wcbstv.com - Spitzer, Suozzi Go Round And Round At Testy Debate
Only Scheduled Meeting Touches Many Nerves

(AP) NEW YORK Eliot Spitzer, the runaway front-runner for the Democratic nomination for governor engaged in a feisty debate Tuesday with Tom Suozzi, his longshot opponent in the only scheduled debate before the September primary.

Spitzer took the unexpected offensive by accusing Suozzi of relying on raising taxes as Glen Cove mayor and Nassau County executive.

“What you have done repeatedly is raise taxes,” Spitzer said. “What I have done is use the tools available to me.”

Suozzi, as he had throughout the campaign, predicted Spitzer would not stand up to the political gridlock and entrenched power structure of Albany.

“Mr. Spitzer has embraced the status quo,” Suozzi said. “You will simply be replacing a Republican with a Democratic governor who will tinker around the edges. We need wholesale reform … Both parties are rotten to the core. I will stand up to everyone I have to.”

Several times, the moderator of the debate at Pace University had to cut off the two candidates in a boisterous auditorium. At one point moderator Dominick Carter of New York 1 TV said: “Gentlemen, can we please get along?”

I listened to as much as I could of the debate, my radio in my van had interferance because of where I was driving. We need to demand that Spitzer do more debates with Suozzi, it is the only way we can get them both to make firm committments if and when one of them become governor. Faso need to be involved with the debates as soon as the Primary is over, hopefully he will be debating Suozzi.