Last night’s second Boston mayoral debate between Marty Walsh and John Connolly was effective for both candidates in that the citizens of Boston finally saw a striking difference between the two hopefuls. The contrast wasn’t in terms of policy or vision, but more in the ways they’ll achieve their municipal goals. Walsh, a former union official, confided that he would bridge legislative gaps by compromise and transparency while Connolly, a school teacher, would draw a line in the sand to get things done.
As was the case with the first debate, it’s tough to determine whether one candidate bested the other. From Marty Walsh’s camp, though, an early attack by Connolly on the State Representative’s negative ad campaigns and a minor fumbling of words at the end may have been enough to give Connolly the slight edge. Some, however, feel Connolly emerged the clear winner.
Connolly came out on the offensive but not overbearing, bringing up the fact that a political action committee in favor of Walsh had been distributing negative flyers targeting Connolly’s “privileged” background. Both had expressed their desire to run clean campaigns, and, naturally, Walsh bit the bullet and acknowledge he had asked the PAC to cease.
From then on out, the debate volleyed back-and-forth in respectable fashion, though, there were moments where both candidates had to call the other out on falsehoods.
Though Connolly was able to exert his expertise in the school system by discussing his tenure as a public school educator for a number of years and how that has given him knowledge of how to negotiate teacher contracts, Walsh stuck to his guns and his blunt position of possessing the ability to “work with teachers in partnership rather than taking an adversarial position.”
While he certainly respects Connolly’s teacher prowess, Walsh made it abundantly clear that his union experience, in tandem with his part in founding a charter school, will better serve Boston in bringing the likes of longer school days, an end to redundancies, and a progressive education to students citywide.
Continuing to ride his wave of momentum, Walsh decreed his intention to reorganize the Boston Redevelopment Authority to help create more efficient and cost-effective commercial and residential development. Walsh also showcased his no-nonsense approach to the recent wildcat public school bus strike, declaring he would ask the representative union to fire the illegally striking drivers; he voiced his willingness to allow the unofficial parking place holder rule during turbulent storms; and said he’s intent on investing substantial capital to create more cycle tracks throughout Boston’s infrastructure.
When the question was raised about many of his high profile endorsements, he simply acknowledge them, saying that he had earned them, and that they were given to him for a reason.
When asked to provide an example of where and when he would wield the power of the bully pulpit to execute his agenda, however, Walsh stumbled slightly, making it seem as if he were unprepared to answer a question related to a bold statement he had made in the previous debate.
How Walsh will respond to bookend blunders from last night’s debate remains to be seen. He may counter with more additions to his stable of endorsements or simply plat it up to a Tom Menino resemblance.
Stay tuned to BostInno for the latest mayoral coverage.
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