30 Issues in 30 Days: Hochul and Blakeman Debate

Brian Lehrer (0:11)

It's The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. Good morning, everyone. We are in our 30 issues and 30 days election series that other media focus only on the polls and personalities. We are choosing an issue a day for 30 straight shows to help you be as informed a voter as you can be in the elections, which are now under way. For issues 17 through 19, we will pick an issue a day for the rest of this week from last night's debate and the New York State Governor's race. Of course, the debate between Governor Kathy Hochul and her Republican challenger, Bruce Blakeman. We'll compare them on the Manhattan shooting by ICE, the Cornell University alleged gang rape, and how to spend on or cut Medicaid. Our guest for today, and we're happy he can join us, is the co-moderator of last night's debate, Errol Louis, political anchor for Spectrum News, New York One. He's also a columnist for New York Magazine. Errol, thanks for donating some time on the Morning After.

Welcome back to WNYC.

Errol Louis (1:11)

Great being with you. Almost as much fun as co-moderating with you, Brian.

Brian Lehrer (1:16)

Well, you know, I've mentioned to the listeners yesterday that you and I have co-moderated many debates together, and one of the reasons I really like doing them with you is that you and your Spectrum team let the candidates engage and go somewhat deeper into topics and exchanges than what we see on the mainline commercial stations where it's usually, you know, 60 seconds on how to fix the New York City public schools and 30 seconds on how to solve the national debt, and just as they're getting into some content, they're forced to move on. So nice job again in this respect last night.

Errol Louis (1:50)

Thank you.

Brian Lehrer (1:52)

All right, 30 issues in 30 days.

Issue 17, Hochul, Blakeman, and the alleged Cornell gang rape. We'll split their exchange on this into two parts. Part 1 begins with a question from Errol's co-moderator, Spectrum Susan Arbeder, to Governor Hochul.

Kathy Hochul (2:09)

State Attorney General Letitia James is being criticized for having made statements that suggest she's already prejudged the case. You have also made statements that sound like you have prejudged the case, including saying, quote, This woman, this young woman had already endured something that is utterly unspeakable. What do you say to legal experts who say James' statements could jeopardize the investigation as appearing impartial?

Was that for me?

Brian Lehrer (2:36)

Yes.

Kathy Hochul (2:38)

Listen, I'm a mom. I've dropped a daughter off at a college campus.

There should not be a culture that allows for a young woman to be so brutally attacked on a fraternity, and then literally have the courage to go ask for help from law enforcement. You know how difficult it is for a victim to have to tell her story to strangers? But she did it, and also the evidence seemed very clear.

I'm not prosecuting this case. Seemed very clear that the boys and the fraternity were trying to cover up what they had done. There were a lot of acknowledgments, a lot of texts that were coming up. So I said this, I want there to be an independent investigation. That's underway. But also it became clear to me that the district attorney had already denied the opportunity to interview this young woman. I come from a family of prosecutors. You should know enough to interview a victim of a crime and not just dismiss it. That's why the law says the governor shall appoint the attorney general in cases of special prosecutions. The attorney general can speak for herself on her tweet. Time.

Brian Lehrer (3:39)

Thank you.

Kathy Hochul (3:40)

Well, first of all, first of all. So Mr. Blakeman, I wanted you to follow-

Brian Lehrer (3:42)

Can I just respond to that for a moment?

Kathy Hochul (3:44)

My question is basically letting you follow up.

And that is, there is a push to expand the voluntary intoxication standard in the law. Do you support closing that law and how would you have approach this case if you were governor?

Bruce Blakeman (3:59)

So first of all, I absolutely do support that as a father, as a grandfather.

First of all, if someone is intoxicated, maybe they're not unconscious, but if they're slurring their words and they're stumbling, you shouldn't engage in relations because I'm not sure that person has the capacity to consent. So I am for closing that loophole. I want to make it harder and more stringent are laws about guys who would date rape women by giving them roofies and bars. I think we need to strengthen those laws. Kathy Hochul has already prejudged this case.