Cuomo vows campaign on issues, not 'name-calling'

ALBANY - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday vowed to run a highbrow, issue-oriented campaign despite disparaging comments about his manhood, career and family made by Republican Carl Paladino.

Cuomo refused repeatedly to strike back. He also denied being rattled by Paladino's increasingly strident attacks.

"In terms of getting involved in a name-calling situation, I'm not going to do that," Cuomo told WGDJ-AM in Albany. "I'm not going to further degrade the political process of New York. It has been degraded plenty."

Cuomo, the state attorney general, was responding to Paladino's suggestion Monday that he has "no cojones" for public debates. In a letter to Cuomo, Paladino accused him of hiding behind his father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo. "Come out and debate like a man," Paladino said.

Cuomo replied Tuesday that he was "open to debating" if the campaigns reach agreement on the details.

Asked about the state Democratic Committee portraying Paladino in an Internet posting Monday as a pig feasting on government contracts, Cuomo said the criticism had gone too far. "I don't think that's a dialogue we need to engage in."

Separately Tuesday, Suffolk Legis. Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D-East Setauket) denounced Paladino at a news conference in Patchogue. Flanked by two-dozen supporters, she criticized what she called Paladino's "racial remarks" and "offensive and obscene jokes."

Paladino has acknowledged forwarding e-mails containing racist jokes and pornographic images and said they don't represent his values.

Paladino aide Michael Caputo said, "Surrogate attacks orchestrated by Andrew Cuomo just aren't working this year. . . . He's got to engage personally or he will lose this race."

Fisher, who likely will run for Suffolk county executive next year, has been a strong Cuomo backer, helping to nominate him at the state Democratic Convention in May.

Paladino on Tuesday also unveiled a panel of four experts that he said would advise him on fiscal issues once he is elected.

They include former state Comptroller Edward Regan and CNBC commentator and economist Lawrence Kudlow.