Democrat Cuomo won't commit to more NY debates
(AP) – 1 day ago
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (AP) — New York Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo refused to commit to any more debates before the election, saying Tuesday that he wanted to spend the final days of the campaign discussing issues with voters around the state.
"There are only a couple weeks left," Cuomo said at a campaign event in Poughkeepsie. "I said when I started, I wanted to be in every county in this state. I'm at about 46 counties so far. And I want to finish that".
Cuomo, the state attorney general, appeared at a forum Monday night on Long Island with Republican rival Carl Paladino and five minor party candidates, including Jimmy McMillan of the Rent is 2 Damn High party and anti-Prohibition party candidate Kristin Davis, the so-called "Manhattan Madam" who once ran a prostitution ring.
The debate — the only one of the campaign — was widely panned as political theater, but Cuomo said it served a purpose.
"To the extent people wanted to see all the candidates there and discuss their platforms, I think that occurred," Cuomo said.
Paladino insisted from the beginning that all candidates on the ballot be allowed to appear in the debate. But in a radio interview Tuesday, he complained that the format was "terrible" and hadn't allowed a thorough grilling of Cuomo, who has a large lead in the race, according to polls.
Paladino's campaign later released a statement calling for more debates, preferably in upstate New York.
"The people of New York got a closer look at career Albany politician Andrew Cuomo last night, and I don't think they liked what they saw," the statement said. "The other candidates for governor discussed their solutions for our dying state, but Andrew sat back and wallowed in platitudes."
Asked repeatedly whether there would be any more debates, Cuomo said only that "the campaigns are talking."
Cuomo told reporters his campaign had originally pressed for a one-on-one debate with Paladino, a millionaire Buffalo real estate developer who won the Republican primary Sept. 14 with a pledge to cut taxes and spending and to clean up state government with a baseball bat.
Since then, Paladino has had several stumbles, threatening to "take out" a newspaper reporter and suggesting children could be brainwashed into being gay.
Paladino also has suggested, without substantiation, that Cuomo engaged in extramarital affairs while married to Kerry Kennedy, daughter of the late New York Democratic Sen. Robert Kennedy, whom he divorced in 2005.
Cuomo acknowledged the campaign has been largely notable for its controversy and theatrics, and said voters deserved a more thorough discussion of issues.
"This campaign has had its share of ... bizarre moments and negative moments, frankly. But I'm trying best I can to stay on the substance," Cuomo said. "I feel good about the progress we're making. Would I want to repeat every moment of the campaign we've gone through? No."