Who would have thought that insinuating Cuomo cheated on his ex-wife wouldn’t even be the most insane thing Carl Paladino would do in one day? On his way into a dinner for the state’s business council Wednesday night, Paladino was approached by New York Post state editor Fred Dicker. Dicker asked what evidence Paladino had regarding the Cuomo extramarital-affair claims the gubernatorial candidate made to Politico. Paladino fired back by accusing Dicker and the Post of unfairly going after the 10-year-old daughter he fathered outside of his marriage.
Highlights of the ensuing confrontation, as described by New York Daily News reporter Glenn Blain, make Blair-Serena blowouts seem positively tame.
• Paladino demands, “I want to know why you sent your goons after my daughter, Fred,” threatening, “You send another goon to my daughter’s house and I’ll take you out, buddy!”
• Paladino’s campaign manager, Michael Caputo, steps in, trying to separate the men and accusing Dicker of doing Cuomo’s dirty work.
• Paladino says “Fuck him” in reference to Dicker.
• Paladino refers to Dicker as a “stalking horse” and a “bird dog” for Cuomo.
• Paladino claims he does have evidence of Cuomo’s infidelity: “Of course I do … you’ll get it at the appropriate time,” he says.
• Caputo says Dicker is “a terrible journalist,” “out of line” and — like Joy Behar before him — will be taken “off the Christmas card list.”
And the whole time they (a) manage to keep straight faces and (b) stay right up in each other’s faces! Watch video of the altercation taken by Capital Tonight’s Kaitlyn Ross on her cell phone below:
Carl Paladino Gets Into Confrontation With Albany Reporter [NYDN]
