Carl Paladino: Andrew Cuomo's "Prowess is Legendary"
New York GOP gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino set his state's political establishment abuzz this morning in announcing he would make a major announcement Thursday afternoon - without giving a hint as to what that announcement would be.
The announcement has now aired on Buffalo-area television, and you can watch it at left.
In the message, Paladino opens by discussing the confrontation he got into with New York Post writer Fred Dicker, saying he "got angry" because the Post sent a photographer to take pictures of the daughter he had in an extramarital affair.
"For weeks, the media has badgered me about affairs, because unlike a career politician, I was honest enough to acknowledge she was my daughter," he says, before ticking off some of the questions he said he had been asked.
"Does the media ask Andrew such questions?" Paladino continues, referring to his opponent, Democratic attorney general Andrew Cuomo. He adds: "Andrew's prowess is legendary."
Paladino has raised claims of extramarital affairs on Cuomo's part before, though he has not provided any proof to support the allegations.
Immediately after the "prowess is legendary" comment, Paladino says the campaign shouldn't be about such allegations, since New York is "in a death spiral." He then discusses many of his proposals.
Paladino closes the video by challenging Cuomo to debate, saying, "Come out and debate like a man."
The charge comes despite the fact that Cuomo has already agreed to debate.
"Andrew Cuomo accepted the Newsday/News 12 invitation to debate yesterday afternoon," Benjamin Lawsky, General Counsel of Cuomo 2010, said in a statement. "We look forward to a vigorous debate of the issues that matter to New Yorkers. To say that the Andrew Cuomo has not agreed to debate is demonstrably false and misleading."
Paladino has not agreed to participate in the debate. Among those who have are Kristin Davis, the so-called "Manhattan madam" involved in the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal and Jimmy McMillan of the Rent is Too Damn High Party.
