Whether you knew it or not, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is the hero that we needed in 2020.

He'd be the first to tell you, Cuomo has been a bastion of sound thinking and virtue throughout the pandemic, at least that's what I'd assume from the decision by the The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to present Gov. Cuomo with an Emmy for his "leadership" and "masterful use of television" during this time:

"Gov. Andrew Cuomo will receive an international Emmy award, 'in recognition of his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his masterful use of television to inform and calm people around the world.'" said The Hollywood Reporter editor Alex Weprin.

This makes sense, of course, because Cuomo is known for his great policies during the pandemic — like, say, sending droves of sick people into nursing homes, where thousands died (in addition to thousands more that were transferred to hospitals where they died but were not counted in the total).

He's currently under investigation by the Department of Justice for that move, but he's been too busy selling his self-congratulatory book touting his own marvelous leadership to care.

Even leftists are getting frustrated with him, but that won't stop the best governor in America!

"Cuomo's new book on leadership, published as the pandemic continues to ravage America, touts his willingness to speak hard truths about the pandemic," wrote ProPublica. "Why then has he still not said how many nursing home residents perished on his watch?"

We shouldn't be bothered by pesky questions of how many grandmas died directly as a result of Cuomo's orders. All we need to know is that he is a Democrat, and thus immune to any media criticism. Take his hostile outburst at a reporter this week as an example. When Donald Trump does that, it's reported as fascist repression of the press for a week. When Andrew Cuomo does it, he gets a free pass!

Yes, this is a man of sCiEnCe who said he'd block a vaccine developed under the Trump Administration from his state because Orange Man Bad. This is a man who freely lets loose anti-Semitic foghorns while Trump's every hand gesture is analyzed intently for "dog whistles." This is a man who makes open threats of violence to the President of the United States, but it's okay because the president is basically Hitler.

Despite a flood of criticism, frustration, and investigation, Cuomo can rest easy. He belongs to the Party, and the Party always takes care of its own. Instead of being penalized for disastrous policies that led to thousands of deaths, mass migration from his state, and cavernous budget holes, Cuomo shuts down schools, promises to increase taxes, and celebrates the destruction of our nation's history.

And after all that, he's being awarded an Emmy.

Here was the reasoning from International Academy President Bruce Paisner:

"The Governor's 111 daily briefings worked so well because he effectively created television shows, with characters, plot lines, and stories of success and failure. People around the world tuned in to find out what was going on, and New York tough became a symbol of the determination to fight back."

Did you read that? What matters isn't the truth – it's the showmanship.

Yes, your grandma was probably a nice person, but think of the characters and the drama! Yeah, I know you put everything into that business that went under, but oh did it make for good plot lines! Yep, I know you couldn't be with your wife when your child was born, but think of the symbolism!

Do you still think your idols in Hollywood care about you, America?

At least one good thing came out of it – this comment:

We're only one step away now from the media openly lauding Cuomo's decision to kill old people. Will another Babylon Bee prophesy be fulfilled?