New York Mayoral Candidate Debate: Vaccinations, Rikers Prison Crisis, Education System

Eric Adams, the Democratic nominee, and Curtis Sliva, his Republican opponent, disagreed on vaccination requirements, public safety, pandemic recovery and more during the first of two general election debates. The New York Times.

Eric Adams and Curtis Pliva, during their first debate on October 20, offered different visions of New York. They differed on everything from vaccine requirements to the preservation of the Thomas Jefferson statue at City Hall.

Adams, the Democratic candidate, tried to remain calm while Plum, his Republican opponent, attacked. Plum tried to connect Adams with Mayor Bill de Blasio, who is extremely unpopular with many New Yorkers.

Adams criticized Pliva for confessing to staging crimes for publicity as the leader of the Guardian Angels. Plum has been criticized for not following the rules of the debate. Adams called Plum's debating style confrontational and often casual "buffoonery."

In addition to the barbs exchanged in the run-up to the November 2 general elections, significant political differences emerged between the candidates.

So, five conclusions from the discussion:

Disagreement over vaccination of city workers

Adams, president of the Borough of Brooklyn, said he supports de Blasio's new mandate to vaccinate government employees, which was announced on October 20.

Whereas Adams said he would work more closely with union leaders to find a way to reach an agreement together.

“I think the mayor's actions today were right,” said Adams. "Although I would approach this issue a little differently."

Plum, founder of Guardian Angels and a former radio host, said he was against the mandate. He is concerned that this could lead to the loss of some police officers.

“I disagree with Eric,” Plum said. "In my opinion, we do not have enough policemen anyway."

Attacks about past lies and Brooklyn apartments

Adams repeatedly tried to portray Plum as a liar and criticized him for interrupting him and not following the rules of debate.

"Please tell me, can he stick to the rules?" Mr. Adams asked one of the moderators.

Plum said he apologized for inventing crimes in the 1980s to try and get more attention.

“I've made mistakes,” he admitted. - At 25, I was immature and did what I shouldn't have done. I know that my opponent, Eric Adams, did the same, for which he apologized. "

Plum tried to confuse Adams, but to no avail. Asked by one of the moderators, Adams declined to say how many nights he spent in his Brooklyn apartment. According to him, he has lived there for the past six months.

Adams, who has faced questions about where he lives, has noticed that he sometimes works at Brooklyn Borough Hall until 4 or 5 a.m.

“I don’t write down how many days I’ve been there, but this is where I rest,” Adams replied about his apartment.

The men disagreed on another hot topic - the planned removal of the Jefferson statue from city council halls: Mr. Adams wants the statue removed; Plum insists that she should stay.

Different views of schools

The candidates proposed opposing plans for the city's schools. Adams, unlike de Blasio, wants to establish a mandate to vaccinate public school students.

Adams said schools already require vaccines for diseases like measles. He is convinced the mandate will help protect students from the coronavirus. For families who choose to leave their children at home, Adams said he was "open to the option of distance learning."

Pliva noted that he has three sons attending public schools. But he strongly opposes the introduction of the vaccine for students. In his opinion, this may lead to the fact that some students stay at home. “We need them to study at school,” Sliva emphasized.

Both candidates are concerned about de Blasio's decision terminate the gifted and talented program elementary school children and said they want to expand the program.

Adams believes the city should rethink the program's entrance exam while increasing opportunities for so-called accelerated learning for every zip code in the city.

“I made it clear that we need to review this exam,” he said. “I don’t believe that the exam a 4-year-old takes should determine the rest of his school experience. It is unacceptable.

Pliva reaffirmed its support for the spread of the program for gifted children in all schools. The Republican noted that his son was one of thousands of students who passed the test and "losers."

Plum connects Adams with de Blasio and wealthy New Yorkers

Mr Plum claims that Mr Adams hangs out with the big players, as does Mr de Blasio.

"I am the choice of the people," said Plum... "Eric Adams, trying to match the Kardashian family, works with the elite in the suites, with the girls from TikTok."

Adams seems to really enjoy the NYC nightlife. Just days after winning the primaries, he was spotted at one of the city's most exclusive restaurants, Rao's, in East Harlem. He dined with a billionaire Republican.

In September, Adams reportedly spent two consecutive nights at the Zero Bond private club in Soho. And he spent most of the season after the primaries raising money from the donor class, including several billionaires. He also secretly spent a vacation in Monaco, known for its high-end casinos and the idle rich.

"Who is going to Monaco?" - Plum asked incredulously.

Plum has also tried to tie Adams to de Blasio, whose approval rating has plummeted after his failed presidential campaign. De Blasio is essentially an ally of Adams after quietly supporting him during the primaries.

"How about doing something new and stopping trusting politicians like Eric Adams and de Blasio?" - offered Plum.

Adams wants to shut down Rikers; Plum says she will move there

The next mayor will take office and immediately begin tackling the crisis in the city's prison system.

The Rikers Island prison complex plunged into violent chaos. Many prison staff refuse to show up for work. Died in city prisons this year fourteen detainees.

Adams reiterated his support for de Blasio's plan to close the prisons on Rikers Island and replace them with smaller prisons across the city. But Adams expressed doubts about the places where they are supposed to be located. Plum strongly opposes de Blasio's plan.

But replacing Rikers is a long-term plan. Moreover, Adams said he would "remove the obstacle" and bring the detainees to court so that they could be released or served their time. Among other things, he would tell officers who do not obey their superiors to return to work, where he would offer them safe conditions, although he did not specify how.

Plum suggested that he would act as mayor. He said he would move to the warden's house on Rikers Island on January 2 and personally oversee the prisons. Pliva explained that he will provide support to the correctional officers working there. In addition, he will hire 2000 more officers, transfer emotionally unstable prisoners to government offices and break up gangs inside the prison.

“I can say that because I was on Rikers Island,” said Pliva, who argues that he was arrested more than 70 times.

For example, in 1994 police arrested Pliva after he prepared to paint over an art exhibit in Brooklyn park that depicted killed police officers.