Gallery: Columbus Day 2014

Parades give politicians some of their best celebrity moments—especially the lucky Italian-American combo of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who marched separately down Fifth Avenue waving to largely loving crowds in the 70^th Annual Columbus Day Parade.

“Am I a de Blasio fan? We’re Italian!” said one reveler. And Cuomo couldn’t walk a block without someone yelling at him to run for President.

Both spoke quickly to reporters, de Blasio having to respond to Ebola fears and continued questions about Rachel Noerdlinger, his wife’s aide who is embroiled in controversy. Cuomo mainly dealt praise to Italian-Americans and remembered his mother’s “basic and simple” cooking. You can listen to the Q & A with the mayor here. 

Also spotted were Sen. Chuck Schumer, speaking to the crowd through a bullhorn, and Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino, eagerly shaking hands and responding to cries of “buona fortuna!”

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