In New York Governor's Debate, Cuomo Repels Astorino's Jabs With His Own

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, used to being in control, stared down forceful questioning of his ethical troubles. After months of remaining above the fray, Mr. Cuomo eagerly and sternly hit back on Wednesday night, exchanging blows with his Republican challenger, Rob Astorino, over taxes, bigotry and corruption.

The first and likely only debate in this year's race for governor offered stretches of grim intensity punctuated by sharp attacks, with interludes provided by a pair of third-party candidates proposing some more unusual ideas.

For Mr. Astorino, the debate, held in Buffalo, was his one extended moment on the same stage as Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, who has been eager to run out the clock before the Nov. 4 election and has taken care to avoid even mentioning his opponent by name.

Mr. Astorino, the Westchester County executive, tried to prod, badger and embarrass the governor, hoping for a mistake, if not a meltdown, that could prompt voters to think twice about the incumbent.

'There's only one person here who has a criminal defense team,' Mr. Astorino said. 'It's not me. It's Andrew Cuomo.'

Mr. Cuomo, who takes care to avoid unscripted moments or unfriendly interviewers, plunged himself into a verbal brawl, offering punch after punch of his own. 'Rhetoric is fine,' the governor snapped early on. 'Facts are better.'

Mr. Cuomo stuck to his message that he had gone to great lengths to turn around New York's struggling economy and dysfunctional government, while accusing Mr. Astorino of financial mismanagement and of driving property taxes up in Westchester - 'the highest-taxed county in the United States of America,' he said slowly, for emphasis.

Some of the most intense moments came as Mr. Cuomo faced questions about the Moreland Commission, an ethics panel he established and then abruptly shut down. His handling of the matter is being investigated by federal prosecutors.

Mr. Astorino informed the audience, mercilessly or recklessly, that Mr. Cuomo 'very well may be indicted after this Election Day comes and goes,' before listing possible crimes, such as witness tampering and obstruction of justice.

He challenged the governor, twice, to set the record straight, asking him to raise his right hand and say whether he or his staff members had been subpoenaed. Mr. Cuomo said the comment by Mr. Astorino was 'outrageous,' and defended his handling of the commission, saying it led to worthy reforms.

Mr. Cuomo attacked Mr. Astorino over his role in a long-running housing-discrimination dispute with the federal government. Westchester County has been in a standoff with the federal housing department over the county's compliance with a 2009 settlement that required it to push communities to alter zoning rules that discouraged construction of apartments.

Portraying Mr. Astorino as an 'ultraconservative' who 'disrespects' women, minorities, gay people and immigrants, Mr. Cuomo reached back to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and then to the Civil War, as he tried to paint Mr. Astorino as intolerant.

Mr. Astorino called the governor's suggestions about race 'despicable,' and cited endorsements from black and Hispanic leaders in Westchester. 'I would never have gotten that endorsement or their support,' he said, 'if we were racist.'

The debate also included the Green Party nominee, Howie Hawkins, a United Parcel Service worker from Syracuse, and the Libertarian Party nominee, Michael McDermott, a real estate broker from Long Island. Mr. Hawkins pledged to represent the '99 percent,' while Mr. McDermott expressed frustration with Republicans and Democrats.

The hourlong encounter was leavened by a few moments of comic relief, such as when Mr. McDermott said that the Common Core curriculum was such an 'abomination' that he had taken to doing his 9-year-old daughter's homework for her because 'she doesn't get it.' Mr. McDermott also earnestly trumpeted 'industrial hemp' as a source of both alternative energy and job creation.

The debate was sponsored by The Buffalo News and WNED/WBFO, a public broadcaster in Buffalo. Mr. Astorino has repeatedly criticized Mr. Cuomo for not agreeing to a one-on-one televised debate. Even with the presence of the minor party candidates, Mr. Cuomo and Mr. Astorino largely attacked one another.

Mr. Astorino vowed to allow hydraulic fracturing, and criticized Mr. Cuomo for delaying a decision until after the election on whether to allow the contested form of natural gas extraction.

Mr. Cuomo accused Mr. Astorino of having it both ways, offering what seemed like a rehearsed zinger that called attention to Mr. Astorino's signing of a bill that prohibited fracking wastewater from being treated or used to de-ice roads in Westchester. 'When he goes upstate, he's Sarah Palin - 'Drill, baby, drill!' ' he said. 'When he goes home to Westchester, he's Mark Ruffalo.'