White House Press Secretary Pen Psaki is clarifying a recent comment from President Joe Biden about outgoing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).
In a tweet, Psaki said, “[Biden] responded to a specific question today about [Cuomo] work on infrastructure.”
“He also made clear it was right for [Andrew Cuomo] to step down, reiterated his support for women who come forward, and made clear you can’t separate personal behavior from other work,” she added.
@potus responded to a specific question today about @NYGovCuomo work on infrastructure. He also made clear it was right for @NYGovCuomo to step down, reiterated his support for women who come forward, and made clear you can’t separate personal behavior from other work.
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) August 10, 2021
During an event at the White House on Tuesday, Biden was asked by CBS News’s Ed O’Keefe, “How would you assess [Cuomo’s] 10-and-a-half years as governor of the state?”
The president asked, “In terms of his personal behavior or what he’s done as a governor?”
He continued, “He’s done a hell of a job. He’s done a hell of a job on everything from access to voting to infrastructure to a whole range of things. That’s why it’s so sad.”
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked him a follow-up question, “Can you really say that he has done a ‘hell of a job’ if he is accused of sexually harassing women while on the job?”
“Should he remain as governor is one question, and women should be believed when they make accusations that are able to on the face of them make sense,” Biden responded. “If they’re investigated, and the judgment was made that what they said was correct, that’s one thing. The question is, ‘Did [Cuomo] do a good job on infrastructure?’ That was the question. He did.”
However, Collins noted that the question was broader and not just about infrastructure.
“No, the question was, correct me if I’m wrong,” Biden began to respond.
O’Keefe chimed in, “How was he as a governor generally — outside of his personal behavior?”
“As a governor generally obviously… outside of his personal behavior, okay,” Biden said.
Watch the moment below:
CNN's @kaitlancollins: "Can you really say he has done a 'hell of a job' is he is accused of sexually harassing women?"
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 10, 2021
BIDEN: "The question is 'did he do a good job on infrastructure. He did."@kaitlancollins: "The question was how did he do as a governor."
BIDEN: "No…" pic.twitter.com/5FQVTHvzHx
Biden’s comments come after Cuomo announced he would step down as governor in 14 days, following a report that found he sexually harassed several women.