MARKET WATCH COLUMNIST
“The ‘Crazy Carl factor”, Ellis Henican Column, amNewYork, September 17, 2010
The “degenerative idiot” is backing the “racist, homophobic…misogynist.” That’s what passes for bipartisanship in this year’s governor’s race.
Party hardly matters anymore. Since Buffalo rich guy Carl Paladino came out to play, everybody’s been trashing everybody else.
“Degenerative idiot” is the charming phrase former 
Republican governor George Pataki employed — before endorsing Crazy Carl on Thursday. “Racist, homophobic and misogynistic” are Democratic Governor David Paterson’s words. “Pathetic” and “a wimp” were two of Carl’s flattering terms for him.
All the while, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is staying mostly above the fray. Oh, I know, Cuomo isn’t officially the governor yet. The election isn’t til November. Inauguration isn’t until January. But after what the motormouth rich guy from Buffalo has been saying about the economic and cultural center of New York, does anyone really think he has a prayer of actually winning this thing?
Anybody but Carl, that is?
You can’t accuse the new Republican nominee of sucking up. You certainly can’t accuse him of making nice. This is a guy who said without hesitation that Manhattan is his least favorite part of the state— “home to smug, self-important, pampered, liberal elitists.”
Thankfully, he comes from Buffalo, a place so perfect it couldn’t possibly be the target of any complaints.
Just look: This race is undermining the good judgment of almost everyone.
Pataki and Rudy Giuliani once endorsed Crazy Carl’s opponent in Tuesday’s Republican primary, the dull ex-congressman and current Wall Street lobbyist Rick Lazio. How boring must Lazio have been? He got clobbered 2-to-1.
Certainly no one has accused Paladino of being boring. Nobody will. Ridiculous, maybe. Ill-informed, idiotic– sure. But definitely not boring.
There’s no filter at all between the man’s flapping piehole and his addled little brain.
He suggests sending welfare recipients to learn hygiene lessons in prison. He threatens to use the state police to sweep up undocumented busboys and landscapers. He gets big laughs from what Al D’Amato and Ed Koch – D’Amato and Koch! – call “racially insensitive” emails.
The only questions remain? What will he say tomorrow? And how will he top that?
E-mail ellis@henican.com. Follow him at twitter.com/henican
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When is Prince Andrew going to come of hiding?
I can’t wait to hear him explain how he helped screw up the housing market when he with H.U.D…..
The best part is going to be when Prince Andrew trys and convince the people that he really isn’t a new version of a big tax and spend liberal like his dad. I’m sure it’s going to go over well…
By the way, was Palladino really a Captain in the U.S. Army?
Yeah….real “crazy”….also “crazy” enough to be a very successful business man. How about Thurman Thomas- the great RB for the Buffalo Bills? He came out and said Palladino isn’t a “racist”.