But hey, if that's the high point, that's not bad at all.
The other high point was a personal one. It came in response to the same lady's question to which the mayor responded in part by calling this column "garbage."
Finally, some emotion from a man who seems incapable of feeling anything.
Since the forum, I have been wondering whether the mayor thought that comment through.
Was this column garbage when I defended him against charges of racism?
Was it garbage when I applauded him for opposing that tragic waste of $500,000 that became a bridge over Placentia Avenue?
Was it garbage when I agreed that he did the right thing by tossing an unruly speaker out of City Council chambers?
My guess is that it's only garbage when I disagree with him.
The mayor should know by now that in the hot seat, there is no thermostat — it's always hot.
The best throwaway line of the night was from candidate Mike Schaefer. Actually, Schaefer had two.
One was when he was recounting how as a boy in Costa Mesa he used to ride his bicycle to Baskin-Robbins for ice cream and Schaefer, who is a big fellow, said, "I guess you can see that I spent a lot of time there."
The other great line was when he related one question to the insurance business he owns in the city and he wondered whether, given our general attitudes toward insurance companies and their representatives, he should have mentioned his line of work.
It didn't matter that he sold insurance. Schaefer held most of the crowd in his hands most of the night, regardless of which position on the illegal immigration issue they took.
The best substantive line of the night came from candidate Mirna Burciaga.
Throughout the evening, two of the six candidates were harping on the presence of three illegal immigrant sex offenders who were discovered living in the city.
