Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared defensive and dismissive as Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman launched fiery attacks during Tuesday’s New York gubernatorial debate, according to human behavior and body-language expert Dr. Lillian Glass.
While the incumbent came across as “a deer in headlights,” her Republican challenger delivered an aggressive performance, repeatedly criticizing Hochul over New York’s high energy costs, taxes and rising antisemitism, Glass told The Post.
At several points, Blakeman visibly conveyed what Glass identified as “anger.” Glass holds doctorates in counseling psychology and communication disorders and has testified in court as an expert witness in the field.
Glass offered her assessment of several pivotal moments from the debate:
Hochul stumbles out of the gate
Hochul stumbled during her opening statement, making her first of nearly 20 references to President Trump during the hourlong debate.
“And you’re going to hear a lot of… lot of… different opinions here this evening,” Hochul said, pausing as she searched for the words. Glass said the moment projected what she viewed as Hochul’s “defensiveness.”
“It did not come off well, especially for somebody who is an incumbent governor,” Glass said, adding that the stumble suggested a lack of preparation.
“Not good. Not a good look,” she said.
Hochul on her back foot
Glass said Hochul’s defensive manner continued as she took extended pauses before answering questions, frequently smiled while looking down at the podium and smiled while Blakeman was speaking.
“There was also a lot of pause time where she had to take her time to manufacture an answer. Whereas Blakeman just went right to it and had answers right back to her and had accusations that were very, very straightforward towards her,” Glass said, praising the Long Island politician’s attacks.
“What’s happening is you’re seeing Kathy Hochul really embarrassed. She’s blinking a lot and she’s looking down, smiling. She’s not handling this well,” Glass added.
Overall, Glass said Blakeman presented himself more effectively during the debate.
“There’s a closing off of her throat, there’s a nasality that’s very difficult to listen to,” Glass said of Hochul’s delivery.
MORE STORY: The Decline of Once Popular Hollywood Star Olivier Martinez
The Cornell Moment
Blakeman pressed the Democratic governor during a discussion about changing state laws after allegations of a gang rape at Cornell University in 2024. He accused Hochul of failing to use her emeritus board seat at the Ivy League school, or the state’s influence over the university, to demand a faster investigation.
“As a trustee and as governor, you didn’t call for an independent investigation when you found out that the district attorney was dropping the case. Shame on you,” Blakeman charged.
“The university failed that young woman,” Hochul responded, staring straight into the camera with a blank expression.
“She was like a deer in the headlights,” Glass said.
“That is a person losing a lot of points and a lot of people having respect for her,” the body-language expert added.
Getting the Bruce juiced
Blakeman also blinked rapidly throughout the debate, but Glass attributed the behavior to “anger” rather than nervousness.
“That you’re seeing the jaw movement and the eye blinking is not insecurity. It’s anger at what she’s saying,” Glass said.
This was especially noticeable as Hochul was peppering Blakeman with accusations of being politically joined at the hip with Trump.
“He’s angry, and he wants to tell the truth, and wants to fight back,” Glass said.
Blakeman needs a spark to close the 9-to-11-point gap in recent polls as Democrats hold a marked registration advantage in deeply blue New York.
Hochul remains highly unpopular in polls, but Blakeman still faces an uphill battle to unseat the incumbent, who first took office in 2021 when former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace.
Election Day is Nov. 3.
Nicholas Perrone contributed reporting.
