Hey, there! Log in / Register

Flaherty campaign unleashes barrage of exclamation points

By adamg on Fri, 01/23/2009 - 5:30pm

As mentioned earlier, Michael Flaherty is paying big bucks to some fancy-shmancy online consulting firm out in California as he gathers up steam to run for mayor. And in a move that could cement his support among people who like to preserve their eyesight, they've apparently convinced him to abandon his retina-destroying MySpace page in favor of his actually legible Facebook page. Unfortunately, they seem to have forgotten to instruct the campaign on the proper etiquette for asking people to move from one to the other: A concerned citizen reports receiving a string of increasingly frantic messages from Flaherty today:

Jan 23, 2009 9:07 AM
Subject: Please add me to FACEBOOK
thank you

Jan 23, 2009 9:51 AM
Subject: GoodBye myspace - Please add me on facebook
Please add Michael Flaherty on facebook.

Thank you for your support!!!!!

Jan 23, 2009 1:08 PM
Subject: GOODBYE MYSPACE ACCOUNT
PLEASE ADD MICHAEL ON FACEBOOK!!!!!!

Jan 23, 2009 2:36 PM
Subject: GOODBYE MYSPACE and HELLO FACEBOOK
PLEASE ADD MICHAEL ON FACEBOOK!!!!!!

Concerned Citizen adds:

I don't know if Baby Flats has been drinking all day or what, but could you please make him stop? He's posting like a hopped up 14-year-old Juggalo.

What's not to love?

Um, blecch?

Neighborhoods: 
Boston
Free tagging: 
mayor
Michael Flaherty
2009 elections


Ad:


Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!

Comments

By anon on Sun, 01/25/2009 - 5:02pm.

Does anyone really even know if the myspace page was connected to his campaign. Is this the best that you could come up with for a story? I think it is time for a change in 2009 and anyone besides Mumbles will do a better job. We need some new ideas!!!

up
Voting closed 0

By anon on Mon, 01/26/2009 - 8:49pm.

What does his so-called myspace page have anything to do with his ability of running this city or the issues on hand that we are facing. Who knows if the myspace page was really him or not and who cares.......I am sure the myspace page that is under Mumbles Menino doesn't belong to Mayor Menino.

Let this pettiness stop and get on with some serious topics...Please!!!!

up
Voting closed 0

By adamg on Mon, 01/26/2009 - 10:07pm.

First, I agree that in the greater scheme of things, there are far more important things than a MySpace page. And I look forward to more substantive discussions about the critical issues facing the city.

So we're talking about symbolism. And you know what? In this case, the symbolism does matter. Mr. Flaherty is positioning himself as the Fresh Young Broom Who Will Sweep the City Clean (or words to that effect). Why, he's our Obama to the incumbent's McCain: He's a real digerati, he launched his campaign on YouTube and via e-mail - and it's not his fault he was born too early to be a Millennial.

So when Mr. Web 2.0 can't figure out how to keep from spamming people about his Facebook page or when his campaign can't figure out how to keep a test video private on YouTube (and then lies to the Globe about it), it really brings the symbolic underpinnings of his campaign into question.

And that makes you wonder how solid the rest of his platform (which he's yet to enunciate, given that he wasn't expecting to "go live" with his campaign for another month) will be.

Are these mistakes fatal? Hardly, especially since the only people paying attention to them right now are probably geeks and wonks, not the vast majority of voters. But he's not off to the greatest of starts.

up
Voting closed 0