Cuomo could have opened the door to the debate with Molinaro

Governor Andrew Cuomo opened the door Friday to debate his Republican opponent, Marc Molinaro – but only after giving many excuses as to why he did not commit to facing an election in less than three weeks .

The New York Post posted a photo on the front page for the second day in a row with an illustration of Cuomo in a chicken costume to underscore his persistent refusal to debate his remarks. opponent.

"I'm here, you want to call me tomorrow, I'll be here. If you want to do it with Mr. Molinaro, I'll be here. If you want to moderate a discussion, I'll be here, "Cuomo told WCBS Radio.

"You want to do it at the same time, in the same place, I'm here."

The governor made the statement after the WCBS radio hosts insisted repeatedly on his refusal to debate.

Cuomo also posed a condition: "There must be a moderator who keeps the conversation relatively substantial rather than what happened."

"Otherwise, Cuomo added, I have to go see my daughter" because it's parents' day at her university.

Although the Cuomo campaign did not provide details, his statements would imply that the debate would be broadcast at 8 am on Saturday morning – apparently only on the radio.

Molinaro immediately rejected the original idea.

"On which planet will the governor in office have the power to tell voters to join him at 8 am on Saturday morning without notice," Molinaro said. "It's an organized fraud on New York taxpayers."

"The governor is trying to check a box for not having a chicken costume on the cover of the New York Post for next week. I will not be part of a fraud. It is a fraud to suggest that voters have some advantage in having a last-minute schedule. "

Voters in New York would be among the few in the country not to hear their governorship candidates for debate this year. Even in states where leaders have a long lead, voters have always had debates, the Post reported Friday.

https://nypost.com/2018/10/18/these-governors-from-across-the-country-have-debated-their-challengers-but-not-cuomo/

"The debates help inform voters, they give voters an opportunity to see the candidates," said Doug Muzzio, professor of public relations at Baruch College – CUNY.

"Not having debates is a bad service to democracy."

Cuomo's turnaround came at the end of his second radio interview on Friday morning. Before that, he had spent time on WINS, destroying the idea of ​​debating Molinario.

"My opponent did not come up with any meaningful ideas. They invited hate groups to speak in New York, "Cuomo said earlier to explain his dodge.

He pointed out that Molinaro had not discussed his opponent of the GOP, but had dropped out in April, well before the parties' endorsement agreements or the September primary.

Then, Cuomo went back as far as 1998 to point out that the government of that time was then. George Pataki would not give a step to his rival Democrat Peter Vallone.

Cuomo's own father, Mario, refused to discuss Pataki in 1994 while trying to defeat a candidacy for an unprecedented fourth term.

Cuomo is also attacked several times at the Post, for being questioned about his refusal to debate.

"The New York Post is very good at politics," said Cuomo, ignoring other state newspapers also calling for debate.

In 2010 and 2014, Cuomo agreed to debate only if the scenes were filled with third-party gadgets to ensure that the attacks were not entirely focused on him.

And that seems to be his game plan for 2018.

"There are several candidates. Campaigns are talking about it, "he said, although NY1 and the League of Women Voters have offered to host debates.

"It's not easy," concluded the governor.