NY Governor Andrew Cuomo: Trump is marketing a ‘great distraction’

PHILADELPHIA — Don't fall for Donald Trump 's tricks this election, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday night.

"The Trump campaign is marketing a great distraction, using people's fear and anxiety to drive his ratings. Their message comes down to this: Be afraid of people who are different, religions, colors, language. Stop immigration and the nation will automatically rise," Cuomo said at the Democratic National Convention.

"It's not right, it's divisive, it's delusional, and we must expose the truth to the people of this nation," he said. "Republicans are suffering from short-term memory loss. Unless Republicans are all Native Americans, they are immigrants too."

Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has said repeatedly throughout his campaign the U.S. needs tougher immigration policies to help curb the number of terrorist attacks in the U.S. The business mogul even called for not allowing entry to people from countries with terrorist ties.

"Republicans say they want to make America great again, they say they want to take us back to the old days, good old days," Cuomo said in front of a jam-packed audience at the Wells Fargo Center, ahead of Hillary Clinton formally accepting the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.

"We have a different vision, we're not going back, we're going forward for this nation."

"Imagine how great America can be when every child, rich and poor, is fully educated to their God-given talents. … You think America is strong? Imagine how strong we will be truly heed milk's wisdom content of character, not color of skin; imagine how strong we will be when we understand that the greatest feast is the one enjoyed by the most people at the table."

Cuomo also evoked the memory of his father and former governor of New York, Mario, in his speech. Mario Cuomo delivered the keynote speech at the 1984 DNC and died last year.

"The 1984 election was important because it was about two opposing philosophies more than two people. Even more profoundly, at stake this November is not which person or party wins or loses, at stake in this election, my friends, is the very soul of America," Cuomo said.

Cuomo also gave Clinton a ringing endorsement in his speech, noting how they worked together for eight years while he was at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"I've seen her in the trenches and in the good days and bad. She stood on the world stage and declared that human rights were women's rights. She fought for health care for all Americans."

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