Carl Paladino thought he could hide his kids and hide his wife from the press.
As some would say, Paladino, "you are really dumb. For real."
Paladino, the Republican candidate in New York State gubernatorial contest, continues to entice the media with his eyebrow-raising actions. After accusing Democratic challenger Andrew Cuomo of cheating on his wife Paladino faced off with New York Post Editor Frederic Dicker, who questioned the authenticity of Paladino's incriminations.
Instead of answering Dicker's questions, Paladino attacked the Post editor for photographing Paladino's daughter for the paper.
"You send another goon to my daughter's house and I'll take you out, buddy," Paladino said to Dicker. When asked how he'd take Dicker out, Paladino simply said, "watch."
Get ready for UFC 120: Paladino vs. Dicker, Cuomo and any other opposition Paladino faces in New York State.
The Republican candidate was under the impression that his family was off limits to the press, but expecting his family to remain immune from paparazzi while he's running to be New York State governor comes off as ignorant.
An important fact in all of this: the daughter photographed was born to a mistress and was kept secret from Paladino's wife for over a decade.
Paladino tried a smear campaign against Cuomo, and just smeared himself. Paladino's racist e-mails that were exposed months ago were presumed to end any shot he had of becoming the Repulican candidate for governor. Apparently, voters didn't think Paladino's personal prejudices reflected how he'd manage a state torn with economic and leadership problems.
But we continue to see Paladino's true character as he continues to battle in the polls. The more Paladino does, the more cognizant New Yorkers become of this mad man.
This includes Paladino's homeboys in Western New York. Buffalo, belittled so long in Albany and New York City, searched for that one person emphasized Western New York's collective anger. Feeling underrepresented in Albany, 716ers needed that one person with a heavy foot to drive issues important to them to the forefront.
They found it in Paladino, whose unpredictable actions and disregard for political correctness gained him fans. He gained political stardom, and they gained a politician who they could relate to.
But these attention-grabbing actions are more detrimental to the businessman's campaign than supportive. They also continue to tarnish the reputations of Western New Yorkers on a statewide level.
Though the angry messages motivated voters and brought people to the polls, hurling out rants and raves at issues is about as effective as making fun of yourself on "Saturday Night Live," a la current governor David A. Paterson. Hiding your flawed platform under an umbrella of rage will only keep it dry from voters' eyes for so long.
Paladino clearly knows the game. The first-time politician is steering attention away from issues – like how Paladino wants to move welfare recipients to converted prison dorms, where they'd receive lessons on "personal hygiene" – but still staying in the news. Six o'clock p.m. is Paladino's time to shine on the networks, regardless if his actions are productive to him or not.
I've tried the Paladino Kool-Aid, and it's too bitter with more than a hint of loco included. Paladino certainly knows how to grab media attention – hell, he has me writing this. Furthermore, Cuomo's name remained relatively empty on Google news searches until Paladino made his adultery accusations.
He can win the media with his noteworthy statements, tirades and Network quotes, but winning an election will be a different match.
Nevertheless, if the seemingly impossible does happen and Paladino is elected governor, relocation might be the answer. At least for me.
You can run and tell that, homeboy.
E-mail: david.sanchirico@ubspectrum.com
