Carl Paladino, New York’s Republican candidate for governor, likes to portray himself as the political tough guy, the one, as he declared, who can “take a baseball bat to Albany.” Now it appears as though the man who so enjoys dishing it out can’t even take a tough grilling from an irritating reporter.

The latest outburst happened after Mr. Paladino complained that the news media is not investigating the private life of his opponent, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. Mr. Paladino, who has acknowledged a daughter from an extramarital affair, suggested to Politico that Mr. Cuomo also had affairs before his divorce seven years ago.

Mr. Paladino did not give any evidence of his charges, and Fredric Dicker of The New York Post later pressed him for details. Their exchange quickly grew heated...

The Paladino campaign has tried to blame Mr. Dicker for this dispute. That misses the point, of course, since Mr. Dicker is not running for governor. And bullying, it is increasingly clear, is Mr. Paladino’s standard operating procedure...

New York State has serious problems. New Yorkers are right to be frustrated and angry about Albany’s corruption and ineptitude. The last thing this state needs is an out-of-control governor who can’t take the heat.