The Bonifaz Show, cont.

Published Jul 26 2006, 04:11 PM by Adam Reilly

Just tying up a few loose ends here:

1. Since those "Where's Galvin" spots work fine for everybody else, my tortured analogy between the videos and John Bonifaz's campaign for secretary of state doesn't quite hold up. I apologize to John & Co.

2. Thanks to everybody who weighed in yesterday responding to my initial post. I agree that Bonifaz's shrillness is a problem--right or wrong, style matters in electoral politics--and that the issues he's most passionate about aren't necessarily the issues on most voters' minds. (Whether they should be or not is another question.)

3. Now, about Bonifaz shooting one of the "Where's Galvin" bits during the run-up to Galvin's mother's death...Can everyone please tone down the outrage? In retrospect, the timing was poor. But this was just one small part of Bonifaz's sustained (and largely unsuccessful) effort to force Galvin to engage him, something Galvin has predictably refused to do. The suggestion that this represents a "new low" is bogus. (I'd also point out that "Renaissance Man," who vented his spleen about Bonifaz's alleged misdeed over at Blue Mass. Group, is likely a friend or close associate of Galvin's, since he attended Galvin's mother's wake.)

4. My condolences to Galvin.

5. I just can't help responding to Jesse Gordon's characterization of my post yesterday as a "kowtow-to-incumbency" article. Jesse, I wrote about this race early on. And as it happens, I'd like to see Galvin debate Bonifaz. But it's ridiculous to suggest that, because I work at a paper that's generally progressive/liberal, I shouldn't be allowed to mention the shortcomings of the progressive/liberal candidate in this race. Don't get all Kucinichian on me, now!