R.I.P. Mario Cuomo (1932 — 2015)

Governor of New York 1983–1994, son of Italian immigrants, steadfast Democrat of the old school (i.e., unapologetic liberal advocate for social justice), great orator, consistently reluctant to pursue our nation's highest office, Cuomo may have been the last American politician with an unreservedly liberal philosophical inclination.

This AP article and this wiki between them summarize his life. They literally don't make 'em like him anymore.

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AFTERTHOUGHT: Charles P. Pierce at Esquire, one of the most eloquent political writers alive today, sees Cuomo a bit differently: one might almost summarize Pierce's appraisal of Cuomo as "ineffectual." What can I say: a man who at least twice turned down the opportunity to run for President as candidate of a major party, and once turned down a nomination to the Supreme Court by the most popular president of the late 20^th century (no, I do NOT mean St. Ronald), left himself open to Pierce's legitimate assessment.