end of the day," Cuomo said.
The two spoke to members of a health care union at their headquarters near Times Square.
Clinton and Cuomo were joined by the city's comptroller, Scott Stringer, and public advocate Letitia James.
Also pitching for Cuomo's re-election was Rep. Jerrold Nadler.
The two politicians have a history going back decades, when Cuomo joined the Clinton administration as assistant secretary for Community Planning and Development in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He then served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
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