Capuano is taking questions Monday 6:30 Park Plaza Hotel, Boston

A suggested contribution bothers you? I mean, campaigns cost dollars, right? "Come for free, but contribute if you can" offends you?

(Not affiliated with any Senate campaign)

It doesn't offend me in the slightest degree. I just think that it looked silly and perhaps was a bit disingenous.

The ad is directed at undecided voters. Those people (of which I am one), by definition, have yet to decide who, if anyone, they will support. My view of the world is that people donate money only to political candidates that they support. Therefore, when I watched the clip, I thought, "why the hell would I donate money to someone I am not supporting? For the mere privilege of asking a question?"

The whole thing conveyed a "yes it's free, but not really" vibe to me. Perhaps I was more put off than I otherwise would have been because, as he is a sitting elected representative, I think that I should be able to ask Mike anything more or less anytime (within reason). Perhaps it was the fact that it was being billed as a town meeting-type event, rather than a fundraiser. Maybe I wouldn't have reacted so negatively if it said something like "if you like what you hear, the suggested donation is $30". I thought just lacked tact and couth.

Capuano is making himself easily accessible to answer voters' policy questions via this event and a series of "telephone town halls" (great idea), not just speechify -- although he certainly does some of that, too.

I was in the upper left hand corner of this picture but I think I am blocked by the guy who is standing up to the left of Capuano.

It was a very good event and the room was packed. The campaign was estimating about 1,200 people and I believe them, the room was packed and people were still in the lobby hanging out because they ran out of standing room in the ballroom. As some people left (mostly people from Western or Southern MA with long trips home) more people came to take their seats.

The room was buzzing and the Congressman was in his element. He seemed to really enjoy having the stage in the middle of the room rather then at a far end. This allowed more people to be up close.

I was also very happy to run into people from all over. In a past life I worked in a men's clothing store and I ran into a union guy who stopped by to buy sports coats once every 6 months. I ran into people I went to school with, worked with, a former boss, bloggers etc.

I would say the best part of the evening was, even with the adoring crowd and attentive staff, when he had the podium taken off the stage and he took the suit jacket off. He became a normal guy, my congressman, Mike.