Back in July, when Boston Mayor Tom Menino arranged a $200,000 loan that allowed the endangered Bay State Banner to resume publication, Globe columnist Adrian Walker argued that the arrangment would dangerously diminish the Banner's editorial autonomy. "[I]ts independence is the only thing that makes the Banner worth saving, journalistically speaking," Walker wrote.

So I swung by Government Center this morning to check out the kick-off of Michael Flaherty and Sam Yoon's joint campaign. I missed the start, but still caught some noteworthy details:

1. The turnout seemed low--about 70-80 people, I'd guess, with almost as many media members as campaign supporters/operatives.

2. When Flaherty was asked about his pledge to serve only two terms, his reply went something like this: "The people of Boston have my word--the same way they had the current mayor's word that he would only serve two terms."

Over at CommonWealth Unbound--which, I confess, I still don't read as often as I should--Michael Jonas revisits the way Sam Yoon's recent budget hearing in Dorchester played out in the press, and argues that the coverage portends poorly for this year's mayoral race. Unfortunately, Jonas makes a pretty good case. [Via Universal Hub]

Today's Globe includes a letter to the editor from city councilor/mayoral hopeful Sam Yoon, who claims that a recent editorial misrepresented his position on returning to an elected Boston School Committe:

I want to correct the record from the Globe editorial about Boston's School Committee.

Today's Globe editorial on the developing Boston mayor's race concludes thusly:

The pattern [i.e., the difficulty mayoral challengers have raising money and mounting serious challenges] promotes complacency. Voters should combat it by demanding that incumbents--in this case, Menino--submit to multiple debates with opponents.