Andrew Cuomo’s COVID-19 Briefings Draw on the Persuasive Authority of PowerPoint

When we watch from our laptops and televisions at home, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s daily coronavirus briefings always float atop a background of cobalt blue. Two thick goldenrod lines cut horizontally across our screens, boxing in a diptych: a video feed of Cuomo to the left, his PowerPoint slides to the right. Sometimes, he appears in a navy suit and tie; other times, in a white polo shirt emblazoned with the New York State logo. When the camera cuts wide, we see his aides and other