New York Gov. David Paterson is calling out the head of the hospital lobby that’s airing commercials slamming Paterson’s plans to cut funding to deal with a fiscal crisis.

Paterson said Greater New York Hospital Association President Kenneth Raske should meet in a public debate with his health commissioner over how much funding hospitals should get, not resort to 60-second commercials that accuse Paterson of being uncaring to New Yorkers in need of health care.

Raske said a public debate with Paterson’s top health official would be a distraction and a staged event.

“I don’t understand why he wants to replace an informed public debate, where we get to defend ourselves, with a misleading 1-minute commercial,” Paterson said Thursday outside Manhattan’s Harvard Club. “Some of those commercials are actually insulting.”

One of the ads particularly upset Paterson, who is legally blind. It featured a blind man asking Paterson, “Why are you doing this to me?” The ad has since been pulled.

Asked by a reporter if Raske’s refusal to debate with the state health commissioner, Dr. Richard Daines, was being “chicken,” Paterson paused and said: “Nah, not Ken!”

“I will not participate in a staged event that does nothing to advance the ultimate goal of achieving a budget agreement,” Raske said in a prepared statement.

Raske said his group has debated the issue for months by meeting with the Paterson administration, delivering public testimony, participating in advisory panels, speaking with policy makers and elected officials, and airing ads.

“I regret that Mr. Raske found my offer to meet for an open public discussion an unwelcome distraction from the serious tone established by GNYHA’s dramatic 30 second ad spots,” Daines said. “My offer still stands.”

(Source: NBC NY)