My colleagues wrote earlier here and here about the press conference that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo held against the sexual harassment allegations against him and the nursing home scandal.

But there were some things in the press conference that struck me — that my colleagues didn’t touch on — that I wanted to report.

I’m not sure who advised him to make that statement, but anyone who watched it knew it went very badly.

From Rev.com:

I never touched anyone inappropriately. I never touched anyone inappropriately. I never knew at the time that I was making anyone feel uncomfortable. I never knew at the time I was making anyone feel uncomfortable. And I certainly never ever meant to offend anyone, or hurt anyone, or cause anyone any pain. That is the last thing I would ever want to do. [….]

I also want you to know that I have learned from what has been an incredibly difficult situation for me as well as other people, and I’ve learned an important lesson. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for whatever pain I caused anyone. I never intended it, and I will be the better for this experience.

Breaking: A third woman has accused Cuomo of over-the-line behavior. Incredibly, a photographer caught the moment, and this look on her face: https://t.co/NnKCs1Y7WF pic.twitter.com/Smr4hNiKKp

— Jodi Kantor (@jodikantor) March 2, 2021

But you did, we can even see the picture and how you touch a woman you had not met before. Oh, how nice that you will be “better for the experience.” Will anyone else? Surely not the folks in the nursing homes who are no longer with us.

But there was a part in his remarks that really rubbed me the wrong way and I’m willing to bet, a lot of other folks when they heard it. It was when Cuomo tried to dismiss the picture that shows him touching the face of Anna Ruch. I think he mispronounces her name and goes on to say he’s touched hundreds of other people the same way. Yikes. Really? He then went on to say it was the way his father greeted people and threw his father under the bus in his own defense.

Andrew Cuomo: "You can go find hundreds of pictures of me kissing people, men, women — it is my usual and customary way of greeting… By the way, it was my father's way of greeting people." pic.twitter.com/9TjVqLBiBE

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) March 3, 2021

On the pictures, Marcia, I understand the opinion and feelings of Ms. Ruch. And you are right. You can find hundreds of pictures of me making the same gesture with hundreds of people, women, men, children, et cetera. You can go find hundreds of pictures of me kissing people, men, women. It is my usual and customary way of greeting. You know that because you’ve watched me for let’s just say more years than we care to remember.

By the way, it was my father’s way of greeting people. You’re the governor of the state, you want people to feel comfortable, you want to reach out to them. I do it. I kiss and hug legislators.

He then went on to apologize.

Seriously, using your father that way is pretty bad and everyone understands the difference between an effusive greeting and something else. If you’re touching women you don’t know like the picture shows and asking if you can kiss them, and don’t know until now that that’s wrong, something is seriously wrong with you. And you don’t make it better by then saying you did it “hundreds” of times with all sorts of people. That just made me want to say to him: are you joking? Are you really trying to sell us this?

It is all just part of an alleged pattern of inappropriateness by him and his administration according to reports, even before the nursing home scandal and the alleged threats against other Democrats like Assemblyman Ron Kim. It’s more than since time that it end.