TJ WALKER - THE HABIT INFLUENCER - Personal Development | LIVE STREAM

30 Oct 2014 · 3 min

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2:37

A short live-stream commentary by TJ Walker (Oct 30, 2014) focusing on Governor Andrew Cuomo's new book, which Walker says received a $70,000 advance but sold only about 1,500 copies in its first two weeks. Walker attributes weak sales to Cuomo's media-averse strategy—refusing unscripted interviews—and argues this limits Cuomo's national profile despite strong state poll ratings.

Questions this video answers

$70,000 advance.

About 1,500 copies.

October 30, 2014 (YouTube live stream).

Chapters

Governor Andrew Cuomo, the popular governor of New York State, has a new book out and apparently nobody wants to read it. Andrew Cuomo has a new book out from a major publisher, has a plush $70,000 advance which is a lot more than most people get, in part because of his big name, his fame, the idea that he's the governor of one of the most important states in the country, that houses New York City, the media capital of the world, and that he is on most people's short list of potential presidential candidates, if not next time around, certainly in 2020. That's typically the prescription for massive, massive sales. Well, the book has been out two weeks and it has sold a meager 1500 copies. What's going on here? Part of it, I believe, is Andrew Cuomo's strategy. He has consistently turned down media venues like going on Morning Joe on MSNBC and other places because they don't agree to his ground rules. He doesn't want them asking questions about this or that or wants everything to be focused on the book. Now, full disclosure, I like Andrew Cuomo. I live in New York State. I do have a favorable opinion of him. But I think he was so scarred from his bid for governor the first time when he essentially had his campaign ended by one quote where he said that Governor Pataky was left holding the quote, excuse me, holding the coat of Mayor Giuliani after 9 11. And he gets so much criticism from that one quote. But I think he's become scared of the media, scared of anything he can't control vet in advance. And it's made him an extraordinarily media averse candidate. Now his poll ratings are high. He's going to win re election. But with this attitude, I'm just not sure he can ever gain the national profile that it takes to be a serious presidential candidate. It's certainly not making him seem interesting if he's afraid to ever subject himself to questioning where there are no holds barred. Yeah, you can play it safe that way, but you don't really gain credit as being a courageous politician that way. You don't boost your national profile. And as we found out in the last two weeks, you don't sell books.