The missing mayor

Joel Brown calls a television commercial put out by Boston Mayor Tom Menino’s re-election campaign, featuring his empty desk, “a terrible spot” and — with a bit of rewriting — “an excellent ad for one of his opponents.”

Adam Gaffin adds: “Maybe this is what happened to Curley’s desk.”

6 Responses to “The missing mayor”

1. George Williams says:

   September 9, 2009 at 9:51 am

   Jow Brown is right about it being a crappy ad but I don’t see how the competition can use it against him.
2. Adam Gaffin says:

   September 9, 2009 at 10:30 am

   How can the competition use the ad against him? Very simple: Take a photo of an empty desk and chair in front of the Filene’s Hole.
3. John A Keith says:

   September 9, 2009 at 11:40 am

   Photoshop would do the trick.
4. Tony Schinella says:

   September 9, 2009 at 12:38 pm

   Actually, I disagree. I think it is pretty creative. It’s cute. It tells the Menino’s side of the story. I mean, what more can you say about the guy? The only problem I see with the ad is that it isn’t really accurate – Menino and his crew do a lot outside of the public process, both good and bad. It’s the bad stuff that forced many of us to leave the city …

   Gaffin makes a good point above. Another one? Use the chair and show it surrounded by the people who have influenced Menino over the years – developers, contractors, special interests, etc. … oh, but if you’re in the race for mayor right now you can’t be critical of the mayor this way because you’re probably taking money from those same interests …
   Or, show the empty desk in failing schools, crime areas, vacant homes and businesses boarded up, blight, the hole at Filene’s, etc.
5. Michael Pahre says:

   September 9, 2009 at 1:35 pm

   They forgot to put the “No Whining” sign on the desk.
6. Frank Smith says:

   September 9, 2009 at 8:48 pm

   Where is Menino? He sure isn’t sitting behind closed doors. My guess is that he was bust that day – in a closed-door meeting probably!