Andrew Cuomo after Trump debate attack: 'New York has a lower infection rate than the White House'

On The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, which was live following the presidential debate Thursday night, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo shot back at President Trump, who slammed the state’s handling of the coronavirus during the debate. New York, especially New York City, was hit hard at the outset of the pandemic, but now has one of the lowest infection rates in the country. Cuomo responded to Trump’s attack by comparing this to the recent outbreak at the White House.

“Trump hates New York, feelings are probably mutual. We did the exact opposite that he has done on this COVID situation. He’s lied to the nation about it, and we did the exact opposite,” Cuomo said, adding, “We acknowledged it, we were smart about it, we are united, we worked together and we brought the rate down now to one of the lowest rates in the United States of America. New York has a lower infection rate than the White House, Stephen.”

While infection rates in New York decrease, rates across much of the country are steadily increasing. Cuomo believes Trump is bothered by the contrast, as Trump has seemingly enjoyed taking shots at Cuomo’s handling of the coronavirus for months.

“This state turned everything around. That’s what bothers him about New York, it shows him what this country could have done. How did we go from the highest rate in the United States to one of the lowest infection rates in the United States after what New York went through, and why isn’t that the story in every state?” Cuomo asked. “It’s an historic government blunder, and New York represents the opposite to him, and that’s why it’s galling.”

And when Colbert asked why Trump chose to continually downplay the threat of the coronavirus, as he admitted to doing on tape, Cuomo had an interesting answer.

“Because a skunk doesn’t stop smelling,” Cuomo said, “and a skunk can’t stop smelling.”

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. on CBS.

Watch Stephen Colbert implore voters to punish Trump for his family separation policy: ‘You can’t say you don’t know’:

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Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

• Chris Wallace says he’s ‘jealous’ that he couldn’t be the moderator for ‘substantive debate’

• Samantha Bee explains why ‘more than a million’ mail-in ballots could be thrown out

• Chris Cuomo responds to Trump’s attack: ‘All I wanted was for you to get well’

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