The Tale of Joe and Andy

Speculation has ramped up recently regarding the potential appointment of Gov. Andrew Cuomo as U.S. attorney general, should his old pal former Vice President Joe Biden win the presidency next month. While Cuomo was quick to shoot down such rumors, there’s no denying the affinity between the two politicians, both moderate Democrats with decades of experience.

Here’s how the two line up. 

Born: 

Biden: 1942

Cuomo: 1957

Raised: 

Biden: In blue-collar Scranton, Pennsylvania

Cuomo: In middle-class Queens

Faith:

Biden: Catholic

Cuomo: Catholic

Breakthrough role: 

Biden: Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972

Cuomo: Appointed HUD secretary in 1997

Big scandal:

Biden: Plagiarized parts of his speeches while running for president in 1987

Cuomo: Meddled in the supposedly independent Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption

Presidential ambition:

Biden: If the polls are accurate, the Democratic nominee may be the next president.

Cuomo: Long rumored to be considering a bid, he might have run if Biden didn’t.

On same-sex marriage: 

Biden: His open support in 2012 pressured President Barack Obama to openly back it. 

Cuomo: He championed a 2011 law allowing it in New York.

On Medicare for All:

Biden: Opposed at the federal level, citing costs

Cuomo: Opposed at the state level, citing costs

Key quote: 

Cuomo: “I am the government.”

Biden: “I am the Democratic Party right now.”

Running mate:

Cuomo: Kathy Hochul

Biden: Kamala Harris

Wingman role: 

Biden: Served as Obama’s vice president

Cuomo: Might serve as Biden’s attorney general