Today, Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino and his campaign manager Mike Caputo almost came to blows with Fred Dicker, the dean of the Capitol press corps.
Dicker has covered Albany for more than 30 years, is the Murdoch NY Post bureau chief in Albany, and also has a daily one-hour talk show on WGDJ-AM and does analysis on WRGB, Channel 6.
He's relatively conservative, for New York, but he has expressed concern with Paladino's rhetoric, like calling former Republican Gov. George Pataki "a degenerate idiot" and comparing Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to the Antichrist.
Paladino and Dicker were at the Sagamore on Lake George for the Business Council's annual meeting. The confrontation occurred in a hallway there, and was captured on a cell phone video by Kaitlyn Ross of Capital Tonight.
The video shows Dicker asking Paladino what evidence he had for the Cuomo smear, Paladino threatening that he'll "take out" Dicker, then Caputo and another big guy pushing Dicker away from Paladino, with Caputo accusing Dicker of working for Cuomo and "kissing his butt."
It really has to be seen to be believed.
Paladino's thuggishness may appeal to the tea party minority, but most New York voters will be appalled by this latest example.
And, FWIW, it probably ensures that the Post, which usually endorses and campaigns on its news pages for Republicans, will take a pass on Crazy Carl.
