The other day I spoke to one of my friends about how Moseley Braun was doing in the Chicago mayoral race. They told me she was doing pretty well so far. I asked if she’d said anything…ahem…wacky yet, and my friend said no.

Well that’s all changed.  During a candidate forum, Moseley Braun was accused by Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins of not being seen around Chicago very much. Moseley Braun’s retort? That Watkins hadn’t seen her around because she was too busy smoking crack and leading a cult.

Talk about a high profile case of when keeping it real goes wrong.

According to news reports, Moseley Braun’s comments sparked boos and disorder and the Pastor of the church at which the event was held called the situation “embarrassing.”

Indeed!

Quick thoughts:

• Digging up dirt on your opponent is a craft that some may say was not only mastered, but started by, Mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel. Not known for his couth, even Emanuel knows that once you find the dirt, you don’t scream it during a debate, you leak it slowly and deliberately to the press.

• Moseley-Braun clearly didn’t keep her audience in mind when she made her spirited and over reactive comments. On the south side of Chicago, a formerly cocaine addicted mayoral candidate isn’t going to be shamed. They’re more likely to be celebrated from coming back from the kind of hardship that blacks in Chicago know very well. Moseley Braun would have been much better served to point out that she’d spent a lot of time doing things like, you know, running for President and being an ambassador. She could have then gone on to reiterate her passionate commitment to the city of Chicago.

• If Moseley Braun had to bring up Watkins’ past she should have coded her speech and referred to Watkins “battling demons” or facing “long time struggles.” She should have connected it to some other point made by Watkins, NOT the point Watkins made about Moseley not being visible in the city.

• Chicago is the 3rd largest city in the United States, having a Mayor that is prone to controversial outbursts simply shall not do. I watched last Thursday’s debate between all candidates on C-span and noticed that Emanuel was visibly pursuing reserve. Moseley Braun should have focused on doing the same. If he can do it, anyone can.

• It’s clear that Moseley has decided to dig her heels in on this one. Judging by the video tape she seems to genuinely believe that she simply offered an innocent reason as to why Watkins hasn’t seen her around. Whether she believes it or not, she owes Watkins and the attendees of the candidate round table an apology for her behavior.