Mario Cuomo: The Last Liberal Part 1 - Rising up the political ranks

You Decide with Errol Louis

2023 marks 40 years since Mario Cuomo was sworn in as governor of New York for the first time.

Cuomo was one of the most unlikely politicians the state had seen in a long time. The child of illiterate working-class immigrants who owned a grocery store in South Jamaica, Cuomo was a public-school genius who found himself graduating at the top of his class at St. John’s Law School. After taking a few pro-bono cases representing homeowners in Queens, Cuomo found himself encouraged to enter politics by legendary journalists Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill, as well as NYC Mayor John Lindsay. What followed was a wild rise up the ranks, one that included a highly publicized run for mayor, as well as turns as lieutenant governor and New York secretary of state before finally being elected governor.

From the perspective of his advisers and the reporters that covered him – some of them speaking about their experiences with Cuomo for the first time – we'll find out how Cuomo managed to become a major political figure in the Democratic Party despite having a background that differed from most elected officials.

See more on our Mario Cuomo series at ny1.com/mariocuomo.