Gov. Kathy Hochul, Congressman Lee Zeldin among politicians in attendance at annual Al Smith Dinner
NEW YORK -- As Election Day approaches, New York's gubernatorial candidates turned out for the annual Al Smith Dinner in Midtown on Thursday.
The Al Smith Dinner is one-part fundraiser, one-part political roast and a opportunity for Timothy Cardinal Dolan to crack jokes even during prayer.
"No wonder, dear Lord, we smile and applaud and embrace and celebrate, even as we might sneak a look at the score of the Yankee game," Dolan said.
It's a night where all the politicians make an appearance. The gubernatorial candidates were there, but Gov. Kathy Hochul and Congressman Lee Zeldin were not invited to speak, much less debate.
When he arrived, however, he told CBS2's Dick Brennan he would welcome the opportunity.
"I'll debate her tonight. I'll wear this [white tie tuxedo] to a debate with her. I'll wear a Mr. Met costume. I'll wear shorts and a backpack," Zeldin said.
"Why multiple debates?" Brennan asked.
"Why not? New York voters are demanding it," Zeldin said.
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Zeldin says he wants more than one debate. Hochul has agreed to just one next week. This as the polls tighten up, something the governor has said, she has been paying no attention to.
"I haven't analyzed the polls. I'm governing the state of New York, so I'll let the pundits decide with all that, but I know that I do have a strategy that focuses on what I have done for the state, my vision for the state to focus primarily on affordability and public safety, as we have been," Hochul said earlier this week.
The election is two weeks from next Tuesday, but so far, the candidates have not settled on a debate that they have both agreed to or even how many they should have.