Thompson, Avella Debate Absent Bloomberg, Talk Weed, Frisking

Bill Thompson's poll lead over Tony Avella in the race for the Democratic Mayoral nomination is even more forbidding than Bloomberg's lead over Thompson. But Thompson and Avella sill held a debate last night for NY1, during which Thompson admitted he had, at some unspecified time in his life, gotten high, whereas Avella, true to his staff's description of him, revealed himself to be totally abstemious. Various reports indicate that they turned most of their fire on the present Mayor rather than each other, though they revealed some differences: Thompson, for example, likes Stop and Frisk, whereas Avella would shut it down. And stylistically Thompson continues to be accommodating and even mild-mannered, whereas Avella remains a hardass (asked about his poor relationship with many city council colleagues, Avella replied, "You're damn right I don't get along with some of them").