Mario Cuomo

by O'Shaughnessy, William;

  I was first introduced to Fordham University Press when I came across a book of speeches by the legendary federal judge William Hughes Mulligan. This great Jesuit university was led at the time by the renowned Father Joseph O’Hare, S.J., and it now resides in the enlightened care and keeping of Father Joseph McShane, S.J., a great American educator who has built Fordham into a national treasure. I only hope my literary efforts have not tarnished or diminished their reputation.

  And, closer to home, once again I also must thank the incomparable Cindy Hall Gallagher of Whitney Media, my dear friend, amanuensis, and confidante for forty years, without whom my life would resemble a seven-car pile-up. It should tell you something that when my friends—Mario Cuomo most prominently included—ring up our Westchester radio stations, they usually ask for Cindy, and most are quite disappointed when I pick up the phone.

  My professional life as a community broadcaster, without which portfolio I would never have met Mario Cuomo, relies heavily on the dedication, creativity, and brilliance of several colleagues. The influential contributions of Kevin Scott Elliott are everywhere apparent in my life. His genius, loyalty, and personal devotion are great gifts that I treasure. Kevin is not alone in terms of devotion. Don Stevens, our senior vice president and chief of staff, is essential to the success of these, the last two independent community stations in the New York area. Speaking of which, WVOX and WVIP are very fortunate to enjoy the talent and wisdom of Judy Fremont, president of our Stations Division and about a two-handicap golfer. She’s also a woman of culture and the theater. Why she hangs around with me, I’ll never know. All my efforts—including this book—rely as well on Maggie Cervantes Hernandez, who is a star in the office and on the air.

  One absolutely essential reason our local radio stations have survived and prevailed despite all the social and technological challenges swirling around our profession is my son David Tucker O’Shaughnessy, now our president. He’s a rising star in our profession. And I am a proud—and grateful—father. David’s mother, Ann Wharton Thayer; his brother, Matthew O’Shaughnessy; and his sister, Kate Warton O’Shaughnessy—who serve as directors—will confirm David’s standing and stature in our lives. And David himself will also second my admiration for Gregg Pavelle, Richard Littlejohn, Irma Becerra, Ahmet Alloqi, Bob Partridge, and Ralph Kragle.

  And two more: Judge Jeffrey Bernbach and his estimable wife, Karen, have been fierce advocates and defenders of these stations—and yours truly—for many years. Judge Bernbach is a gifted public servant who served in the administrations of both Mario and Andrew Cuomo. But he’s always found time to watch over me and mine.

  And for reasons they must know, everything I do—on the air or in print—is with the forbearance and encouragement of Michael Assaf, Alan Rosenberg, Charlie Kafferman, James O’Shea, Erwin Krasnow, and my compadre Gregorio Alvarez. Those who know this eminently decent—and loving—gentle Dominican man will agree that many of the lovely qualities I found in Mario Cuomo also exist in great abundance in Gregorio. I am capable of no greater praise.

  The handsome cover of this book was designed by Rich Hendel of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. And the cover photo as well as most of the magnificent and exclusive photos in this volume are by Don Pollard, who has served both Mario and Andrew as the Cuomo family’s “chief photographer” for decades. A great guy as well as a marvelous photographer, Don is married to the estimable New York Times reporter Lisa Foderaro.

  When Mario finally succumbed to the long, debilitating illness I describe in these pages, listeners—hundreds of them, in fact—who knew of my great affection and admiration for the governor called the station to inquire when (and if) we were going to do an on-air tribute to the great man. I actually started and discarded several pieces as not good enough, not worthy of him. As I said, talking—or writing—about Mario in the past tense didn’t come easy. In fact, if you must know, it was painful.

  And then when the word got around that I was finally attempting a book on Mario Cuomo, we received several calls from mainstream and quite well-known publishing houses expressing considerable interest. Each inquiry was met with, “If I can summon up the resolve to do this, I’ll stick with my present publisher, Fordham, the first to encourage me and provide a forum and platform for my poor, erratic literary endeavors. Go Rams!”

  INDEX

  The index that appeared in the print version of this title does not match the pages in your eBook. Please use the search function on your eReading device to search for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listed below.

  21 Club, xv

  abortion, 39, 126; Golway on, xix; Notre Dame speech on, 9, 115; O’Connor and, 117

  Abrams, Floyd, xiii

  Abzug, Bella, 229

  Adam and Eve, 158

  Adams, Cindy, x, 185

  affluence, 126, 165

  Affordable Care Act, 199

  African Americans, 162, 166, 269

  afterlife, 9, 30; Wilson on, ix, 7

  AIDS patients, O’Connor and, 118

  Aiello, John, 255

  Albanese, Vincent, 288

  Alloqi, Ahmet, 294

  Alvarez, Gregorio, 294

  American culture, 40–41, 43–45; Andrew Cuomo on, 272–74

  American Dream, 171, 197

  Anastasi, Joseph, 238, 288

  anger, 177

  Angiolillo, Daniel, 70–72

  anti-Semitism, 147, 149, 166

  Aristotle, 126

  aspiration, 49

  Assaf, Michael, 294

  Athens, Art, 84

  Auletta, Ken, x, xvi, xxv, 8, 237, 243, 289

  Babbitt, Bruce, 242–43

  Bacon, Francis, 87

  Baranello, Dominic, 236

  Barnicle, Mike, xvi

  Barrett, Wayne, xvi, 8, 246, 289

  baseball, 1, 66, 124, 207–8, 219, 283

  basketball, 66, 264–65

  Becerra, Irma, 294

  Beethoven, Ludwig von, 31, 111–12

  Begun, Martin, 288

  Behrens, Kathy, 245, 288

  Bellacosa, Joseph, 288

  Benedict XVI, pope, 213

  Benenson, Joel, 288

  Benjamin, Gerald, 289

  Benjamin, Liz, 289

  Bennett, Tony, 27–30

  Bennett, William, 83

  Bergoglio, Jorge Mario. See Francis, pope

  Berking, Max, 8

  Bernbach, Jeffrey and Karen, 294

  Bernstein, Robert, 234–35, 237–38

  Biaggi, Mario, 82

  Biden, Joseph, 74, 256, 284

  birth control, 136

  Bloom, Rube, 28

  Bloomberg, Michael, 74, 182, 257

  The Blue Spruce (Cuomo), xxi

  Boccardi, Lou, 242

  Borgeson, Martha, 288

  Bradford, Barbara Taylor, x

  Brady, Ed, 245

  Breslin, Jimmy, xi, 7, 64, 187, 213–14, 266; and Notre Dame speech, 115–16

  Brooklyn, 133

  Broughton, Pam, 60, 288

  Brown, Willie, 242

  Bruno, Joe, 246

  Buckley, Rick, xxiv

  bureaucracy, 262, 264

  Burgos, Tonio, 231, 256, 288

  Burke, David, 288

  Burke, Johnny, 27–28

  Bush, George H. W., 20, 59, 89, 155, 242

  Bush, George W., 36–37, 189

  Bush, Jonathan, 90

  Bush, Prescott, 90

  Bush, William “Billy,” 89–90

  Caddell, Pat, 288

  Calvin, John, 107

  Camus, Albert, 40

  Cannon, Jimmy, 64–65

  capital punishment, xix, 8, 39, 136–37, 224, 231, 269

  Cardone, “Cat-Killer,” 2

  care, 23; O’Connor and, 117–18

  Carey, Engie, 230–31

  Carey, Hugh Leo, xix, 21, 95, 155, 216, 228–29, 231, 233, 259, 288

  Carter, Jimmy, 188

  Cathedral of St. John the D
ivine, 151–53

  Catholic Church, 8–9, 12, 14, 105–9, 115, 191, 213–21, 263; and dissent, 134, 136; O’Connor and, 116–19; St. James Cathedral speech, 133–39

  CBS, 228

  censorship. See First Amendment

  Cerbone, Will, 292

  Cerf, Bennett, 234

  Chaiken, Sol Chick, 93

  charity, 5–6, 63; Golway on, xviii; O’Connor and, 117–18. See also Tzedekah

  Charlson, John, 79

  Chartock, Alan, 91, 288

  Chiffolo, Anthony, 292–93

  Christmas, 43, 189–91, 275–77

  Chubb Fellowship Lecture, 1985, 113–15

  Churchill, Winston, 7, 257

  church-state separation, 10, 115, 124, 126, 136

  Le Cirque, viii, 9, 80–81

  Clinton, Bill, 18–19, 25, 74, 195, 203–5, 256

  Clinton, Hillary, 28, 74, 192, 205–7, 256, 284

  Cohen, Harvey, 235

  Cohen, Steven, 288

  Colavita, Tony, 156

  Cole, Amanda, 282

  Cole, Emily, 282

  Cole, Katharine, 282

  Cole, Kenneth, 116, 266, 282–83, 287

  Cole, Maria Cuomo, x, xvi, 55, 116, 266, 275, 281, 287

  collaboration, 5–6, 63, 204–5. See also Tikkun olam

  community, 172, 178; Andrew Cuomo on, 272; as family, 5–6, 18, 110–12, 122, 130, 165, 232, 248; Golway on, xviii; Italian Americans and, 164–65; Postanik on, 73

  compromise, 204–5

  Conovitz, Ellen, 288

  conservation, 33–36, 85–86, 245

  Constantine, Thomas, 288

  Constitution, 46–47, 49, 70, 127

  Crockett, Steve, 256

  Cronkite, Walter, x

  Crotty, Jerry, 256, 288

  Crotty, Mary Ann, 256

  Cunningham, Jennifer, 288

  Cunningham, Jim, 288

  Cuomo, Andrea, xxii, 2–3, 123, 125, 135, 142, 156, 160–61, 163, 190, 196–97, 205, 232–33

  Cuomo, Andrew, 37, 103, 235, 238, 245, 282, 289; on Catholic Church, 9–10; on Convention speech, 188; and D’Amato, 25; eulogy, 73, 255–70; and first inaugural address, 233; as governor, 56–57, 192–202; O’Rourke and, 208–9, 212; and portrait, 91; and sports, 66, 99; and Supreme Court, 18–19; on sweetness, 43

  Cuomo, Bella, 282

  Cuomo, Cara, 282

  Cuomo, Carolina Regina, 282

  Cuomo, Christopher, 22, 28, 66, 74–76, 129, 256, 266, 281–83

  Cuomo, Cristina Greeven, 256, 266, 283

  Cuomo, Immaculata Giordano, xxii, 2–5, 82, 119–20, 135, 142, 160–61, 163, 170–71, 190, 196–98, 205, 232

  Cuomo, Madeline, 266, 282

  Cuomo, Margaret, 55, 266, 282

  Cuomo, Mariah, 282

  Cuomo, Mario (grandson), 74–76, 256, 282–83

  Cuomo, Mario Matthew: as author, xxi, 4–6, 29, 39–40, 57, 59–61, 64, 113, 196, 234–38, 250; background of, xv, 1–15, 252; character of, 65–66, 88–89, 91, 264; death of, xv, 53–56, 73–74, 85, 250–53; early campaigns, 223–38, 259, 261; epitaph of, 125, 159–60; legacy of, 53–76, 251–52; personal stories of, 77–101; and phrasing, 57–58, 121; portrait on, 90–91; quotes from, 121–54; tributes to, xvi, xvii–xix, 284–85; voice of, 65

  Cuomo, Matilda Raffa, 6, 22, 81, 216, 245, 253, 266, 282, 284, 289; and first inaugural address, 230, 233; and Notre Dame speech, 115–16; and portrait, 91; and Supreme Court, 18

  Cuomo, Michaela, 282

  Cuozzo, Steve, xvi

  Curran, Paul, 185

  Curry, B. F., Jr., 99

  Cutts, Connie, 1, 207, 277

  D’Amato, Alfonse, 24–25, 82, 155

  D’Arienzo, Nick, 288

  Daronco, Richard, 156

  Davis, Ossie, 96, 225

  death penalty. See capital punishment

  debate, Cuomo and, 257, 260–61

  de Blasio, Bill, 74, 257

  Declaration of Independence, 46–47, 49–50

  Dee, Ruby, 96

  de la Renta, Oscar, 284

  DelBello, Al, 87, 230

  DelGiudice, Michael, 256, 266, 288

  Democratic National Convention keynote speech, 1984, 103–4, 113, 123, 268; Golway on, xix; twentieth anniversary of, 187–88

  Democratic Party, 48, 123, 209

  Dente, Matt, 1, 207–8, 277

  The Diaries of Mario M. Cuomo, 234–38, 250

  Dicker, Fred, 91, 246, 288

  di Donato, Pietro, 65

  DiMaggio, Joe, 163

  DiNicola, Dan, 245

  Dinkins, David, 257

  Dionne, E. J., xvi

  discrimination, 166

  diversity, 139–44, 166, 171; Andrew Cuomo on, 272–74

  Dolan, Timothy Cardinal, 10–12, 117, 283

  Donahue, Phil, 56

  Donald, David, 48

  Donnelly, John, 280

  Donovan, David, 54

  Dowd, Maureen, 24

  Dowling, Michael, 288

  dreams, 156

  Dukakis, Michael, 242

  Dullea, Hank, 244

  Dunleavy, Steve, 81

  Dutch Treat Club, 279–81

  economic issues, 170, 204

  ecumenism, O’Connor and, 118

  Eddison, Martha, 288

  education, 62, 143, 147, 194–95

  Eimicke, William, 288

  elections: 1982, 223–26; 1988, 242; 1990, 247–50; 2004, 188–89; 2010, 192–202; 2012, 202–8

  Elliott, Kevin Scott, 293

  Ellis Island, 43–45

  English language, xx, 31, 66–67; immigrants and, 142–43

  environmental issues, 33–36, 85–86

  E Pur Si Muove speech, 113–15

  equality, 49; Andrew Cuomo on, 272–74

  eulogies, 291; Andrew Cuomo for Mario, 255–70; Mario Cuomo on, 79; for Immaculata Cuomo, 119–20; for Koch, 220–21; for Newfield, 153–54; Samantha O’Donoghue for Mario, 250–53; for O’Rourke, 208–12

  Europe, 168

  evil, cooperation in, 147–48

  excelsior, 37–38

  Fairness Doctrine, 127–28

  faith, 14, 38, 112; Teilhard on, 108

  family, 43, 61–64, 75, 135, 207, 234, 266; children and grandchildren, 250–53, 266–67, 282–83; Church as, 134–35; community as, 5–6, 18, 110–12, 122, 130, 165, 232, 248; Golway on, xviii; Italian Americans and, 162, 164–65

  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 83–84

  Fermi, Enrico, 163

  Ferraro, Geraldine, 288

  Finnerty, Michael P. J., 96–97

  First Amendment, xi, 40–43, 127–28

  First Inaugural Address, 17–18, 229–34

  first responders, 182–83

  Fish, Hamilton, 95

  Flanagan, Peter, 226–27

  Florio, Jim, 249

  Foderaro, Lisa, 294

  Fogarty, Thomas, 290

  food, 123, 167, 260

  Forbes, Malcolm, 242

  Ford, Gerald, 155, 279

  Fordham University Press, 292–93, 295

  Forest Hills Diary (Cuomo), 59–61

  Forsythe, Dall, 245

  Forsythe, John, 188

  Four Seasons Restaurant, 81–82

  Fox, Ray, 280

  Francis, pope, 11, 36, 263, 283–84

  Franciscans, 8, 138

  Fredman, Mims, 233

  Fredman, Samuel George, 8, 149, 156, 225, 228, 232–33, 245, 288

  freedom, 158

  Freeh, Louis B., 84

  Fremont, Judy, 293–94

  friendship, ix–xiv, xv–xxvi, 100, 243–50, 266, 276–77, 291

  Frucher, Floss, 288

  Frucher, Mayer “Sandy,” 266, 288

  future, 167–70

  Galileo Galilei, 114

  Gallagher, Cindy Hall, 293

  Gallop, Sammy, 28

  Garth, David, 224, 226, 288

  gay marriage, 47, 272–74

  Giamatti, Bart, 115

  Gillette, Anita, 279

&nb
sp; Gillibrand, Kirsten, 256

  Giono, Jean, 40

  Giuliani, Rudy, 246

  God, 61, 63–64, 104–12, 159, 180, 185–86, 191, 217, 251, 284

  Golway, Terry, xvi, xvii–xx, 289

  Goodman, Roy, 246

  Gordon, Al, 288

  governance, 38–39, 194

  government, xviii, 122, 194–95, 199, 261, 263

  governorship, 17, 158–59, 184–85, 215–16; Andrew Cuomo and, 56–57, 267; O’Shaughnessy on, 223–34, 247–50

  Grant, Bob, xxiv, 54

  gratitude, 193, 252

  Gray, Al, 242

  Gray, Barry, 54

  Greenberg, David, xvi

  grief, 179–80

  Griffin, Jim, 90

  Grondahl, Paul, xvi, 288

  Haddad, William, 224, 226–27, 232

  Haley, Alex, 162

  Halperin, Jason P. W., 288

  Hamill, Pete, xi, xxiii, 8, 64, 227, 242, 266

  Hanlon, Bill, 113

  Hardt, Bob, xvi

  Harnick, Sheldon, 279

  Hart, Gary, 225

  Hart, Kitty Carlisle, 280

  Harvey, Paul, xi

  health care, 194–95, 199, 204, 269

  Helmsley, Harry, 228

  Hendel, Rich, 294

  Hernandez, Maggie Cervantes, 294

  Hertzberg, Hendrik, xvi

  Hesburgh, Theodore, 133

  Hicks, David, 40

  Hicks, Scott, 40

  Hillel, rabbi, 14, 110

  Holder, Eric, 257

  Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 111

  Holocaust, 144–50

  Holzer, Harold, 29, 39, 65, 113, 250, 288

  homelessness, 10, 22, 106, 208, 211, 245

  homosexuality, O’Connor and, 117–18

  hope, 74, 227

  Horenstein, Jack, 240

  Housing for the Homeless (HELP), 208, 211, 245

  Howard, John, 256

  Howe, Todd, 288

  Hubbard, Howard, 288

  Huffington, Ariana, 53

  Humbert, Marc, 288

  humor, 96–101, 209–10, 251

  Iacchio, John, 288

  Iacocca, Lee, 82, 170–71, 197

  ideology, 99, 113–15, 176–77, 194; Lincoln and, 48; O’Connor and, 118

  immigrants, 2, 12, 43–45, 65, 123, 125, 128–31, 139–44, 161–63, 171–72, 197, 259; Andrew Cuomo on, 272–74; discrimination against, 166; Talese on, xvii

  inclusion, 261; Andrew Cuomo on, 272; Church and, 138–39, 263

  inequality, 47, 172, 268

  infallibility, 214–15

  infrastructure, 199, 245

  Internet, 169

  interviews, 155–221; first, 7–8

  Iona College speech, 1984, 103–4, 116