De Blasio Skipped Watching Feisty NYC Mayoral Debate

NEW YORK CITY — Mayor Bill de Blasio apparently had better things to do than tune into the first New York City mayoral debate.

"Didn't watch the debate," he said Thursday during his daily briefing.

Hizzoner, unlike many New Yorkers, missed out on a feisty debate Wednesday between Democrat Eric Adams and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

Sliwa flamboyantly and repeatedly tried to tie Adams to de Blasio, who is the most unpopular politician in the state, according to a recent poll.

Adams, who is de Blasio's preferred successor, maintained a calm demeanor designed to brush off Sliwa's attacks.

"I'm speaking to New Yorkers, not speaking to buffoonery," he said toward the debate's end.

But Adams also quickly tried to distance himself from de Blasio — an increasingly common occurrence as the Nov. 2 election looms. He said while he agreed with de Blasio's plan to mandate all city workers to get a coronavirus vaccine, he dinged the mayor for not collaborating with union leaders.

De Blasio downplayed the distancing. He said officials have had many conversations with union leaders.

"I'm confident we did the right thing and I do appreciate... I have great, great faith in Eric Adams," he said. "I appreciate that he is supporting the plan here, the goal — and that's what matters."