"I know how bad Albany is. I know it better than most. I understand why people are angry. I'm angry. The question is going to be, how do you change Albany, what is the plan for change, and then how do you actually get it done?"
About this Quote
The repetition of “I know” and “I’m angry” does political judo. Anger is framed as rational and shared, but safely contained inside his persona. It’s an emotional bond that doesn’t require admitting specific culpability. Notice what’s missing: names, episodes, deals, votes. “Albany” becomes a stand-in for dysfunction itself, a vague antagonist that lets him criticize “the system” without indicting the people who run it - including, potentially, him.
Then comes the pivot: “the question is going to be…” Cuomo turns outrage into process, and process into authority. The rhetoric shifts from moral judgment to execution: plan, change, get it done. That’s Cuomo’s brand of politics in miniature - less inspirational than transactional, less confession than competence pitch. It implicitly flatters the listener’s frustration while nudging them away from protest and toward hiring a foreman.
Context matters: this is the language of reform-era New York, where corruption scandals and legislative gridlock made “Albany” a synonym for rot. Cuomo isn’t promising purity; he’s selling control. The subtext is blunt: you’re right to be furious, but fury isn’t a strategy - I am.
Quote Details
| Topic | Vision & Strategy |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Cuomo, Andrew. (2026, January 17). I know how bad Albany is. I know it better than most. I understand why people are angry. I'm angry. The question is going to be, how do you change Albany, what is the plan for change, and then how do you actually get it done? FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-know-how-bad-albany-is-i-know-it-better-than-38417/
Chicago Style
Cuomo, Andrew. "I know how bad Albany is. I know it better than most. I understand why people are angry. I'm angry. The question is going to be, how do you change Albany, what is the plan for change, and then how do you actually get it done?" FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-know-how-bad-albany-is-i-know-it-better-than-38417/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I know how bad Albany is. I know it better than most. I understand why people are angry. I'm angry. The question is going to be, how do you change Albany, what is the plan for change, and then how do you actually get it done?" FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-know-how-bad-albany-is-i-know-it-better-than-38417/. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.




