What Paladino must do to win tonight's debate

Newsday
By MICHAEL AMON AND ELIZABETH MOORE
October 18, 2010

Stay on message

With his campaign tossed about by distractions, Paladino has promised to refocus on policy, and it begins with him being a disciplined and serious debater Monday night, experts said.

"People are going to be looking at him and expecting him to say something outlandish," said Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford). "The biggest surprise he can show is to be serious-minded and have proposals. If he says something serious, it's going to be attention-grabbing. That's the advantage of him being so controversial."

Paladino cannot stray from his message of tax cuts, cleaning up Albany and slashing government waste, said Michael Long, leader of the Conservative Party, which has endorsed Paladino. Voters will respond to tough talk about cleaning up Albany, but will be turned off by more comments about homosexuality or Cuomo's supposed marital infidelities, Long said.

"He has to give a clear message as to what he intends to do as governor," Long said. "He has to convince people that he is the guy who can turn the state around."

Attack Cuomo on substance

Republicans believe Cuomo, as the son of a former governor and the attorney general for four years, is vulnerable to the charge of being too cozy with Albany insiders.

"This is going to be a puncher versus a boxer and Paladino has a puncher's chance," said Michael Dawidziak, a Bohemia political consultant who has worked on four GOP presidential campaigns. "He's got to tag Cuomo as part of the old Albany elite, same old, same old. . . . He's got to try to get under Cuomo's skin."

But he must leave behind the old attacks on Cuomo's love life, parenting skills and manhood, experts said.

"His message has to be: If you want business as usual, then your guy is Andrew Cuomo," Long said. "If you want bold change, Carl Paladino will reduce taxes and cut spending."

Soften his image

Paladino also needs to focus on his personal story as the son of immigrants and successful businessman, and contrast it with Cuomo, who has worked in politics or government most of his life, experts said. And he has to tone down his sharper language and connect with moderate voters who may agree with him on issues but are turned off by his brash style.

"He needs to look and sound gubernatorial without being boring," Dawidziak said.

Most important, perhaps, is knowing how to avoid a gaffe when presented with a difficult question.

"Any more blemishes, any more bad behavior, and he's history," said Democratic political consultant Hank Sheinkopf.