New York Gubernatorial Campaign Update

Today's big news is a planned news conference this afternoon by Carl Paladino. No one knows what he's going to say in the three minute spot, but sources indicate that he isn't planning on dropping out of the race.

The only thing that seems sure is that Paladino isn't going to pull out of the race, they said. As of late Wednesday, the Paladino camp bought a block of time in Buffalo with the three network affiliates.

Upstaters won't be able to turn on a major channel without seeing Paladino. The broadcast will be rerun in Rochester, Albany and Syracuse and Channel 12 on Long Island, plus Westchester Fox cable later Thursday night. Sources said his people also were trying to buy time on Fox statewide.

The only thing for sure is that no one knows what Paladino will say (which isn't really any different from any other day - when all manner of assorted craziness emanates from the filter-free Paladino. You also have some supporters urging him to drop some kind of bombshell about Cuomo (though that is quite unlikely), while others are urging him to drop out (also just as unlikely).

Still, as of last night, Paladino was attempting to show bipartisan support for his "outsider" campaign, holding a rally Wednesday evening in which Democrats for Carl Paladino announced their support, although the feature of the event was when former Buffalo Bills star running back Thurman Thomas spoke (he's an enrolled Republican). Paladino's also expected to appear at NYU for a College Republican event on October 15.

Meanwhile, Andrew Cuomo picked up the endorsement of the Business Council and Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney, who happens to be a a Republican.

Paladino might try to make hay of the fact that Andrew Cuomo considers Brooklyn Democrat Vito Lopez a friend, when Lopez is the focus of multiple criminal investigations.

The media continues focusing on how Paladino is spending campaign cash on entities he partially controls. They're taking a close look at his financial situation, but they aren't giving Cuomo a free pass either.

At the same time, David Koch, who is a major philanthropist for major New York City institutions, has donated to Andrew Cuomo. Koch, along with his brother, not only fund Tea Party candidates, but groups like the John Birch Society and various libertarian causes. The John Birch Society was founded by Koch's father.

Politics certainly makes for strange bedfellows.