State of New York Archives: on Principles & Values


Charles Schumer: 1998: demanded 10 debates; 2010: declined all debates

Jay Townsend is trying to set up a debate with his Democratic opponent, even if it's a cardboard proxy. Townsend today called out to a cardboard cutout of incumbent Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., requesting that the real version take up one of the five debates he said several media outlets had requested the two have.

After reading off an anecdote about Schumer calling for multiple debates against his opponent Al D'Amato in 1998, Townsend, a marketing executive, said "if 10 debates was right for Sen. Schumer in 1998, I would think at least one is appropriate in the year 2010."

"I do believe New Yorkers are entitled to hear a vigorous exchange of our view," he said after declaring that this year's elections will determine the destiny of the country. While Schumer's refusal to engage in a debate with Townsend is a major focus of his campaign, he said that it is not defined by it. "I'll be happy to debate the imaginary Chuck if I have to," said Townsend, eyeing the cutout beside him.

Source: Politics-on-the-Hudson coverage of 2010 N. Y. Senate debate Oct 7, 2010

Jay Townsend: Will debate cardboard cutout of incumbent Schumer

Jay Townsend is trying to set up a debate with his Democratic opponent, even if it's a cardboard proxy. Townsend today called out to a cardboard cutout of incumbent Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., requesting that the real version take up one of the five debates he said several media outlets had requested the two have.

After reading off an anecdote about Schumer calling for multiple debates against his opponent Al D'Amato in 1998, Townsend, a marketing executive, said "if 10 debates was right for Sen. Schumer in 1998, I would think at least one is appropriate in the year 2010."

"I do believe New Yorkers are entitled to hear a vigorous exchange of our view," he said after declaring that this year's elections will determine the destiny of the country. While Schumer's refusal to engage in a debate with Townsend is a major focus of his campaign, he said that it is not defined by it. "I'll be happy to debate the imaginary Chuck if I have to," said Townsend, eyeing the cutout beside him.

Source: Politics-on-the-Hudson coverage of 2010 N. Y. Senate debate Oct 7, 2010

Joe DioGuardi: Accused of making deals in a $1.7 billion Ponzi scheme

DioGuardi accused Gillibrand of shilling for Big Tobacco, while Gillibrand expressed "serious questions" over reports that federal regulators were investigating his ties to a business deal.

"This is a complete fabrication & a misrepresentation of who I am," DioGuardi said. DioGuardi insisted he was merely a bit player in the deal described by a Gillibrand ad as a "Madoff-style $1.7 billion Ponzi scheme."

He returned fire by highlighting defense work Gillibrand did as an attorney for tobacco giant Philip Morris in the 1990s. "She was actually the architect of everything that company did to try to hide the fact that cigarettes cause cancer," he said.

"Your arguments are absolutely fantasy," Gillibrand scoffed. The senator characterized her tobacc work as something she got stuck with when she was "a junior associate in a big firm."

She pointed out that DioGuardi, too, had represented Big Tobacco, as an accountant. DioGuardi objected, and she shot back: "Oh, so you didn't choose your clients?"

Source: New York Post coverage of 2010 N. Y. Senate debate Oct 16, 2010

Joe DioGuardi: Gillibrand had a 2-year tryout; now give me a 2-year tryout

Gillibrand said she wouldn't change the appointment process that made her an unelected U.S. Senator for nearly two years. Ms. Gillibrand was an upstate congresswoman when Gov. David Paterson picked her to fill the seat.

The two are competing to fill out the two years remaining on the Senate term of Hillary Clinton. "Sen. Gillibrand has had her two-year tryout and I believe she has flunked,'' DioGuardi said. "It's time to give Joe DioGuardi a two-year tryout.''

Source: Wall Street Journal coverage of 2010 N. Y. Senate debate Oct 22, 2010

Kirsten Gillibrand: Accused of hiding facts connecting cigarettes and cancer

The pair traded their toughest blows over jobs each had held outside public office. DioGuardi accused Gillibrand of shilling for Big Tobacco, while Gillibrand expressed "serious questions" over reports that federal regulators were investigating his ties to a business deal. DioGuardi insisted he was merely a bit player in the deal described by a Gillibrand ad as a "Madoff-style $1.7 billion Ponzi scheme."

He returned fire by highlighting defense work Gillibrand did as an attorney for tobacco giant Philip Morris in the 1990s. "She was actually the architect of everything that company did to try to hide the fact that cigarettes cause cancer," he said.

"Your arguments are absolutely fantasy," Gillibrand scoffed. The senator characterized her tobacc work as something she got stuck with when she was "a junior associate in a big firm."

She pointed out that DioGuardi, too, had represented Big Tobacco, as an accountant. DioGuardi objected, and she shot back: "Oh, so you didn't choose your clients?"

Source: New York Post coverage of 2010 N. Y. Senate debate Oct 16, 2010

Josh Eisen: American freedom is special and cannot be taken for granted

Josh knows that the American Dream is real because he's lived it. Josh's father survived Auschwitz, slave labor and the Communist Revolution in Hungary before immigrating to the United States. Josh's experiences as the child of immigrants has inspired his love of community, pride in his heritage and commitment to ensuring that the American Dream isn't blocked by big government intervention in our lives. He also knows that American freedom is special and cannot be taken for granted.
Source: 2024 N. Y. Senate campaign website NYforJosh.com Mar 4, 2024

Josh Eisen: Law doesn't compel public space void of spiritual expression

The protections separating church and state are under attack. Many Americans feel unsafe expressing religious or spiritual affiliation. Respect for the intangible space between and among people manifests in legal allowances for spiritual articulation into that space. Further, precedent sets that protections of church and state separations extend to accommodation of personal religious conviction in public space. Such protections don't compel a public space void of spiritual expression.
Source: 2024 N. Y. Senate campaign website EisenForCongress.com Mar 4, 2024

Josh Eisen: We have the best laws in the history of mankind

Our educational system must also reflect a set of national values that bind us. We know how we are different from China and North Korea and Russia and France. What is it that binds us and brings us together? In one word: Law. We have the best laws in the history of mankind, so great that leaders of other nations do business in the USA because of its trusted legal system. Immigrants file asylum cases in the USA because they know that even the undeserving get a fair hearing.
Source: 2024 N. Y. Senate campaign website EisenForCongress.com Mar 4, 2024

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