QUOTE
Spencer won't debate McFarland again
Joseph Spector
Staff writer
(August 11, 2006) — After being ripped Wednesday night by GOP U.S. Senate opponent Kathleen Troia "KT" McFarland over his personal and private life, Republican John Spencer said Thursday that he won't debate her again and claimed she was "of questionable mental stability."
Spencer and McFarland engaged in a heated and vitriolic television debate Wednesday night that was broadcast on cable throughout the state. The two will square off in a primary Sept. 12. The winner will face Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Election Day.
From early on in their only debate, Spencer had to defend attacks by McFarland about his personal life while he served as Yonkers mayor from 1996 to 2004. Spencer said Thursday in Rochester that he saw no reason to debate McFarland again, expecting the discussion would center on her "lies, innuendo and smear campaign."
"It would be a waste of my time, allowing her to stand next to me and tell lies about my family," he said. "I think she should go get some help."
While still married, Spencer had an affair in which he fathered two children with his then-chief of staff. He eventually divorced his first wife and married his chief of staff. Spencer said Thursday he was with his chief of staff only after he was separated from his first wife.
McFarland is calling on Spencer to have more debates, saying upstate New York should hear where the candidates stand. Wednesday's debate was held in New York City.
And McFarland didn't back away from criticism of Spencer. Spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus-Dobbs said, "He abused the public trust when he was mayor of Yonkers and he doesn't want to talk about it."
As for his swipes at McFarland, Ortagus-Dobbs called it "gross and disgusting."
"It actually sounds like him. He has no substance."
During the debate, McFarland accused Spencer of raising taxes and increasing spending as mayor. She also claimed he put relatives on the city payroll.
Spencer said the allegations were false.
"John, you are like the Clintons," she said during the debate. "You taxed and spent like Hillary and behaved like Bill."
Her tactics were denounced Thursday by state and Monroe County GOP Chairman Stephen Minarik, who has backed Spencer. Spencer won the support of the state GOP and Conservative parties earlier this year.
He said McFarland, a former Ronald Reagan-era Pentagon official, went too far. "Ronald Reagan would be offended by the personal attacks that are going on," he said.
McFarland also has had personal issues to deal with during the campaign. She has been embroiled in family fight over her claims in old letters, recently published, that she was abused as a child by her father. Her father has denied it and one of her brothers has called her evil.
Spencer said that McFarland is a "woman who I think is of questionable mental stability, based about her own family talking about her."
Spencer was in town to pick up the endorsement of Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and other local Republicans. Brooks said Spencer is the best candidate because he brings experience as a local executive to the race.
Joseph Spector
Staff writer
(August 11, 2006) — After being ripped Wednesday night by GOP U.S. Senate opponent Kathleen Troia "KT" McFarland over his personal and private life, Republican John Spencer said Thursday that he won't debate her again and claimed she was "of questionable mental stability."
Spencer and McFarland engaged in a heated and vitriolic television debate Wednesday night that was broadcast on cable throughout the state. The two will square off in a primary Sept. 12. The winner will face Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Election Day.
From early on in their only debate, Spencer had to defend attacks by McFarland about his personal life while he served as Yonkers mayor from 1996 to 2004. Spencer said Thursday in Rochester that he saw no reason to debate McFarland again, expecting the discussion would center on her "lies, innuendo and smear campaign."
"It would be a waste of my time, allowing her to stand next to me and tell lies about my family," he said. "I think she should go get some help."
While still married, Spencer had an affair in which he fathered two children with his then-chief of staff. He eventually divorced his first wife and married his chief of staff. Spencer said Thursday he was with his chief of staff only after he was separated from his first wife.
McFarland is calling on Spencer to have more debates, saying upstate New York should hear where the candidates stand. Wednesday's debate was held in New York City.
And McFarland didn't back away from criticism of Spencer. Spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus-Dobbs said, "He abused the public trust when he was mayor of Yonkers and he doesn't want to talk about it."
As for his swipes at McFarland, Ortagus-Dobbs called it "gross and disgusting."
"It actually sounds like him. He has no substance."
During the debate, McFarland accused Spencer of raising taxes and increasing spending as mayor. She also claimed he put relatives on the city payroll.
Spencer said the allegations were false.
"John, you are like the Clintons," she said during the debate. "You taxed and spent like Hillary and behaved like Bill."
Her tactics were denounced Thursday by state and Monroe County GOP Chairman Stephen Minarik, who has backed Spencer. Spencer won the support of the state GOP and Conservative parties earlier this year.
He said McFarland, a former Ronald Reagan-era Pentagon official, went too far. "Ronald Reagan would be offended by the personal attacks that are going on," he said.
McFarland also has had personal issues to deal with during the campaign. She has been embroiled in family fight over her claims in old letters, recently published, that she was abused as a child by her father. Her father has denied it and one of her brothers has called her evil.
Spencer said that McFarland is a "woman who I think is of questionable mental stability, based about her own family talking about her."
Spencer was in town to pick up the endorsement of Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and other local Republicans. Brooks said Spencer is the best candidate because he brings experience as a local executive to the race.
