Keller @ Large: Can 'Common Ground' Make A Comeback?
BOSTON (CBS) - Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is not, to use a phrase coined by his late predecessor, a fancy talker.
And to his credit, he doesn't try to be. His State of the City speech Tuesday night was fine, but ordinary.
But there were a couple of moments when Walsh seemed to approach something eloquent, or at least reach for something less prosaic.
First, in a reference to sorting out the chronic financial and achievement issues afflicting Boston public schools, the mayor said: "It will require a unified effort. That's why the conversation around our schools concerns me. Instead of unity, too often we've seen schools pitted against one another, by adults. Tonight, I'm calling on everyone to come together to back all our children, all our teachers, and all our schools."
That was a clear reference to vocal protestors who've questioned Walsh's motives for wanting to cut school costs, accused him of conspiring to close schools over their objections, and demonized him for supporting charter schools, which are, heaven forbid, non-union.
And in the windup of his speech, Walsh seemed to reference those who so bitterly opposed his effort to bring the Olympics here when he urged people to "find common ground, even when we don't agree on everything. Protect what we love about our city by, sometimes, embracing change."
"Common ground"?
What's that?
In our era of political and cultural extremes, common ground is out of style.
Good luck, Mayor Walsh, trying to bring it back in.
Listen to Jon's commentary: