reality, the hard substance of things and we'll do it not so much with speeches that sound good as with speeches that are good and sound. >> it cemented him as one of his generation's greatest orators. a defender of the have-notes and the little guys. it also made time choice of many democratic leaders to run for president. >> he said will you think about it? i said i have been thinking about. >> it are you going to think about it anymore? [ laughter ] >> he was considered a favorite for the democratic nomination in both 1988 and 1992 but in both cases he demured. his seaming inability to decide on higher office frustrated democratic party faithful and became something of a punch line in itself. >> and mario cuomo, no one knows what he's going to do. i don't know if you've seen his new public service commercial for new york city it says "a mind is a terrible thing to make up." [ laughter ] >> he said it wasn't indecisiveness that kept him in new york instead of washington