This is Michael Cohen and you're listening to the Mayor Culpa podcast.

One of the downsides of political idolatry is the possibility that your hero becomes

a repugnant sleaze.

For the legions of Andrew Cuomo fans who lionize the New York governor for his handling

of COVID-19, they must now eat the proverbial crow as their fearless hero turned out to

be a peerless hero with a pension for groping and harassing his female aides.

Yesterday he resigned from office.

But let's rewind for a moment to the spring of 2020 when Cuomo was riding high.

While President Donald J. Trump was downplaying the virus, New York City had become ground

zero for the pandemic.

Sirens blared throughout the day and night as the city resembled the morgue.

If Trump was out to lunch or simply being his incompetent self, Cuomo was his polar

opposite, prepared and pathetic and ready for action.

With his calming demeanor, bad jokes and just the facts presentations, he became America's

dad.

His daily briefings became a point in viewing for people all over the country at a time

when fear, anxiety, isolation and grief were mounting.

I started my tomato sauce before I left.

We're going to go back.

We're going to sit at the table.

Have our spaghetti meatballs on Sunday and I know what I'm going to talk to them about.

I was part of his cheering section as we're countless others and Cuomo's approval rating

...