Cuomo and Obama.
Photo: MANDEL NGAN/2011 AFP
That’s a fair bit more than the $50 billion request hinted at by the White House earlier this week, but still well short of the $82 billion governors Andrew Cuomo of New York, Chris Christie of New Jersey, and Dan Malloy of Connecticut asked for. Still, the leaders of those Sandy-ravaged states seem alright with the $60 billion for now. Cuomo called Obama’s request “the first good news New York has had in a while.” New York senator Chuck Schumer added, “They say half a loaf is better than none. Well, three quarters is better than half.” Of course, the number is still subject to approval by a fiscal cliff-obsessed Congress. “We have the request and will review it,” said a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, who declined to elaborate.
