Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Joins Governor Cuomo's Media Availability

December 9, 2020

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Thank you. Governor, plexiglass does not solve every problem. I just want to say, it's like – it's like duct tape, it solves a lot of things, but not everything.
[Laughter] 

But, Governor, look, I want to join with you emphatically in reminding our colleagues in Washington – what really happened here? If you are [inaudible] right that we [inaudible] federal government was not there for us. You know, we found out months and months later that the disease was already spread in New York City in February, when we had [inaudible] resources from the federal government – they wouldn't even let us do our own local testing when we were ready. They said, no, no, no, no. Think about the lives that were lost because the federal government was missing an action. And Governor, we all experienced – we were at those hospitals. I went to Elmhurst Hospital. I went to Bellevue Hospital. I talked to the families who lost their loved one. I went to public housing, I heard the pain of New Yorkers who felt this silent killer arriving. And they wondered how on earth this could have happened in America. But the truth is, our federal government did not warn us, did not prepare us, did not support us, even when we raised a warning – you did it, I did it. We begged for that testing. Couldn't get it.  

So, is there anyone who wants to debate these facts? I don't think they’ll be able to. Is there anyone who wants to contest the fact that this state bore the brunt, that this city was the epicenter of the United States of America? In March and April, we went through the worst of this entire country [inaudible] ends up New Yorkers who are gone are lost forever. They can't be here with us to testify, but we testify in their memories, how much pain we went through. 

So, it's as simple as the way you laid it out. I'm going to amplify – state and local aid is absolutely necessary or else we are ignoring the pain and the death and the suffering that went on in this city, in this state. It’s literally an insult to the families who lost [inaudible] if our Congress does not give us the support we deserve. You have to have support for the State government. The State of New York is going through hell. We need a strong State of New York. I can say on behalf of all cities, towns, counties in New York State – we all need [inaudible] as well, we will not be able to stay on our feet, we will not be able to provide the services people need. Governor, people need the services more than ever. The vaccination, as you said, but all the other health care services, keeping our schools going for our kids, providing safety for our people. Folks need that more than ever. And if we can't provide those services, how on earth are we going to have a recovery? And this is the part that bothers me the most – the people who say they want a strong economy, they want to see America come back. How do you have a recovery? If cities and states are collapsing all around you, if you can't provide basic services, if you cut basic services you cut off the recovery. That is the bottom line here.  

So, I know what we went through. I felt it, I lived it with my fellow New Yorkers. I know we deserve help to recover from a crisis we did not create. And our federal government did not [inaudible] I know states and cities and towns and counties will do our all if we're just given the opportunity to get back on our feet. I also know this city and this state, amongst the strongest engines of the American economy. Let's not leave this out of this discussion. If you want the United States of America to come back, you need New York City to come back. You need New York State to come back. In good times – and those good times, for as recently as February, we were leading the nation in a strong economy. Now, we've been hit back on our heels. Do you really think the United States of America is going to come back without New York City and New York State, returning to our full strength? It's not going to happen.  

So, Governor, [inaudible] cause. I say to Washington, and we honor our Senators, our Congress members, but we need you guys now. We need you more than ever. We need you to tell our story and ensure we get just our fair share, that's all we're asking for, so we could come back strong for the people this city and this state. Thank you, Governor.