Mayor Bloomberg and Bill Thompson never addressed some of key issues facing the city, according to a panel of undecided voters convened by The Post to watch their first debate last night.
Eric Blankenbaker, 25, of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a registered Democrat like the other panelists, said he was shocked that issues like the recent MTA fare hike, lack of jobs and the city’s hobbled economy weren’t discussed.
“I just think those are some of the biggest, pressing issues affecting New Yorkers now,” said Blankenbaker, who said he’s likely to vote for Bloomberg based largely on the two candidates’ presentations during the debate.
“There was no substance in their answers,” agreed Smita Saran, 25, of Murray Hill.
Saran, who said she was going to vote for Bloomberg after seeing the debate, said many of Thompson’s answers “just didn’t make sense, like [when] he talked about the cops who wished they didn’t have to frisk people as much.”
“It seemed he just arbitrarily made up facts . . . He didn’t really say anything, he just [dropped] words that New Yorkers hate, like parking tickets and rent.”
In all, three panelists left saying they’ll likely vote for Bloomberg, another plans to cast a vote for Thompson, and two said they’re still on the fence.
Tim Fielder, 43, a teacher from Harlem, said he was leaning toward Thompson at the outset and was sold during the debate.
“Term limits,” he said, citing the issue which he said the comptroller drove home.
But Fielder agreed there could have been more substance. “I thought the worst moment was [when] things got a bit nasty, when they were going at each other,” he said.
Rod Colvin, 39, a college professor from Long Island City, Queens, who remained undecided, said the rap against Bloomberg over the term-limits extension was legit, but he needed to hear more from his opponent.
“I feel like I was looking for a reason to vote for Thompson, and I still haven’t gotten it yet,” he said.
“Bloomberg’s not offering anything different, and Thompson’s not offering anything,” said panelist Emmet Sullivan, 23, who is still undecided.
