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Alphonse D'amato
Alphonse D’Amato was born, raised and has lived in New York his entire life. Born in Brooklyn, raised in Long Island, attended school in Syracuse and worked in Albany, Manhattan and Long Island have given D’Amato a rather New Yorkish demeanor. Notorious for his political stunts and off-the-cuff comments, D’Amato has garnished criticism and praise alike during his 34 year political career. Ruffling feathers is part of a politician’s job. If you aren’t irritating anyone, you probably aren’t doing a really good job and Alphonse D’Amato always did a good job.
State Representative, Peter T. King: “He studies the polls. He almost lives and breathes by them…He has incredible powers of self-analysis. He knows what he’s doing wrong and he knows what he’s doing right.”
Lisette McSoud Mondello (Alphonse D’Amato spokeswoman): “All of Sen. D’Amato’s votes are in favor of middle-class New Yorkers.”
Ed Yingling, chief lobbyist for the American Bankers Associations: “I guess it depends on your level of tolerance. I don’t find him intimidating. He is very blunt. He doesn’t mince words,” Yingling says of D’Amato. “He’s a good politician, and good politicians keep track of things.”
Former senator and presidential nominee Bob Dole: “The man who won’t take yes for an answer.”
Maurice Carroll, Director of Quinnipiac College Polling Institute: “He’s a brilliant politician. He always does better in the election than he does in the polls…If he’s done anything wrong politically in the last year, it’s escaped my attention.”
Independent Pollster, John Zogby: “There’s two playbooks. There’s everybody else and there’s D’Amato’s.”
State Representative, Peter T. King: “He’s incredibly hard-working, tireless, dedicated. Almost maniacal in getting what he wants…”Sometimes he doesn’t know when to stop. But if he didn’t have these excesses, he wouldn’t be Al D’Amato.”
State Representative Rick A. Lazio: “D’Amato’s colorful, very New Yorky. When he’s focused on an issue, he’ll work his tail off to make sure he succeeds.” Lazio also said: “His opponents get so mad at him, they spit bullets. The more he gets people wrapped up in sputtering at him, the more he wins.”