New Yorkers, accept freedom of ingestion

It takes a really frustrating election run-up that leads people to speculate whether a nomination, or even the entire election, could hinge on how a candidate deals with a flatbread with tomato, cheese and other toppings, aka a pizza.

Calling it Pizzagate may imbue the Republican nomination hopeful John Kasich’s culinary infraction with a layer of seriousness, but hauling him over the coals for eating a hot pizza with a fork is harsh.

Especially since his arch-rival Donald Trump has committed the same faux pas with characteristic nonchalance.

In any case, upon learning from recently revealed campaign statistics that their former Senator and current front-runner for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton has been forking out large amounts of dough to order those classic pies for her hungry team, New Yorkers may hand the state’s delegates to her as a reward.

Maybe all true-blue New Yorkers are justified in getting outraged by any disregard for this revered cultural practice and the incident deserves to be put on par with the serious gaffes westerners usually make in the tradition-bound regions of the world.

But liberal and hip residents of the Big Apple really should not take it to heart if anyone — including White House hopefuls — eat pizza with anything other than hands. It’s called Freedom of Ingestion.