So Monday’s official announcement by the interim mayor that he will run for the office in November turns out to be little more than a photo-op. Someone close to Mayor Lee—do you really need to guess?—let the word go forth through Matier & Ross online Saturday that he would “announce” on Monday. And today Lee big-footed himself, confirming in an interview with the Chronicle’s John Cote that he’s in the race:
"I've changed my mind. I know it might be hard for people to understand that change ... but my change of mind in seeking this office has everything to do with wanting what's best for this city."
Humorous aside: Not a peep out of Willie Brown in today’s Chronicle column about his guy the mayor. Instead, he’s all over how swell AT&T Park is.
[+] Meanwhile, the mayor appears to have done his part to ensure that news of the announcement unfolded primarily in the Chronicle, even if the interview he gave Cote came off as clumsy. The Bay Citizen’s Gerry Shih posted this piece regarding the announcement at 8:49 Sunday night (the original version went online just before 8:30). TBC hadn’t been able to get the mayor’s people to confirm anything the entire weekend. But a few minutes after the Shih piece was posted, voila! The Chronicle’s exclusive with Lee appeared, followed by more detail from M&R about the announcement (replete with reportage of poll numbers favorable to the mayor).
You know what they say. Good campaigns start with good press management.
