GOP gubernatorial designee Rick Lazio took some time out from campaigning in Rochester today to take a swipe at AG Andrew Cuomo for semi-panning Gov. David Paterson’s creative use of budget extenders as “intriguing” but not optimal, YNN’s Mark Gruba reports.

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Lazio, who has a history of defending Gov. David Paterson (perhaps because his poll number are so low that he would have made a much easier general election opponent), said the governor needs to “be decisive and show leadership,” adding:

“I don’t know if Andrew Cuomo has an inkling of what leadership is all about. He continues to equivocate.”

“The latest I heard is that he is talking about it being intriguing, and that’s Albany speak. And he knows a lot about Albany intrigue.”

“What I would say is yes, we need to complete these reductions,” Lazio continued. “I don’t know that David Paterson has another option than laying it on the table, right now, and saying to the Legislature: Listen, this is what I have come up with, if you have a better plan to save the same amount of money, then act like adults, come to the table, and support those reductions.”

Meanwhile, 13WHAM News reports that Lazio, who was joined by his LG pick, Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards, declined to criticize Cuomo’s running mate, Rochester Mayor Bob Duffy, even though the GOP duo was stumping on Duffy’s home turf.