Two of the most cantankerous men in New York politics squared off last night at the Sagamore hotel on Lake George, and things got messy.
Fred Dicker, the AM radio talk show host and reporter-provocateur for the New York Post demanded that Carl Paladino offer up substantial evidence to support his claim that Andrew Cuomo had an extra-marital affair.
Paladino refused, but insisted that he had real evidence. He then accused Dicker of working for Cuomo as his “bird dog” and then said, “I’ll take you out, buddy.”
“You’re going to take me out?” Dicker replied. How you going to do that?’
Fred is totally wrong here. Children are off limits. I’m a Post reader and was really surprised to see that the post photogs had been stalking the home of Paladino’s daughter and her mother. I saw that in the paper yesterday before seeing this video, and even then I thought it is was really unfortunate and tasteless — sad for them, sad for us that we are made voyeurs.
What has happened to our culture when someone does a terrible thing like having an extramarital affair, and we’re annoyed because it doesn’t end tidely and secretly in divorce and abortion. This bothers us all so much. It’s not the affair we’re annoyed by, but the lasting results. Who would do that? Who wouldn’t just make the “smart” choice — who would risk their career, their future? That’s what we all think in our pathetic morally-bankrupt culture.
This is Palladino’s point — they are going after him for past personal issues, yet Cuomo’s are neatly pushed under a rug. Personally I don’t want to hear about either of these when clearly it is the ideological fiscal differences I’d like to see debated. Our state is near bankruptcy and much too expensive to live in anymore — I am middle-class and a job creator (I have a small business) — and with all honesty I am looking every day at other states to move to. I’d rather stay here, but it really depends upon this election. If the people like me leave, it will only be a welfare state supported by hand-outs from the Fed (and how long is that going to last with the Fed deficit?). People stop bothering Palladino’s daughter and let’s get serious here (and if you are going to do this trash reporting, at least report on both candidates, otherwise how can anyone think anything but that the media is shilling for Cuomo — I’m talking to you, Fred, and others — it’s just so dissappointing!)
That Dickie guy’s gonna lose some teeth he keeps that up. You take pictures, or send someone to do it, of peoples kids in todays environment with out their say so and I think that puts you into the scumbag category.
Dicker, my bad. And BTW Brian, rather than concentrating on the Cuomo question (as though a big name political figure WASN’T having an affair), shouldn’t the questions be asked about Dickers role in Cuomos campaign and what he had to do with the harassment of Palidinos kid?
“I’m going to take you out”? The new face of the Republican party speaks out. Of course Dicker might have been out of line too, but what do you expect of an employee of Rupert Murdoch?
“I’m going to take you out”? The new face of the Republican party speaks out. Of course Dicker might have been out of line too (REALLY????!!!!!) , but what do you expect of an employee of Rupert Murdoch?”
I see that less as a “Republican” response and more as the response of a man whose family has unwillingly been dragged into something they had no wish to be involved in. That’s a mans response rather than a politicians response. I find that strangely refreshing and entirely politically incorrect. Good for him.
…and where is the outrage for Palladino’s baseless allegations about Cuomo? “The press started it” isn’t a valid excuse.
scecil,
I haven’t been totally plugged into this story, but I haven’t heard about the press asking for interviews of his 10-year old daughter. Asking Palladino about it is very different than hounding a child for an interview.
Like it or not, personal issues are a core part of modern politics today. Bill Clinton, Mark Sanford and Elliot Spitzer all fell out due to their personal lives. Were you equally as supportive of these people as you are with Palladino?
I cannot believe the Conservative Party backed Paladino. This guy may want less regulation and less government, but his is the farthest thing from a social conservative. I am dismayed. I won’t vote for a liberal like Cuomo but I cannot vote for this racist, mean spirited man. I won’t won’t for either of them.
Why does anyone believe this thug’s allegation that Dicker sent a photographer to sneak a photo of his mistress’ daughter through the child’s window?
Paladino’s allegation makes no sense on its merits. It would be illegal to trespass and photograph the child though her home window. No newspaper would publish such a photograph and be subject to criminal prosecution.
Look at the video again. You can see the crooked wheels begin to turn inside Don Paladino’s head when Dicker asked him if he had evidence for what likely is a baseless allegation of infidelity against Attorney General Cuomo. (I say it’s likely baseless because when someone makes such an allegation without providing evidence, it’s nothing but a cowardly smear.)
As he almost always does, Paladino chose to attack the questioner rather than defend his outrageously unsupported accusation.
And you know what? It worked. The reporter has become the bad guy and this violent thug gets away with yet another outrageous and cowardly act.
“It would be illegal to trespass and photograph the child though her home window. No newspaper would publish such a photograph and be subject to criminal prosecution.”
HAHAHHHAHHHHAHAAHAHAHAHHAAAAHHHAHAHHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Right, dang. That’s a good one….Aw jeeze, I got tears running down my cheeks I’m laughing so hard! No newspaper would publish such a thing….oh man…
What i find most disappointing about this entire episode is the fact that it’s yet another distraction from the real issues. Perhaps I’m in the minority, but I’m real tired of the attention paid to the personal lives of our politicians while the things I think most people really care about are cast aside so we can babble on about infidelity. The more I watch this guy the more I’m convinced he’ll fit right in down in the dysfunctional soap opera we call Albany.
A reporter doesn’t decide what photos go in a paper- management does. The Post goes after tasteless photos because its ultra-conservative publisher Rupert Murdoch in his search for prurient reader dollars turned his newspaper into a sleazoid rag.
Bret,
Please link to one example of a mainstream newspaper (not the National Enquirer family of publications, or gossip magazines) publishing such a photo.
Just one.
So it turns out that Paladino was making up the story about Coumo and Fred Dicker (of all people) looks like the guy who did the right thing by confronting Paladino on a statement he made without any verification. I never thought I’d ever be on Dicker’s side, but there it is.
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Fred is totally wrong here. Children are off limits. I’m a Post reader and was really surprised to see that the post photogs had been stalking the home of Paladino’s daughter and her mother. I saw that in the paper yesterday before seeing this video, and even then I thought it is was really unfortunate and tasteless — sad for them, sad for us that we are made voyeurs.
What has happened to our culture when someone does a terrible thing like having an extramarital affair, and we’re annoyed because it doesn’t end tidely and secretly in divorce and abortion. This bothers us all so much. It’s not the affair we’re annoyed by, but the lasting results. Who would do that? Who wouldn’t just make the “smart” choice — who would risk their career, their future? That’s what we all think in our pathetic morally-bankrupt culture.
This is Palladino’s point — they are going after him for past personal issues, yet Cuomo’s are neatly pushed under a rug. Personally I don’t want to hear about either of these when clearly it is the ideological fiscal differences I’d like to see debated. Our state is near bankruptcy and much too expensive to live in anymore — I am middle-class and a job creator (I have a small business) — and with all honesty I am looking every day at other states to move to. I’d rather stay here, but it really depends upon this election. If the people like me leave, it will only be a welfare state supported by hand-outs from the Fed (and how long is that going to last with the Fed deficit?). People stop bothering Palladino’s daughter and let’s get serious here (and if you are going to do this trash reporting, at least report on both candidates, otherwise how can anyone think anything but that the media is shilling for Cuomo — I’m talking to you, Fred, and others — it’s just so dissappointing!)
That Dickie guy’s gonna lose some teeth he keeps that up. You take pictures, or send someone to do it, of peoples kids in todays environment with out their say so and I think that puts you into the scumbag category.
Dicker, my bad. And BTW Brian, rather than concentrating on the Cuomo question (as though a big name political figure WASN’T having an affair), shouldn’t the questions be asked about Dickers role in Cuomos campaign and what he had to do with the harassment of Palidinos kid?
“I’m going to take you out”? The new face of the Republican party speaks out. Of course Dicker might have been out of line too, but what do you expect of an employee of Rupert Murdoch?
See, if Dicker were quick when Paladino said, “I’ll take you out, buddy,” he could have responded, “I’m not gay and I don’t want to go out with you.”
“I’m going to take you out”? The new face of the Republican party speaks out. Of course Dicker might have been out of line too (REALLY????!!!!!) , but what do you expect of an employee of Rupert Murdoch?”
I see that less as a “Republican” response and more as the response of a man whose family has unwillingly been dragged into something they had no wish to be involved in. That’s a mans response rather than a politicians response. I find that strangely refreshing and entirely politically incorrect. Good for him.
…and where is the outrage for Palladino’s baseless allegations about Cuomo? “The press started it” isn’t a valid excuse.
scecil,
I haven’t been totally plugged into this story, but I haven’t heard about the press asking for interviews of his 10-year old daughter. Asking Palladino about it is very different than hounding a child for an interview.
Like it or not, personal issues are a core part of modern politics today. Bill Clinton, Mark Sanford and Elliot Spitzer all fell out due to their personal lives. Were you equally as supportive of these people as you are with Palladino?
I cannot believe the Conservative Party backed Paladino. This guy may want less regulation and less government, but his is the farthest thing from a social conservative. I am dismayed. I won’t vote for a liberal like Cuomo but I cannot vote for this racist, mean spirited man. I won’t won’t for either of them.
Why does anyone believe this thug’s allegation that Dicker sent a photographer to sneak a photo of his mistress’ daughter through the child’s window?
Paladino’s allegation makes no sense on its merits. It would be illegal to trespass and photograph the child though her home window. No newspaper would publish such a photograph and be subject to criminal prosecution.
Look at the video again. You can see the crooked wheels begin to turn inside Don Paladino’s head when Dicker asked him if he had evidence for what likely is a baseless allegation of infidelity against Attorney General Cuomo. (I say it’s likely baseless because when someone makes such an allegation without providing evidence, it’s nothing but a cowardly smear.)
As he almost always does, Paladino chose to attack the questioner rather than defend his outrageously unsupported accusation.
And you know what? It worked. The reporter has become the bad guy and this violent thug gets away with yet another outrageous and cowardly act.
“It would be illegal to trespass and photograph the child though her home window. No newspaper would publish such a photograph and be subject to criminal prosecution.”
HAHAHHHAHHHHAHAAHAHAHAHHAAAAHHHAHAHHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Right, dang. That’s a good one….Aw jeeze, I got tears running down my cheeks I’m laughing so hard! No newspaper would publish such a thing….oh man…
What i find most disappointing about this entire episode is the fact that it’s yet another distraction from the real issues. Perhaps I’m in the minority, but I’m real tired of the attention paid to the personal lives of our politicians while the things I think most people really care about are cast aside so we can babble on about infidelity. The more I watch this guy the more I’m convinced he’ll fit right in down in the dysfunctional soap opera we call Albany.
A reporter doesn’t decide what photos go in a paper- management does. The Post goes after tasteless photos because its ultra-conservative publisher Rupert Murdoch in his search for prurient reader dollars turned his newspaper into a sleazoid rag.
Bret,
Please link to one example of a mainstream newspaper (not the National Enquirer family of publications, or gossip magazines) publishing such a photo.
Just one.
Watch the profanity folks. We even bleep Paladino here. :)
So it turns out that Paladino was making up the story about Coumo and Fred Dicker (of all people) looks like the guy who did the right thing by confronting Paladino on a statement he made without any verification. I never thought I’d ever be on Dicker’s side, but there it is.