Tide turns on Fossella

via Brooklyn Papers;

Democrat Steve Harrison outdueled Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Bay Ridge) in a raucous final debate on Tuesday, capping a week in which Harrison’s campaign earned national recognition, and Democrats gained confidence in a candidate who has — at least until recently — had trouble gaining traction and much-needed campaign cash.

Also on Tuesday, Harrison received some national exposure, appearing on MSNBC, where he was interviewed by “Hardball” host Chris Matthews — and won praise from the tough-nosed anchorman, who ended the interview by saying, “Sir, you sound like a qualified candidate to me.”

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At another point, after thanking a woman for her question about the 9-11 Commission, she responded by yelling, “Maybe you can answer it!”

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Harrison admitted that the crowd’s reactions were “a little bit over the top,” but added, “In fairness, you’re looking at people who are extremely frustrated with the Bush administration and with the congressman’s failure to respond to questions directly.”

In other campaign developments, Fossella refused to comment on whether he plans to return the $10,000 donated to his campaign in 1998 by disgraced former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas).