New York Gov. Kathy Hochul found herself on the receiving end of sharp criticism after her lackluster speech at the Democratic National Convention. The speech, which left many attendees and spectators unimpressed, quickly became the object of ridicule on social networks, according to reports Fox News.

Beginning his speech, Hochul made an awkward misstep by asking the audience if they were ready to elect Vice President Kamala Harris as the “first president of the United States,” apparently forgetting to specify “woman” in his statement The gaffe set the tone for what would become a widely criticized performance.

The audience's attention seemed to wane just minutes into his speech, especially when Hochul launched into an attack on former President Donald Trump. He accused Trump of lacking “New York values” and called him a “fraud, rogue and criminal.” In a failed attempt to elicit laughter or applause, Hochul quipped, “No wonder I had to run off to Mar-a-Lago. Sorry, Florida. His attempt to deliver a memorable line with: “The motto of New York is 'excellent: always up' and Trump always brings us down,” he snarled, with little to no reaction from the crowd.

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Commentators did not hold back in their criticism. Boston Herald columnist Grace Curley wondered aloud, “Is Kathy Hochul always this bad or is she just having an off night?” Pundit Jake Novak succinctly replied, “Always,” while columnist David Marcus commented, “Kathy Hochul is the substitute teacher that other substitute teachers make fun of.”

Even Semafor Washington bureau chief Benjy Sarlin couldn't resist a jab, joking, “People are going to say this took too long, but what are you supposed to do, not give a speech to Kathy Hochul?” The Trump War Room Twitter account also took aim, accusing Hochul of bragging about “arming the legal system to convict President Trump of 34 bogus legal crimes in the most lurid and bogus way possible.”

Kathy Hochul boasts that New York rigged the legal system to convict President Trump of 34 bogus statutory felonies in the most horrifying and bogus way possible. pic.twitter.com/P6EH9HOWBJ

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 20, 2024

While others shared their thoughts:

Kathy Hochul and her black hole of charisma make Amy Klobuchar look like Emma Stone pic.twitter.com/R6big6vWLZ

— alex (@alex_abads) August 20, 2024

Well here you have it. They found someone dumber than Kamala.

Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York.

pic.twitter.com/1TcnEd2rxB

— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) August 20, 2024

Kathy Hochul really blew the doors off the place pic.twitter.com/frnEdNr9Kg

— jordan (@JordanUhl) August 20, 2024

We can get a fact check on this one:

“Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris the first President of the United States?” – Kathy Hochul pic.twitter.com/14t23TkgQM

— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) August 20, 2024

As the evening progressed, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., drew a much more enthusiastic response from the audience. His reception was so overwhelming that some onlookers speculated whether he might consider challenging Hochul for the governor's seat.

This criticism comes as Hochul's approval ratings continue to plummet. A recent Siena College poll found that only 44 percent of voters approve of his performance, while 50 percent disapprove, an all-time low for the Democratic governor. In addition, her favorability rating has dropped to 38%, with 49% viewing her unfavorably.

Hochul assumed the role of governor in 2021 after the resignation of Andrew Cuomo and was elected to a full term in 2022 by a relatively narrow margin of less than seven points. That's a stark contrast to Cuomo's 23-point victory in 2018, highlighting growing discontent with Hochul's leadership in blue state New York.

This piece was written by the LifeZette News Staff on August 20, 2024. It originally appeared on LifeZette and used with permission.

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