The disastrous NYC mayoral debate: Letters

The Issue: Thursday’s debate between candidates Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.

I’ve never seen such biased support for Zohran Mamdani as I did from the debate hosts, who were clearly against Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Silwa (“Flailing Cuo buoys flop Zo,” John Podhoretz, Oct. 17).

They gave every opportunity to Mamdani to state his case — not cutting him off as they did with Cuomo and Silwa. It was not at all a fair debate.

Janice Amitrano

Staten Island

After watching the mayoral debate, only one thing was evident when it was over: Mamdani survived, and he left unscathed.

He has proven to be a verbal escape artist — ducking, weaving and able to avoid the knockout punch.

Neither his opponents nor the moderators were able to land a glove on him.

He is slick, affable, articulate and able to smile through the worst you can throw at him.

With a little training, he would be an agile pickpocket.

He would bump into you on the street, apologize profusely, smile and then leave with your wallet.

New Yorkers, you have been warned.

The rest is up to you on Election Day.

Phil Serpico

Queens

While the post debate discussion will focus on the three candidates, the disastrous role of the moderators should be addressed.

They lost total control of the debate and made their Cuomo-Mamdani preference perfectly clear.

Cuomo says Curtis Sliwa is irrelevant; it is disgraceful that so-called media types tried to make that a self-fulfilling prophecy.

From my perspective, Sliwa was the only one with very specific details about the state of the city and how to remedy its problems.

Agree with him or not, he has every right to state his case and not be railroaded by inept moderators.

Jackie Biaggi

The Bronx

The long-awaited debate between the three candidates running to be New York City’s mayor has finally happened — yet all I heard from them was about how to go against President Trump.

Last I looked, he wasn’t running for office, since he’s already been elected as president of the United States.

Then we had comrade Mamdani giving the same talking points and when he had no answer, a smirky smile.

Cuomo looked like a deer in headlights — caught up in his lies and adding nothing but the same diatribe that turned the city into a catch-and-release state of criminals.

The only one I found refreshing was Sliwa.

When told he had no managerial experience, he said he would hire the brightest.

New Yorkers, get ready to welcome the worst of the worst to herald a new beginning in the city.

Sylvia Kane

Brooklyn

After watching three grown men call each other liars in the mayoral debate, it’s clear neither Cuomo nor Sliwa did enough individually to move the needle in their direction.

I’d like to see Cuomo and Sliwa put aside their differences and dislike for each other for the good of New York City.

Sliwa should endorse Cuomo and, in return, Cuomo should publicly agree to appoint him police commissioner.

Ed Buttimore

Cedar Grove, NJ

Here is a question I would ask the three candidates running for mayor in the next debate: If you cannot fulfill all that you said you could if elected mayor, in a two-year time period, would you be willing to step down from office?

Jimmy Durda

The Bronx

Cuomo lectured about how to handle an epidemic at the debate Thursday night.

Am I the only one who remembers him sending elderly COVID patients to unprepared and unequipped nursing homes, where many died?

Does a person like that deserve to be mayor, or to go to jail for murder?

John Piccolo

Estero, Fla.

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