Yesterday morning, an ad in the Des Moines Register warned Gov. Cuomo not to OK fracking in New York. Hours later, the state announced that it will miss a key deadline and the fracking-review process will have to start over from Square One.
Is there any better evidence that Cuomo’s interests in fracking lie not in what it might mean for New York’s economy but what it might mean for his chances for president?
Recall that Des Moines is in Iowa — whose caucuses kick off the presidential primaries. The activists who placed the ad know that Cuomo has had his eye on the White House since he was just a gleam in his father’s. By placing their ad in Iowa, they ensured his attention.
Their message was unequivocal: “Not one well” it says in giant print. It ends with a warning: “Your choice now will be remembered forever.” That’s a slight exaggeration. By “forever” they mean the 2016 Democratic primaries.
On the other hand, if Cuomo does as they demand, back home in New York he’ll be remembered as the governor who sold out the state for personal ambition. Not that he seems to care.
Consider his excuse for missing the deadline: A state agency is still reviewing fracking’s health impacts. Even though another state agency reviewed the impact two years ago. Even though the federal government and other states have deemed fracking safe. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper said yesterday he even drank fracking fluid to show how safe he believed the process to be.
But Cuomo understands the ad’s message: Should he dare allow fracking, an influential Democratic constituency will hold it against him if he runs for president.
New Yorkers should remember that too.
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Cuomo’s calculus
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Cuomo’s calculus
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Cuomo’s calculus
