The Subtle Get Along Optics Of Cuomo’s Sandy Presser

Sitting to his physical and political right was Home Depot founder Ken Langone, while on the other side was AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento.

The message from Gov. Andrew Cuomow as clear: business and labor, Republicans and Democrats want the $60.4 billion worth of supplemental aid from the federal government, so don’t screw around with the politics.

Cuomo’s latest news conference on the aid this morning comes as the U.S. Senate is expected to take up the aid package — which includes cash for New Jersey and Connecticut as well as New York — but the Republican-led House of Representatives is believed to be balking at the measure.

“We have reason to believe it’s going to be a challenge to get passed, especially in the House,” Cuomo said.

Cilento said at the news conference that organized labor in other states were being mobilized to contact key members of Congress, while Langone, a nemesis of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, noted that he was that he, along with Rep. Peter King, were the odd-men out at the table.

Nevertheless, the move was a classic Cuomo push: I’ve built a coalition of the reasonable, and you’re unreasonable to stand in our way.

“Politics has no place in this decision,” Cuomo said. “Don’t politicize people’s lives around disaster.”

Cuomo again reiterated his theme of the collective — the idea that the country bands together to help one region when it’s been through a disaster. He again referenced Hurricane Katrina, but this time as an example of the nation working to help New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

He noted that volunteers showed up from around the country to help with the cleanup in the aftermath of Sandy.

“They just wanted to show up to help,” Cuomo said. “Now Congress should follow the people.”