THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2002 — Is it possible for gubernatorial candidates to garner press attention through what politicians call "free media events," even as the Roman Catholic Church unravels in Boston and the War on Terrorism rages abroad?

Former secretary of labor Robert Reich explored that question at a high-profile speech yesterday at Old City Hall, the old headquarters of legendary mayor James Michael Curley. The answer is, yes and no. Reich came out with guns blazing , giving a polished address on "Remaking Massachusetts Government." "It is an open secret that the government of Massachusetts has become home to patronage, nepotism, cronyism, featherbedding, and just plain waste," he declared, going on to propose a four-point program to fight said corruption.

Reich received what looked like a strong turnout for his event. Political journalism’s éminence grise, David Broder of the Washington Post, was seated near the front. Two columnists and at least two reporters from the Boston Globe showed up, as did Boston Herald and Associated Press correspondents. Crews from only two television stations were on hand — other local stations had probably dispatched their cameras to cover the deposition of Bernard Cardinal Law and its aftermath. There may have been a handful of others present.

Reich did everything he needed to do. He gave a detailed, important speech, which he should have delivered earlier in the campaign (instead of pushing a costly economic plan that seemed to get his campaign off on the wrong foot). He argued for streamlining state government through managerial efficiencies (something he accomplished at the Department of Labor); called for reform of the state pension fund (watch out, Treasurer Shannon O’Brien); vowed to get money out of politics, specifically targeting the influence of lobbyists (another veiled shot at O’Brien, whose husband is a former lobbyist for Enron, among others); and promised to create an "anti-patronage task force" (good luck, Bob). He also floated the prospect of selling the Hynes Auditorium, an idea already under actual consideration by state leaders. At times, Reich’s rhetoric was flimsy and platitudinous. Does anyone, for example, think that the task force would do anything other than create media opportunities (presumably its members won’t be paid) for Reich’s lawyer pals in the Commonwealth? But, in general, he made the kind of reform-minded, outsider’s speech that will serve as the basis for his primary campaign. He must play this reformist card to address the Clean Elections message of former Watertown state senator Warren Tolman and the businessman’s appeal of Steve Grossman (who also happened to be one of President Bill Clinton’s biggest fundraisers). The only question for Reich is why he allowed so many weeks to go by without playing it.

So how did it play? The Herald ran what looked to be a six-inch story under the headline "Reich Vows To Halt ‘Culture of Waste’ in State Government." The Globe story, buried in the Metro section, bore the headline "Reich Vows To Trim Patronage, Pensions: Proposal Aimed at Restoring Faith" and was three inches longer (a decent hit). Reich garnered respectable media coverage, but not enough to penetrate the public’s consciousness while everyone is consumed with the details of Law’s historic deposition.

Where Reich’s speech will ultimately make a difference is in his campaign’s ability to reinforce his outsider message at future events, such as tonight’s gubernatorial debate at UMass Boston, and in paid television advertising. He laid the foundation both to build himself up and to attack his opponents (hence the guarded swipes at Democratic front-runner O’Brien). Reich’s handlers say that his fundraising has picked up, claiming he’ll be in a better position to sell himself to voters. He’d better be, because unless things change, the free media won’t be enough.

Of course, we haven’t seen David Broder’s column yet.