Oct 14, 2009 6:27 am US/Eastern
Bloomberg, Thompson In Spirited First Debate
Mayoral Foes Pick Sides When Asked About The Merits Of The Ethically Challenged State Senator
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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2009 Mayoral Election Candidates - Michael Bloomberg (l), left, and William Thompson (D).
CBS
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and challenger William Thompson went 10 rounds in the debate ring Tuesday night, but it was a question from outside the ring that crystallized their differences.
Thompson and Bloomberg amply demonstrated their ability to throw right jabs and left hooks at their debate, but it was ethically challenged Bronx Sen. Pedro Espada -- who really lives in Mamaroneck and is under investigation by the Bronx district attorney and the attorney general -- who unwittingly brought the two candidates for mayor into sharp focus.
Question: "Mr. Thompson, is Pedro Espada a better majority leader of the state Senate than Joe Bruno?"
Thompson: "Yes."
Question: "Mr. Bloomberg?"
Bloomberg: "Nooooo."
The mano-e-mano contest between Bloomberg and Thompson had each man playing to type – Bloomberg, the calm, unruffled manager of a city facing economic problems, and Thompson, the feisty challenger trying to go for the jugular whenever he could.
Thompson repeatedly hit Bloomberg on his Achilles' heel -- term limits.
"The issue in this campaign is can the richest man in New York City play by his own set of rules?" Thompson said. "We voted for term limits overwhelmingly twice. Voters are going to have to decide if one man alone can undermine term limits for their own self interest."
Thompson got a boost at the very beginning when anti-term limits demonstrators tried to interrupt the mayor's opening remarks.
"We voted for term limits!," they yelled.
Bloomberg was unruffled.
"Not a problem. It is New York," he said.
Then he zeroed in on Thompson's weak spot -- his days as president of the Board of Education.
"You know, you don't get a medal for rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. That's exactly what he did," Bloomberg said.
And then each was asked if they ever got a manicure or a pedicure.
"Not recently, but yes," Thompson said.
"No," Bloomberg said.
Never?
"Don't think so. I do it myself," he added.
For the record, both sides claimed victory Tuesday night, but they won't know for sure until voters go to the polls three weeks from now.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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