Mario Cuomo, a three-term governor of New York and a leading voice of the Democratic party for several decades, passed away Thursday at the age of 82.
His death came as his son, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, delivered inaugural addresses in Manhattan and Buffalo, N.Y., having being sworn in for his own second term.
The elder Cuomo, New York's chief executive from 1983-1994, died of "natural causes due to heart failure this evening at home with his loving family at his side."
He was hospitalized November 30 for treatment of a heart condition.
Mario's younger son, Chris Cuomo, of CNN's New Day, informed the cable news network shortly before 5 p.m. on Thursday that his father had died.
In his inauguration address on Thursday afternoon, Andrew Cuomo said that he had read his speech to his father, a celebrated orator, the night before.
"He said it was good, especially for a second termer," Andrew said. "He couldn't be here physically today, my father. But my father is in this room."
"He is in the heart and mind of every person who is here."
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, speaking yesterday, remembered him as "a man who campaigned with poetry and governed with beautiful prose."
President Barack Obama, in a statement, saluted the former governor as "an unflinching voice for tolerance, inclusiveness, fairness, dignity and opportunity."
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton said in a joint statement that "Mario's life was the very embodiment of the American dream."
"It was Mario Cuomo's great gift and our good fortune that he was both a sterling orator and a passionate public servant. His life was a blessing."
Cuomo was first elected as governor in 1982, and twice more after that.
He increased spending for education and social welfare, cut the state's highest income taxes and spoke out against the death penalty and for minority rights.
But budget problems and voter weariness after 12 years helped little-known George Pataki, a Republican, knock off Cuomo in 1994, and he later retired.
In addition to his two sons, Cuomo is survived by his wife of 60 years, Matilda, and their three daughters, Maria, Margaret and Madeline, and 14 grandchildren.
R.I.P.
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