Remembering Mario Cuomo; Rubio Says He May Still Run
REP. PETER KING, (R) NEW YORK: Mario Cuomo was a giant. He really personified the American mosaic, certainly the New York mosaic.</s>BERMAN: That was Congressman Peter King, a Republican, paying tribute to liberal icon Mario Cuomo who passed away yesterday at the age of 82.</s>PEREIRA: A three-term governor, Cuomo was indeed a giant of New York politics, but he never ever forgot his humble roots. In a statement, President Obama said Cuomo's, quote, "own story taught him that as Americans, we are bound together as one people, and our country's success rests on the success of all of us, not just a fortunate few."</s>BERMAN: Mario Cuomo liked to say, "You campaign in poetry, you govern in prose." He did both.</s>BERMAN (voiceover): Simply it was the American dream. The son of Italian immigrants, Mario Cuomo, rose from the basement of this grocery store in South Jamaica Queens where he slept on the floor and spoke no English to the highest office in New York State. Along the way, creating a political legacy and dynasty that spanned generations. His life driven by a passion for learning, his Catholic faith, and a determination to simply work harder than the other guy.</s>MARIO CUOMO, THREE-TERM GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK: One of the simple things I wanted to achieve is I want to be governor, I want to be the hardest working there ever was.</s>BERMAN: After more than a decade of the full-contact politics of New York, Cuomo catapulted to national prominence with the keynote address at the 1984 Democratic National Convention.</s>CUOMO: Let me thank you for the great privilege of being able to address this convention.</s>BERMAN: He challenged head-on Ronald Reagan's notion of a shining city on a hill, instead calling America a tale of two cities.</s>CUOMO: We must get the American public to look past the glitter, beyond the showmanship to the reality, the hard substance of things, and we'll do it not so much with speeches that sound good, as with speeches that are good and sound.</s>BERMAN: It cemented him as one of his generation's greatest orators. A defender of the have-nots and the little guys. It also made him the choice of many Democratic leaders to run for president.</s>CUOMO: He said will you think about it? I said I have been thinking about.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But are you going to think about it anymore?</s>BERMAN: He was considered a favorite for the Democratic nomination in both 1988 and 1992, but in both cases he demurred. His seeming inability to decide on higher office frustrated Democratic party faithful and became something of a punch line in itself.</s>JAY LENO, LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW HOST: And Mario Cuomo, and no one knows what he's going to do. I don't know if you've seen his new public service commercial for New York City, it says, "A mind is a terrible thing to make up."</s>BERMAN: He said it wasn't indecisiveness that kept him in New York instead of Washington, it was his commitment to the state.</s>CUOMO: It has nothing to do with my chances. It has everything to do with my job as governor and I don't see that I can do both, therefore I will not pursue the presidency.</s>BERMAN: He said it was that same commitment that led them to pass on a nomination to the Supreme Court, deciding instead to run for a fourth term as governor. But 12 years was enough for New York. He was defeated by George Pataki in the Republican revolution of 1994. Cuomo returned to the private sector to restart his law practice, host a radio show, and become a prolific author and public speaker. And in 2010, came a brand new title, former or first Governor Cuomo, a word he would be forced to use because he was suddenly no longer the only one. In a bittersweet irony, his eldest son, Andrew, the current governor of New York, was sworn in to a second term just hours before his father's death.</s>ANDREW CUOMO, GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK: He couldn't be here physically today, my father, but my father is in this room. He's in the heart and mind of every person who is here. He's here and he's here. And his inspiration and his legacy and his experience is what has brought this state to this point. So let's give him a round of applause</s>BERMAN: Governor Mario Cuomo, a true American giant, was 82. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Matilda Cuomo, his five children, including our CNN "NEW DAY" anchor, Chris, and 14 grandchildren. The constants of his life, "Always faith and family."</s>BERMAN: You saw a much younger Chris Cuomo in that family image right there. And obviously, you know, our condolences go out to the entire family and our friend who loved his pop.</s>PEREIRA: I love, though, that he called his dad his, "Pop." I had a chance to spend time with his dad and his mom and Chris a few months ago and it was really amazing how even at this advanced age and in struggling health, he was still that orator. He and Chris talked about a number of world issues. They talked baseball, they talked football. And he still just loved conversation and thought and words. It was really, really tremendous.</s>BERMAN: And the one thing I do want to say is, you know that Mario Cuomo was proud of his son. Chris, also.</s>PEREIRA: Absolutely. Absolutely.</s>BERMAN: All right. Let's move on and check some other news now.</s>PEREIRA: Here's a look at our other headlines. Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spending the new year in the hospital. His office says that he broke a number of ribs and bones in his face. Apparently he was exercising at his home with a resistance band, it snapped and caused him to fall. Doctors do expect him to make a full recovery, though, and he'll be back in D.C. next week when the Senate reconvenes.</s>BERMAN: I think as a former boxer, he'll bounce back. Former -- I mean Florida Senator Marco Rubio says he could decide to run for president even if former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is in the race. The two men were closely together when Bush was the governor of Florida and Rubio was a rising star in state politics.</s>SEN. MARCO RUBIO, (R) FLORIDA: If I decide to run for president, then that's what I'm going to do irrespective of who else might be running.</s>BERMAN: Rubio is a favorite of the party's conservative wing.</s>PEREIRA: In a new video, two young women in Islamic garb are seen begging their government to rescue them saying, quote, "We are in big danger and we could be killed." The father of one of the two Italian girls who disappeared in Syria in July says it is indeed them. One of the girls is seen holding a paper suggesting the video was shot in December. Some online postings say the video was from an al Qaeda affiliate.</s>BERMAN: The new year not starting off well for General Motors. The company has announced yet another recall. This one is affecting more than 92,000 trucks and SUVs. Once again, ignition defects are the problem, although a different problem, apparently, in earlier recalls. It could affect braking, steering, power, and airbag deployment. GM says no injuries or deaths have been caused by the defect and it expects fewer than 500 vehicles to actually have the condition.</s>PEREIRA: President Obama is enjoying some time with his family this new year in Hawaii. His first outing of 2015 found him enjoying a colorful shaved ice with daughters Malia and Sasha. Apparently the president ordered a yellow, green, and red concoction. No word on what that flavor is. The president apparently told a couple dozen people that he hopes that they are having a good time and wished them happy new year. Even asked a toddler for a little fistbump. When he received the fistbump, he said, "Boom."</s>BERMAN: Because that is what you say.</s>PEREIRA: It is. Only actual response you can give a fistbump.</s>BERMAN: All right, 30 minutes after the hour. Thirteen-foot waves and monsoon conditions, the search has stalled day after day. Ahead, how weather right now is really the biggest obstacle in recovering Flight 8501.