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Did you watch the debate between Mike Bloomberg and Bill Thompson last night? Or did you conclude it would be a big waste of time since the election was predetermined before the campaigning even began and you figured that if you did tune in and you happened to find yourself enamored with Thompson, it would only lead to heartbreak next month when he's clobbered at the polls?

Well, if you had bothered to watch, it's unlikely you would have been blown away by Thompson or all that excited about the prospect of a third Bloomberg term.

Thompson was okay, but he didn't really knock anyone off their feet (he "resembled a painter who left too much of his canvas blank"), or do what he needed to do if he was hoping to make the debate a game-changer. And the mayor was cranky and grouchy as usual, "dol[ing] out energy a miserly watt at a time," rolling his eyes a lot, and generally acting like the condescending jerk that he so often is.

Outrageously, Bloomberg suggested Rudy Giuliani would make a good governor. Equally outrageously, Thompson said that President Obama had done enough for gay rights since taking office.

Bloomberg had to fend off heckles from Reverend Billy, who was hauled out of the room after the disruption. Thompson said Roman Polanski should go to prison for his crimes and disclosed the fact that he once had a manicure.

Bloomberg talked about Thompson's failure to improve the schools system and tried to make a big deal out of the $650,000 in campaign contributions that Thompson has received from money managers, which is a tact you can take when you've spent 100 times that on your campaign and it's all come out of your own pocket. Thompson tried to paint the mayor as a rich dude out of touch with ordinary New Yorkers who have to ride the subway every morning, which, it just so happens, is how Mayor Bloomberg gets to work himself.

Thompson wagged his finger at Bloomberg and called him "Mike" a lot. Mike just looked annoyed he had to be at the debate in the first place, especially since we all know how things are going to end on November 3. And because he had to be there, in that room, instead of at some fancy dinner somewhere. Probably.

And then it all ended on a cheerful note! Or not:

As the debate concluded, Mr. Carter asked each candidate to say something nice about the other. Both complied, momentarily, before reverting to attack mode.

"He is a great golfer," Mr. Bloomberg said. But he added, "I just think he's not the right person to lead the city for the next four years."

Mr. Thompson offered that the mayor "is well dressed" but went on, "At some point, after eight years, eight is enough and it’s time for him to go."

Bloomberg Defends His Record in First Mayoral Debate [NYT]
Bloomberg’s Foe Finds Campaign Spotlight Elusive [NYT]
Mayor Bloomberg, Bill Thompson slug it out in first debate [NYDN]