Debating Debates; Two Gubenatorial Underdogs Want A Shot At Spitzer

Democrat Tom Suozzi went upstate today - Utica to be precise - to drum up support for another debate between himself and fellow Democrat Eliot Spitzer, who is leagues ahead in the polls and quite happy with the one debate already held.

Suozzi's proposal for a debate on Upstate issues was backed by the Syracuse Post-Standard, which had earlier applauded the Democrat underdog for taking an interest in a region, it says, previous governors have ignored.

Events are at a point where Upstate residents should no longer smile when offered a sandwich made of horse manure. And that is the sandwich Spitzer and his advisers are offering to us, at least until they come Upstate for a wide-open debate.

We've never had a modern governor with a belly-deep sense of our problems, much less the remedies. That is why we need an Upstate showdown between Spitzer and Suozzi - a showdown in which the questions are sharp and specific, and a showdown that could be repeated this fall by whichever of them ends up running against Republican John Faso.

Faso held a press conference of his own today, and accused Spitzer of sleepwalking through the campaign. According to Capitol Confidential, Faso too called for more debates.