Frankly, I'm furious that you are helping to feed the frenzy over the Weiner "incident" by paying attention to every nuance of "evidence." What evidence? It's gossip.

Why isn't more attention paid to his intelligent contributions as a politician?
He is one of the most liberal and valuable young members of our government, working hard to against the Republicans.

Somebody is trying to drag him through the mud, but let's stop paying attention to this drivel. I think hiring a lawyer to handle this for him is similar to Obama's saying to the birthers, "I have much more important things to do..." So does Weiner.

Brian, I missed your lightning round this morning, and I know it's too late to get my "yes or no" question asked at the debate. However, I would appreciate it greatly if you would ask the following question at the beginning of all the political debates you moderate in the future:

In our debate tonight, will you answer our "yes or no" questions with one word?

The candidates' answers to that will determine whether or not I bother to watch the whole thing.

Thanks for doing what you do, Brian. You are a much more patient man than I.

My lightning round questions for both candidates:

- Do you support gay marriage?

- Do you support adding bike paths to our streets? Do you support adding them without the deliberation of the community and council representatives?

- Do you support closing schools with low test scores?

- Will you let the MTA hike fares while you are mayor?

- Do you have a Metrocard in your wallet?

- Have you used public transportation in your commute more than five times in the last month?

Not for lightening round, but...

I have been besieged with fliers, phone calls and knocks on the door all informing me what Bloomberg is going to do/has done for the middle class. When I ask how does the Bloomberg administration/campaign define middle class, no one can answer. I'd like to know. thanks.

Lightning Round Question FOR THOMPSON:

You have opposed the abuses of Yankee Stadium. Is the proposed Atlantic Yards Nets arena, which replicates much of Yankee Stadium approach (and IBO projects to be a $220 million net loss) better development than Yankee Stadium?

Michael D. D. White
Noticing New York
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/

Lightning Round Question FOR BLOOMBERG:

Would the West Side Stadium have been better development than the Atlantic Yards arena?

Michael D. D. White
Noticing New York
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/

Lightning Round Question:

Does Bloomberg’s private business, which has transformed him into the city’s wealthiest New Yorker with a multi-fold increase in wealth while in office, pose significant conflict- of-interest problems?

See:

Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Good News IS the Bad News: Thanks A lot for Mayor Bloomberg’s “Charity”
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/2009/02/good-news-is-bad-news-thanks-lot-for_03.html

and

Friday, October 2, 2009
No Real Debate About It: Press Remains Way Off Track in Presupposing Bloomberg’s “Charity”
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/2009/10/no-real-debate-about-it-press-remains.html


Michael D. D. White
Noticing New York
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/

Lightning Round Question:

Is Bloomberg’s charitable giving directed toward political purposes?

Michael D. D. White
Noticing New York
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/

See:
Friday, October 2, 2009
No Real Debate About It: Press Remains Way Off Track in Presupposing Bloomberg’s “Charity”

http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/2009/10/no-real-debate-about-it-press-remains.html

Should the city government assist multi-acre megadevelopment single-developer mega-monopolies?

Michael D. D. White
Noticing New York
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/

Lightning Round Question:

Is it good for government to focus on developer-driven development to shape this city?

Michael D. D. White
Noticing New York
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/

Question to both candidates:

If the U.S. Congress fails to pass a healthcare reform bill this year, will you support
a non-profit, single payer system for New York State?

(Last year the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the New York State Assembly endorsed
John Conyers single payer - Medicare for All - bill - H.R. 676.)

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2008/june/us_conference_of_m.php

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2008/august/single_payer_new_yo.php

Should eminent domain seizure be used to benefit private development projects?

For Mayor Bloomberg: If elected, will you run for a fourth term?

1. Will you implement more Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes throughout the city?

2. Will you advocate for and implement more protected bike and pedestrian routes?

Mayor Bloomberg: You say you are an advocate of public education, yet your administration has significantly cut funding of the Department of Education. As a result, our school, LaGuardia High School, has suffered $1.6million budget cuts from the Department of Education. The effect of these budget cuts is being directly felt in the classroom where we are seeing cuts in curriculum offerings. If you win the election in November will there be more budget cuts to the Department of Education?

NYC has experienced a huge building and development boom over the past 8 years. New school construction has not nearly kept pace with the population influx this development has brought to neighborhoods. In some neighborhoods, children can no longer attend their local school because of overcrowding. Will you commit to building new schools before allowing more residential development, yes or no?
James, East Village

NYC has experienced a huge building and development boom over the past 8 years. New school construction has not nearly kept pace with the population influx this development has brought to neighborhoods. In some neighborhoods, children can no longer attend their local school because of overcrowding. Will you commit to building new schools before allowing more residential development, yes or no?
James, East Village

Mayor Bloomberg: Have you had anything sugary, salty, carbonated or caffeinated today?

My lightening round yes/no question for both men:

Do you support rent stablization?

As an extra comment to each questioner: Please spend some time on the topic of affordable rents for middle class tenants. I fear the time will be spent on education and term limits. Hope this debate will be balanced and address quality of life and middle class struggles around unemployment. Thanks for listening.

Be tough on both candidates.

Hazel R. Feldman

Mr. Mayor, why do you refuse to appear with wnyc at Bryan Lehrer show?

Are there any other referenda you are considering overturning?

I agree that your guest's last comment was offensive. It was clearly aimed at potentially exposing any candidate who may have had a gay relationship. Why did your guest pander to homophobia? You tried to corner him by asking him what he was trying to learn with that question, but he said "Elliot Spitzer" when I would bet he was thinking "James McGreevey!" Kudos for trying to pin him down on his homophobia!

Do you support a one-minute, all-vehicle idling law for New York City?

Will you protect New York City's water supply by prohibiting hydrofracting for natural gas within the New York City watershed?

do you feel the homeless are well served by having the only single men's intake center in nyc located in the bedford-atlantic armory in crown heights

Using Prospect park for recreational purposes, between the hours of 5-7PM, has become more dangerous. With the explosion of Brooklyn's population more and more people are using Prospect park. Will either be commit to a total ban on vehicular traffic in NYC's parks?

Do you support more aggressive enforcement of existing noise ordinances aimed at cracking down on Boom Cars and motorcycles without adequate mufflers?

Have you ever had any friends that have complained to you about a negative experiences they have had with the police?

Question for Mayor.

Did you demand to see the private school's test scores, when choosing a school for your daughter?

I wanted to watch the debates but this "lightening round" bull is turning my stomach. Is it really an effective method of optaining information from the candidates in a 60 minutes debate? I'll watch HGTV and do my own research on the candidates later.

Have you ever only made the minimum payment on your credit card?

Your guest is clown shoes for ending like he did.

Actually I don't care that Elliot Spitzer had sex with a prostitute, I miss him!

Do you envision a day-to-day role for grassroots, community-based organizations in representing neighborhoods and constituencies in civic, government operations?

ARE YOU GOING TO RISE THE PROPERTY TAX LIKE BLOOMBERG HE RISE MY TAXES 7.5%NTHIS YEAR

Have you used a public laundromat in the last 2 years?

Have you had to parallel park in the last 3 years?

Did the Economic Development Corporation do the right thing when it withdrew its merit-based designation of a Korean cooperative to develop the old Flushing Airport site in College Point due to local political objections?

Will you ask about the Wayne Barrett article in the Village Voice about the rotating door between Bloomberg LP and his administration.

What are you going to do about overcrowding in public elementary schools? My daughter started kindergarten last month. Our local school had 6 k classes in 2005, and there are now nine classes this year. However, there are students who are no longer living in the neighborhood, but are allowed to continue attending our school, because they started at the school. This is because there's a Board of Education rule stating that if a family moves, it is up to the parent to decide if the child continues at the school, or is registered at a school in their new neighborhood. This means that my 3 1/2 yr old son might not be able to attend the same school as his sister.

The parents association told us that the Board of Ed does not do any forecasting (they admitted that when the Trump buildings were erected over the West Side rail yards, they assumed that the children in these luxury buildings would all go to private schools).

How many years does it take to build new schools, taking into account that the World Trade Centers have yet to be rebuilt? Or, how long does it take to install a Board of Ed that is in touch with the needs of the local communities?

Q&A did Bloomberg approve the annoying internet ads with flashing fotos that are everywhere in the web.

With over 25,000 NYC students currently enrolled in Charter Schools and over 50,000 students on wait lists but anymosity from the UFT, do you support Charter Schools in NYC?

Could you ever, now or in the future, see yourself supporting gay marriage?

to the Mayor--was it wrong to support a regressive sales tax in lieu of a more progressive tax on those whose income exceeds $1 million/yesr?

Somehow I don't think y'all gonna shtup Mike!

Do you think that it is unfair to exclude (all non-plutocrat) third party candidates from televised debates?

My question for the Mayor is: Regarding the term limit extension, do the ends justify the means?

Just tell Bloomberg to get out.I despise the man and all he represents, despotism. And yes, most of what comes out of NY1 is fluff and superficial. GET OUT MIKE!!!
Yes he lies.

Do you support natural gas drilling within 300 feet of our reservoirs?

if elected, will you try to expand "housing projects"?

Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Republican party?

should atlantic yards be scrapped?

Since a single payer health care system seems impossible to achieve at this point at the federal level, would you support efforts to form such a system at the state level?

In the past week, have you left Manhattan to do anything NOT related to work or the campaign?

Term Limits -- Mr. Thompson's main issue.

The NY Times reported on Sunday that, "the chief justice of the California Supreme court scathingly criticized the state's reliance on the referendum process, arguing that it has 'rendered our state government dysfunctional.' "

What is Mr. Thompson's response?

If you want to term limit someone, vote them out of office. That's democracy.

The term limits referendum was bought and sold by Ronald Lauder. That's not democracy.

I have always found the lightning round of past NY1 debates to be superficial, unilluminating, and sensation seeking. Many of the questions have been of the "do you still beat your wife" variety, or concern issues too nuanced and complex to be meaningfully answered in a "yes" or "no." Good for Cy Vance for refusing to play along during the last district attorney debate.

Is a family of 4 with a household income of $200,000 in the middle class?

Q: Can you imagine a circumstance where a lightning round question could significantly inform a potential voter?

yes or no questions are meaningless. only good for the sound bite value.

Should all candidates running for a third term be voted out?

Do you support gay marriage?