‘Trump did not create division, division created him’: New York Governor at DNC

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday delivered his speech, virtually, on the first day of Democratic National Convention 2020, saying that ‘over the past few years America’s body politics has been weakened.’

Cuomo was talking about the tackling of the coronavirus pandemic in New York and how it controlled daily rise in new cases, saying, “Our nation is in crisis and in many ways, COVID is just a metaphor.”

“COVID is the symptom, not the illness. A virus attacks a body when it is weak. Over the past few years, America’s body politics has been weakened,” he said.

He said the divisions in the US, with ‘anti-semitism, anti-Latino, anti-immigration, and racism, have been growing deeper. 

Targeting the US President, Cuomo said that “Donald Trump did not create the initial division, but the division [in America] created Trump, he only made it worse.”

For LIVE updates: Democratic National Convention 2020 Day 1

The New York Governor said that a nation’s collective strength is exercised through government, as it is the ‘immune system’ of the country. The ‘current federal government is dysfunctional and incompetent,’ he said.

Cuomo said the Trump government first tried to deny the virus, then tried to ignore it and, then, tried to politicise it. 

The first day of the Democratic National Convention 2020 kicked off with a tribute to African-American George Floyd, who was killed in police custody in Minnesota which led to nationwide protests against racism. 

Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser introduced members of George Floyd’s family. ‘George should be alive today,’ said Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd while addressing the convention.

While delivering his speech, Cuomo also talked about anti-racism, and said, “We can tell by the content of character, not by colour of skin.”