Staten Island Congressional Candidates Have Read Zero Books Between the Two of Them

Congressman Michael Grimm and his somehow-still-neck-and-neck challenger, Domenic Recchia, faced off in a debate on NY1 on Tuesday, and it turns out neither one is much of a man of letters.

Asked by the debate moderator, Errol Louis, to name the last book they read, both drew a blank.

Grimm said it was probably “I think it was a Tom Clancy book,” which is fitting for the hyper-masculine ex-FBI agent, who allegedly waves guns around at nightclubs sometimes.

Given Grimm’s past run-ins with NY1 reporters, this exchange, though a little defensive, was actually an improvement. You’ll recall that the last time he took an uncomfortable question from someone at that station, Grimm threatened to throw the journalist off a “fucking balcony.”

You’ve probably already seen the clip, which is available below, but seriously, it’s worth another viewing. It just seems to get better with every pass.

The closeness of the race continues to baffle. For starters, Grimm is currently under federal indictment for a series of alleged tax crimes. Then there’s the guy’s apparent reflexive Islamophobia, his more recent Ebolaphobia, his aforementioned penchant for threatening people with guns. And that balcony thing. (Go ahead, watch it one more time!)

Still, the most recent polls show the contenders in a dead heat. Despite Recchia having far outspent the incumbent.

Of course, Grimm and Recchia arguably have less to be embarrassed about than Fleur Pellerin, the newly appointed French culture minister. Her job is to promote French culture, which includes some writers here and there, despite the fact that she hasn’t read a book in more than two years. That admission did not go over well.