Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, is governor of New York. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own.



Andrew Cuomo

(CNN) In his first State of the Union address on Tuesday night, President Trump will have an opportunity to outline his vision, and his apparent goal will be to advocate "bipartisanship." But it is the President who will need to demonstrate that he will retreat from his divisive path and begin to move America forward by putting bipartisan government ahead of political extremism.

Obviously in a divided nation, with extreme feelings of alienation on both sides of the political spectrum, it is the overwhelming and festering national need. Racial, religious and political tensions are ripping apart American society.

The Founding Fathers stitched together an exquisite fabric to connect a land of different people into one community through balance of power and respect for diversity. The first year of the Trump Administration has weakened those links. E pluribus unum, our nation's founding premise stitched on the seal on the flag behind the President's desk, has been made a mockery.

But the President's words alone advocating "bipartisanship" will not fix the problem he created.

If the President, who now needs Senate Democrats to pass a continuing resolution and then a budget in February, wants any degree of reasonable cooperation, he will need to make the first moves.

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