Since I wasn't able to make it to the Working Families Party Mayoral Forum yesterday I have to read about it like everyone else in the New York Times, and hear about it on WNYC.

According to all reports something like 400 people packed into the Hotel Trades Association. All three of the major candidates attended but they were interviewed separately.

Bloomberg, who is running as a Republican and an Independent surprised many by his willingness to particpate in the forum of the progressive Working Families Party.

Apparently, he got booed and hissed quite a bit by the audience.

According to the New York Times, Bloomberg poo-pooed the idea that ginormous campaign spending was undemocratic. “You can’t buy an election. The public is much smarter than that," he said.  That remark, according to WNYC "drew boos and
hisses" from the crowd.

Also reported by WNYC,  both of the Democrats running for
mayor, Comptroller Bill Thompson and Councilman Tony Avella, were
cheered several times by the largely progressive Working Families crowd "when they pledged
to raise taxes on wealthier New Yorkers and push for more affordable
housing."

City Councilmember Bill de Blasio, who is running for Public Advocate sent out a press release about Bloomberg's statement that more people are choosing to stay in homeless shelters
because they have become more attractive during his time in office. "It is
insulting to the almost 35,000 people who spent last night in a shelter
to say that they were there out of choice, not out of necessity," de Blasio said.

The format of the event was interesting. It was really three interviews: one with each candidate and then closing remarks.

You can imagine how disappointed I am that I wasn't there. But stay tuned: I am doing a Breakfast-of-Candidates interview with Tony Avella on Monday in Park Slope.