WGRZ
by NICK REISMAN
Gannett Albany Bureau
October 15, 2010

ALBANY -- The seven gubernatorial candidates appearing on the Nov. 2 ballot will have a chance to make their case to voters Monday in a televised debate at Hofstra University on Long Island.

But with the crowded stage, the debate has the potential to be jam-packed with platforms, policy positions and stunts.

In addition to the major party candidates - Democrat Andrew Cuomo and Republican Carl Paladino - the debate will feature gubernatorial hopefuls like Kristin Davis, a former madam who served time in prison and Jimmy McMillan, who is running on a line called "Rent is 2 Damn High."

Each candidate will have equal time to respond to the same questions, debate organizers said.

Paladino, who pushed hard for a debate that includes all the candidates on the ballot, may have his work cut out for him as he tries to move beyond high-profile gaffes and contrast himself positively to Cuomo.

"I think what Paladino has to do at the debate is ignore the other five, focus attention on Andrew and tell voters he has the right solutions and Andrew Cuomo doesn't," said Siena College pollster Steve Greenberg. "He's failed up until now to do that."

In a recent interview with Gannett's Albany Bureau, Paladino said he welcomed the minor party candidates to the debate and wasn't concerned they would drown out his message.

"They worked hard to get their petitions and to get on the ballot, why would I feel that way? They're entitled to speak," Paladino said. "Andrew and his highfalutin attitude, OK, he didn't want those people. But finally he agreed to it; we had to shame him into it."

Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins said he was "pleasantly surprised" to be included in the debate. A statewide television appearance will also go a long way in helping him receive the needed 50,000-vote threshold in order for the party to gain automatic ballot status four years from now, Hawkins said.

But he also recognizes that having all the candidates participate helps Cuomo.

"I'm sorting of thinking if I put myself in Cuomo's shoes, this is what I'd do," Hawkins said. "The more of us who are there, there's less between him and Paladino."

In part, the free-for-all debate is a page from his father Mario's playbook. As an incumbent, Mario Cuomo pushed for all candidates running to be included in debates, a stance that is widely viewed as hurting the lesser-known candidates who ran against him.

But as the frontrunner, Andrew Cuomo runs the risk of being ganged up on by the other candidates, but he should ignore the fracas, said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist.

"They're all going to gang up on him and why that's important is the noise of it all won't matter," Sheinkopf said. "The only thing that matters is that he keeps his composure."

In turn, Paladino has to knock Cuomo off his message, said Erie County Republican Chairman Nicholas Langworthy.

"He needs to engage Andrew Cuomo head on," Langworthy said. "He will focus on why he's running for governor and that's to right-size government."

Warren Redlich, the Libertarian candidate for governor, said he would try to appeal to Republicans who worry about Paladino's viability.

"I think the big thing to distinguish myself is to be competent, by not being crazy and hopefully be a little bit entertaining," he said.

Barbara Bartoletti, legislative director for the state League of Women Voters, said there is a case to be made to have all the candidates on the ballot at the debate. But the league generally uses a rule that a candidate needs to have 5 percent support in public opinion polls to be invited to a debate.

A statewide poll that includes all the candidates in Monday's debate has not been taken.

The main problem is that there is only one gubernatorial debate scheduled and none planned between Cuomo and Paladino alone, Bartoletti said.

"I think the takeaway from this is it's unfortunate that there's only one debate and there isn't one that puts the two prominent candidates, who are certainly polling over five percent, on a stage for in-depth debate on the issues facing New Yorkers," she said.

The 90-minute debate, set to begin at 7 p.m., will be broadcast live on Cablevision's News 12 and Time Warner Cable's YNN across New York.

The format

The 90-minute gubernatorial debate will be broadcast live across the state on Time Warner Cable's YNN and News 12 on Cablevision. A Spanish-language translation is available on Noticias. Public radio stations will also broadcast the forum. The debate starts at 7 p.m. and will feature three moderators. Questions will be asked from the audience and from the moderators. News 12 and Newsday are sponsoring the debate.

The candidates and their ballot lines.

• Andrew Cuomo -- Democratic, Independence and Working Families
• Carl Paladino - Republican, Conservative and Taxpayers
• Warren Redlich - Libertarian
• Howie Hawkins - Green Party
• Jimmy McMillan - Rent is 2 Damn High
• Kristin Davis - Anti-Prohibition
• Charles Barron -- Freedom