Paladino seeks forgiveness on anti-gay remarks

Carl Paladino Tuesday asked "forgiveness on my poorly chosen words" about homosexuality as he sought to end a furor that has brought denunciations from around the country and threatened his chances of winning the governorship.

After a two-day crescendo of criticism from his own party, Paladino blamed a poorly written speech, the news media and himself in a letter that his campaign said was sent to gay rights groups across the state. On Sunday, he told ultra-Orthodox Jewish leaders in Brooklyn children should not be "brainwashed" into believing homosexuality was equally valid.

"I was handed a script," Paladino's statement said. "I redacted some contents that were unacceptable. I did also say some things for which I should have chosen better words. I said other things that the press misinterpreted and misstated. I sincerely apologize for any comment that may have offended the gay and lesbian community or their family members."

The statement came as Paladino again tried to focus on policy. The Buffalo developer's first paid advertisements began playing statewide Tuesday. The 30-second spot highlights taxes, ethics reform and spending cuts, and calls Democratic rival Andrew Cuomo an "Albany insider."

Cuomo had no public campaign schedule Tuesday. He hits the trail upstate Wednesday.

Another distraction surfaced Tuesday, though: video of Paladino using an expletive in relation to Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to hold terrorism trials in New York. Campaign manager Michael Caputo said: "Sometimes he speaks in salty language."

Paladino's statement said he supported gay rights except for same-sex marriage. He said he supported "civil agreements," though his meaning was unclear.

In an e-mail Tuesday night, Caputo said Paladino did not support civil unions, but did not clarify what the candidate's support for civil agreements meant.

Gregory T. Angelo, chairman of the state chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans, called the statement "encouraging news." Paladino's running mate, Greg Edwards, attended the gay rights group's annual fundraiser Tuesday night. "We never shut the door to Paladino," said Angelo, who learned of the statement from media. Angelo had told Newsday on Monday that his group most likely wouldn't endorse Paladino in light of Sunday's remarks.

David Kilmnick, chief executive of the Long Island Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Services Network, a Bay Shore nonprofit, said he didn't find Paladino sincere. "You cannot say things that are so inflammatory and hateful one day, and then try to weasel out of it the next day," he said. With Elizabeth Moore