Bloody Capuano?

I'm pretty solidly on the record, particularly writing about conservatives, that I don't think we should get worked up about violent metaphors in politics -- in fact, I've written that by making too much of such things, some on the left have helped contribute to the blurring of distinctions that obscures the more dangerous political rhetoric. So, for example, I had no big problem with Sarah Palin's 'targets', and even less problem with off-the-cuff spoken metaphors.

So, I really couldn't get much worked up about reports that Congressman Michael Capuano, at the union rally yesterday, exhorted the crowd at one point that "Every once and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little bloody when necessary."

Bad choice of words, but, like I say, nothing to get worked up about. I figured he'd issue an apology, and he has:

I strongly believe in standing up for worker rights and my passion for preserving those rights may have gotten the best of me yesterday in an unscripted speech.... I wish I had used different language to express my passion and I regret my choice of words.

Seems pretty straightforward. I'd also note that Blue Mass Group and other lefties criticized Cap for it. Simple goof, everyone tsk-tsk, he apologized and retracted.

But it doesn't seem like it's going away that easy. Some on the right -- not all by any means, but some -- just seem absolutely determined to get distracted by any stupid little thing they can act offended or outraged by, and for whatever reason this seems to be one of those things today. I don't know, I guess they think this is some outrageous hypocricy, or evidence of union violence, or something.

I don't know, I thought it's just how people from Somerville talk. Anyway, I suspect we'll be seeing more about this.