Rep. Mike Capuano made a serious mistake last week when he threatened that the debate over the power of public employee unions should get “bloody.”

We don’t have to recap for everyone the discussion around how our level of public debate has devolved recently. In some recent instances violent actions have followed violent words. Had a Republican made the same remarks Rep. Capuano undoubtedly would have joined a chorus demanding we raise our level of discourse. So what will he do now to raise it?

His apology was not a good start. Capuano claimed his passion for workers got the best of him and in an unscripted moment went too far.

Capuano has been a politician for 35 years and is a veteran of many heated debates here in Somerville. If he can’t keep his emotions and passions in check maybe he’s not as ready for the big stage as so Democratic operatives have been telling us.