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HenchPAC NewsRick Lazio yesterday halted his "all-positive" campaign, uncorking a pair of ads featuring tongue-tied New Yorkers struggling to think of anything Hillary Rodham Clinton has done for the state.
The humorous but biting Lazio "stump-the-voter" commercials begin with an announcer asking regular people - not actors - to name three things Clinton has accomplished for New York.
"No!" says one woman, laughing.
"That's a tough question," offers another woman.
"Nothing, nothing, nothing," a man responds.
The 30-second spots, airing statewide, are designed to draw attention to what Lazio's strategists believe are two of Clinton's major weaknesses: never having held elective office and recently moving to the state.
Asked about the ads during a campaign stop in Goshen, Lazio said, "I have a record of being there for New York, of fighting for New York, of delivering for New York. And I think that Mrs. Clinton doesn't have that record."
Clinton campaign spokeswoman Karen Dunn ripped into the ads, saying, "This is what a candidate does when his campaign is torn by division and falling in the polls."
Lazio aides said one ad was filmed in Buffalo, the other in Manhattan and Queens, and the people appearing on camera are from New York and were not asked their political affiliation.
For the last two weeks, the Lazio campaign has aired only "positive" ads about the GOP Senate candidate that don't refer to Clinton - a strategy that some Republicans have second-guessed, saying Lazio should start attacking his Democratic rival.
In other developments:
* Lazio, who trails Clinton among female voters, will make a pitch for them by appearing Wednesday on ABC's "The View," which has a largely female audience.
* Clinton unveiled a proposal for a 10-year, $45 billion voucher-style program to assist middle-income families with up to $4,000 for home nursing or other medical needs.
* Clinton said she'll back the Bronx Bombers if there's a Mets-Yankees Subway Series.
"I'm a Yankees fan. I've been a Yankees fan since I was a little girl," the Illinois-born Clinton said - adding she'd be open to a wager with diehard Mets backer Lazio.
Lazio didn't bite.
"When the White Sox are in the Series, perhaps I'll make that bet," he said. "Until then, the only bets I'll make on this one are with a real Yankee fan, like [Mayor Giuliani]."
HENCH adds: Reminds of the old Monty Python skit: "Spot the Loonie!" This is a fabulous move by Lazio, and could be the kind of political gotcha that creates tons of media attention and grows "legs." With a race that's within the margin of error, that could be the difference.
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