The Cover Story

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One of my favorite remembrances about Mario Cuomo was when he was first elected. In 1983, the newly-minted governor had to do some redecorating in the Executive Mansion because when he had a walk-through of the mansion shortly after the 1982 election, he found mirrors on the bedroom ceiling, red walls and tacky carpeting left by his predecessor, Hugh Carey.

This was not the environment the Cuomos wanted for their family. He kept the family away from the mansion until May of 1983. The cover story from the Cuomos was their youngest son Christopher wanted to finish grade school with his friends in Queens before moving to Albany in May.

During the month of May there was a large gathering in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center welcoming Matilda and Christopher to Albany.

I remember walking down the concourse of the Empire State Plaza with the governor and a phalanx of reporters in tow. We peppered the governor with questions about where Christopher would be going to school in September. Would it be public school or a private school in Albany? The only information the governor would reveal was it’s up to Christopher, who was 12 at the time and entering 7th grade, “where he wanted to attend school and that conversation has not happened yet.”

So I broke away from the pack of journalists and rushed to the convention center. I found Christopher sitting near the steps leading to the three-tiered exhibit arena. There were probably more than a thousand people in the room. I sat down next to him, introduced myself and asked if I could do a quick interview. He flashed a big smile and appeared to be delighted he was getting some attention. I pulled out my tape recorder and proceeded to ask Christopher where he wanted to go to school in September.

He promptly told me his parents wanted him to go to summer school at Albany Academy to try it out for a little while and if he liked it there he would attend the prestigious prep school. It seemed enrolling Christopher in the Albany public schools was not an option the Cuomos wanted to embrace but they needed a cover story.

After my brief interview with Christopher, his first, I rushed back to join the pack of journalists still walking down the corridor of the Empire State Plaza basking in the glow of having a governor that is so accessible.

I immediately told the governor that I just interviewed Christopher and what he told me. The entire press corps gasped and asked the governor if that was true. Much to the governor’s chagrin he had to give it up and admit to the real story. That set the tone for the next 12 years.

When the governor switched Counselors in mid 1984, handing over the reins from Tim Russert to Martin Steadman, Cuomo, pointing to me, told Steadman that he should be careful of this one. “He has microphones everywhere, even under the bed in the master bedroom of the Governor’s Mansion.” He pointed to me and said I often know about what’s going on before anyone else knows, so watch out for him.

It was another highpoint in my career as a young journalist.