Earlier today, Mayor Bloomberg gave his endorsement for governor to Andrew Cuomo, leaving mad-as-hell Republican candidate Carl Paladino very sad indeed. But instead of letting that sadness boil over and ferment into the frothy brew of rage and photoshopping skills that it usually does, Paladino was on his best behavior the last couple days during a visit to NYC.
One Republican source told the Daily News, "The last 24 hours, he's looked more like 'decaffeinated Carl' or 'Carl light,' where he's still saying what's on his mind, but he's being less bombastic." He talked shop with former Gov. George Pataki, hired a former Pataki aide as his campaign chairwoman, met with Jewish leaders in Brooklyn, and generally tried to stick to talk about issues instead of desperately trying to prove he's no racist.
Sadly, one of his first attempts at a public-policy effort broke down completely. On John Gambling's WOR-AM show, Paladino announced his "blue-ribbon tax cut team;" but two of those memebers, CNBC business-show host Larry Kudlow and former state Comptroller Ned Regan, said they knew nothing of the panel and hadn't talked to Paladino anytime recently. Regan told the Post he wouldn't serve, and Kudlow laughed maniacally when asked. Cuomo wasted no time seizing on the goof: "I guess it's a new twist on the old theory that it's easier to apologize later than ask for permission first. So much for his first attempt at substance," said Cuomo spokesman Phil Singer.
