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Eliot Spitzer evaded the simplest of yes-or-no questions yesterday — refusing for the third day in a row to deny he’s carrying on an extramarital affair.
When a Post reporter asked whether he has a girlfriend, Spitzer simply shook his head, waved his hand and let out an irritated sigh.
The once hooker-happy governor, now running for city comptroller, said he did not read The Post report yesterday detailing other candidates’ candid replies to the same question.
“If everyone else can do it, why can’t you?” Spitzer was asked. “What’s wrong with a simple yes or no? Why can’t you say yes or no?”
To that, Spitzer shook his head and mumbled something inaudible.
Meanwhile, the black-sock candidate was jilted yesterday by prominent Queens pastor and former US Rep. Floyd Flake, The Post learned.
Flake early last week backed Spitzer for city comptroller but yesterday quietly canceled the endorsement.
The withdrawal of support came in the face of what a prominent Democrat described as “enormous pressure” on Flake, the spiritual leader of the 23,000-member Greater Allen African Methodist Episcopal Cathedral in Jamaica, from top Democratic Party leaders.
While Flake’s reversal is a major blow to Spitzer, who has garnered little support from prominent Dems, it isn’t especially good news for his primary opponent, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, whom Flake originally supported.
That’s because, Flake told The Post, he’s now planning to “remain neutral” in the contest, refusing to back either candidate.
“Early on, when Scott didn’t have an opponent, I made my endorsement. Subsequently, after Eliot, who I know better, got in, I decided to support him,” Flake told The Post.
“But then I thought, in terms of my own ethics, ‘How is it right to just jump off of one guy, who is really nice, and just say that now that Eliot is in I’m going to go with him?’
“So I’ve decided to be neutral in the race,” Flake continued.
Another factor, Flake added, was his view that the increasingly heated battle between Spitzer and Stringer is starting to “get to be a little bit messy.”
Flake initially gave his endorsement to Spitzer after the two had lunch recently.
He’s yet to speak directly to Spitzer about his decision to drop his support. Flake said he had relayed that decision to Spitzer’s staff on Friday.