--- title: Blame De Blasio and Cuomo and Christie for the Blizzard Snow Job description: As politicians rushed to out-serious each other, New Yorkers were whipped into a fear frenzy. canonical: https://time.com/3684240/blame-de-blasio-and-cuomo-and-christie-for-the-blizzard-snow-job/ author: Karol Markowicz article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-01-27T17:01:39.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:40:46.153Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Blame De Blasio and Cuomo and Christie for the Blizzard Snow Job og:description: As politicians rushed to out-serious each other, New Yorkers were whipped into a fear frenzy. og:url: https://time.com/3684240/blame-de-blasio-and-cuomo-and-christie-for-the-blizzard-snow-job/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0f5867c288174642/69877c26428a9ed919cc6cfb/bill-de-blasio-snow-blizzard-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5146 og:image:height: 2895 og:image:alt: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio exits a news conference with Department of Sanitation workers in New York. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Blame De Blasio and Cuomo and Christie for the Blizzard Snow Job twitter:description: As politicians rushed to out-serious each other, New Yorkers were whipped into a fear frenzy. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0f5867c288174642/69877c26428a9ed919cc6cfb/bill-de-blasio-snow-blizzard-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Blame De Blasio and Cuomo and Christie for the Blizzard Snow Job > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=99749e5c-0cb4-43e5-92ed-9a39f4f1da1a&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Sam Jacobs, Editor-in-Chief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Globally minded knowledge seekers. Readers who turn to journalism to understand the world, with meaningful concentrations among educators, students, media professionals, civic institutions and knowledge workers. ### TIME Inside TIME: key statements * Inside TIME is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Inside TIME is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=99749e5c-0cb4-43e5-92ed-9a39f4f1da1a&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/subscribe?i=99749e5c-0cb4-43e5-92ed-9a39f4f1da1a&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is Inside TIME? Inside TIME is a twice-weekly newsletter written by TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs. It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=99749e5c-0cb4-43e5-92ed-9a39f4f1da1a&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Know Right Now: Northeast Hit By Massive Storm [Watch (HLS stream): Know Right Now: Northeast Hit By Massive Storm](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/reQs7Khe.m3u8) (1:03)  _Published 2015-01-26. A potentially historic snowstorm is heading for the Northeast. Find out more by watching today's Know Right Now_ by [Karol Markowicz](https://time.com/author/karol-markowicz/) ## Karol Markowicz Jan 27, 2015 5:01 PM UTC  New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio exits a news conference with Department of Sanitation workers in preparation for a blizzard in New York City, Jan. 26, 2015. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio exits a news conference with Department of Sanitation workers in preparation for a blizzard in New York City, Jan. 26, 2015. Yana Paskova—The New York Times/Redux by [Karol Markowicz](https://time.com/author/karol-markowicz/) ## Karol Markowicz Jan 27, 2015 5:01 PM UTC Every modern event has a hashtag and this morning, as New York City takes stock of the #snowmageddon2015 that wasn’t, it’s turning to #snowperbole. On Monday, as Governor Cuomo, Governor Christie, and Mayor de Blasio rushed to out-serious each other, New Yorkers were whipped into a fear frenzy. Supermarket shelves were stripped bare, photos of Whole Foods depleted of kale circulated, and people stocked up for what would likely be days (maybe weeks!) indoors. Even as we were doing it, we acknowledged it didn’t make much sense. After all, we’re in New York City. Bodegas never close. Delivery guys on bicycles have been a constant through all previous winter storms. All New Yorkers have their stories. That time we ordered Chinese Food during the snowstorm of 1994\. Swimming on Brighton Beach during Hurricane Gloria. Buying Poptarts at the corner bodega during Sandy. Driving from Manhattan to Brooklyn and back again during the blackout of 2003\. Yes, those are all mine. ### Blizzard 2015: How New Yorkers and New Englanders Shared Photos  Marissa McClain posted this photo from Brookline, Mass. saying "Ventured outside. Found this man skiing down summit." Marissa McClain (@marissamcclain) via Instagram  Apoorva posted this photo from Times Square in New York City. Apoorva (@\_apoorva) via Instagram  Nicole Drummond posted from the Brooklyn borough of New York City saying "It was quiet streets early this morning in DUMBO and we got to explore it all!" Nicole Drummond (@nicoleraedrummond) via Instagram  Andrea Alimonta posted this photo from New York City saying "Stay Warm!" Andrea Alimonta (@andre3nto) via Instagram  John DeFoor posted this photo in Atlantic City, N.J. saying "The view from my room. I cant wait to hit the beach!" John DeFoor (@JohnDeFoor) via Instagram  Jaka Vinsek posted this photo of an empty Grand Central Station in New York on Jan. 26, 2015. Jaka Vinsek (@jakavinsek) via Instagram  Gwen Betts posted this photo in Boston saying "Dear Midwest: Please send snow blowers." Gwen Betts (@gwennasaurus) via Instagram  Meshari posted this photo in Boston saying "Go home. Stay there. Seriously!" Meshari (@\_meshari) via Instagram  Garret posted this photo from New York City saying "A light with no purpose tonight thanks to the might of Juno." Garret P (@garretp) via Instagram  Brandon Sullivan posted this photo from saying "These cars in Boston won't be going anywhere soon." Brandon Sullivan—AccuWeather (@btsullivan91) via Instagram  David Everly posted this photo of the Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn. David Everly (@selfproclaim) via Instagram  Gautham Asok posted this photo from the Emerald Necklace Conservancy in Boston. Gautham Asok (@gauthamasok) via Instagram  Adrian Moyer posted this photo from the Queens borough of New York City saying "Stay warm NYC, apparently there's a storm coming." Adrian Moyer (@\_adrianmoy) via Instagram  Azor Ahai posted this photo from New York City saying "The blizzard soon cometh." Azor Ahai (@crazy\_kwasi) via Instagram **MORE** [Here’s Who Decides If Your Flight Takes off This Week](http://time.com/3602952/airport-flight-cancellation/) As we waited for the storm deemed “historic,” the only real history was made when the subway shut down for the first time ever in preparation for snow. The real insult came when it was reported later that the trains were indeed still running, _empty_, as trains needed to keep moving to clear the tracks. Citibike was shut down. Cars were banned from the roads and anyone who didn’t take heed risked being fined. These are all symptoms of our infantilizing “do something!” culture. Everyone understands the pressure politicians feel to be seen as proactive. But this time they went way too far in the name of protecting us. It’s one thing to warn drivers that conditions are dangerous and that they go out at their own risk. It’s another to shut down all roads in the city that allegedly never sleeps. The 11 p.m. curfew resulted in lost wages for delivery people who count on larger-than-usual tips during inclement weather. Why couldn’t they make their own decisions about working during the snow? Not everyone makes a salary the way our mayor and governor do. Many workers count on their hourly wage, and their tips, to make their rent each month. The storm was a dud, but even if had been as severe as predicted, bringing a city like New York to a preemptive standstill makes little sense. The people who keep New York humming take the subway after 11pm and can decide for themselves whether to keep their businesses open. Preparedness doesn’t have to mean panic. ### East Coast Readies Itself for Up to 3 Feet of Snow  A couple kisses during a blizzard in Times Square in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME  A man crosses the street in New York City during a snow storm in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME  People walk in front of the Manhattan Bridge in the DUMBO neighborhood as it snows in Brooklyn, NY on Jan. 26, 2015 Andrew Hinderaker  A man walks through the middle of a snow storm in Times Square, New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME  A man waits to cross the street in Brooklyn, NY on Jan. 26, 2015. Andrew Hinderaker  A pedestrian passes through Johnstown Central Park, in Johnstown, Pa., Monday, Jan. 26, 2015. Todd Berkey—The Tribune-Democrat/AP  Fishing boats ride out the storm at dock in Scituate, Mass., on Jan. 27, 2015. Michael Dwyer—AP  A worker pushes a snow blower down Lexington Avenue in Manhattan on Jan. 26, 2015. Carlo Allegri—Reuters  A man stands in falling snow on West 42nd street in Times Square in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Mike Segar—Reuters  Two people huddle for warmth on the street in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME  A man strolls on a walking path at Liberty State Park, with the Statue of Liberty in the distance, in Jersey City, N.J. on Jan. 26, 2015. Julio Cortez—AP  A tugboat sails on the East River during a snow storm in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Jewel Samad—AFP/Getty Images  People walk over the Brooklyn Bridge during a large winter storm in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Andrew Kelly—EPA  A man crosses the street during a snow storm in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME  A woman walks though Central Park as it snows in the Manhattan borough of New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Carlo Allegri—Reuters  Children play in Central Park as it snows in the Manhattan borough of New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Carlo Allegri—Reuters  Loaves of bread sit on a sparse shelf at a grocery store in Port Washington, New York on Jan. 26, 2015. Shannon Stapleton—Reuters  A crewmember de-ices a Frontier Airlines plane at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Jan. 26, 2015. Seth Wenig—AP  Crews load road salt into trucks ahead of a major winter storm in Chelsea, Mass. on Jan. 26, 2015. Brian Snyder—Reuters  Snow falls in New York City on Jan. 26, 2015. Benjamin Lowy—Getty Images Reportage for TIME _Read next:_ [_9 Takeaways from the 2015 Blizzard Bust_](http://time.com/3684165/9-takeaways-from-the-2015-blizzard-bust/?xid=time%5Freadnext) [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] We are facing, most likely, one of the largest [ MUSIC ] Snow storms in the history of this city. [ MUSIC ] What we're trying to do now is just prepare for any type of incidents so that, that we don't have any serious impact to, to our residents here in the city of Boston. [ MUSIC ]. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3684240/blame-de-blasio-and-cuomo-and-christie-for-the-blizzard-snow-job/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3684240/blame-de-blasio-and-cuomo-and-christie-for-the-blizzard-snow-job/"},"headline":"Blame De Blasio and Cuomo and Christie for the Blizzard Snow Job","datePublished":"2015-01-27T17:01:39.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:40:46.153Z","description":"As politicians rushed to out-serious each other, New Yorkers were whipped into a fear frenzy.","url":"https://time.com/3684240/blame-de-blasio-and-cuomo-and-christie-for-the-blizzard-snow-job/","keywords":["politics"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0f5867c288174642/69877c26428a9ed919cc6cfb/bill-de-blasio-snow-blizzard-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Karol Markowicz","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/karol-markowicz/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0f5867c288174642/69877c26428a9ed919cc6cfb/bill-de-blasio-snow-blizzard-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio exits a news conference with Department of Sanitation workers in New York.","caption":"New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio exits a news conference with Department of Sanitation workers in New York.","creditText":"Yana Paskova—The New York Times/Redux","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/politics/","name":"politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3684240/blame-de-blasio-and-cuomo-and-christie-for-the-blizzard-snow-job/","name":"Blame De Blasio and Cuomo and Christie for the Blizzard Snow Job"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Know Right Now: Northeast Hit By Massive Storm","description":"A potentially historic snowstorm is heading for the Northeast. Find out more by watching today's Know Right Now","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/reQs7Khe/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-01-26T16:20:30.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/reQs7Khe.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3684240/blame-de-blasio-and-cuomo-and-christie-for-the-blizzard-snow-job/","duration":"PT1M3S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3684240/blame-de-blasio-and-cuomo-and-christie-for-the-blizzard-snow-job/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```