Sources: Yoon To Join Flaherty "Ticket"

Published Sep 28 2009, 07:59 PM by David S. Bernstein

According to sources inside the campaign, mayoral candidate Michael Flaherty will hold a press conference with Sam Yoon tomorrow morning, at which they will announce the formation of a Flaherty/Yoon "ticket."

This is far more than an endorsement. I don't know all the details, but Yoon will be campaigning as Flaherty's "running mate," and would be appointed deputy mayor if Flaherty wins the November election.

There will likely be "Flaherty/Yoon" campaign signage, if not tomorrow, then soon, according to sources. An email announcement will be going out to Flaherty supporters later tonight.

I just wrote in last week's Phoenix that Flaherty desperately needs Yoon's help:

Flaherty can't cobble together a majority of the vote without the so-called New Boston coalition of young progressives, immigrants, recent transplants to the city, and minorities. He might be able to win some of them over by himself — he has been courting them for quite a while — but cannot afford to devote the precious hours and resources to do it one voter at a time. As it stands, Flaherty's prospects don't look good.

Those prospects certainly improve with the formation of a Flaherty/Yoon ticket. It's also very possible that the image of the two young city councilors (Flaherty is 40, Yoon is 39) criss-crossing the city could have a Clinton/Gore '92 effect, of convincing the public to go with the new energy.

At the least, it should draw attention back to the mayoral race. The press conference will be on City Hall Plaza, at around 10:15am.

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26 Comments

Boston Bertie said:

Bad news for Menino and good news for Boston. This machine has to go and this is the ticket to take it down. I give these two guys a lot of credit for getting together for the interest of the city.

September 28, 2009 10:42 PM
John said:

How legal is this?

Does such a deputy mayor position exist?

Will Yoon be able to spend his campaign cash?

Expect a legal challenge by Mayor Menino.

September 28, 2009 10:44 PM
Jim Shetacake said:

No legal constraints at all #%^&head!

I think its a masterful move. Yoon is great and Flaherty is too. I would have loved to see the look on Mumbles face when he boot kissers told him the noose... probably something, "what u talking about Willis (or in this case kineavy)?"

September 28, 2009 11:04 PM
Boston Bertie said:

The Mayor, as things stand, can do whatever he wants. That includes appointing a deputy mayor. I believe the Mayor could abolish the city council if he wanted.

September 28, 2009 11:33 PM
Jim S. said:

Sure, gang up on the mayor. It wasn't fair for Tommy in the debates, 3 guys bashing on him, and now Yoon and Flaherty are gonna do it again. Gross.

Sam's desperate. He has a mortgage to pay and no law degree to get a real job. Flats paid him off. Here, Sammy, you give me some votes, I'll give you a job. Southie politics as usual.

September 29, 2009 1:46 AM
Awww Schucks said:

It's been less than a year since mavericks rode into town, teaming up, disagreeing, getting dirty, putting lipstick on pigs. You thought they were gone for good? You thought you could finally have a debate about moving our nation forward instead of attacks, attacks, attacks?!?!

FUHGETABOUTIT!!!

Mavericks are back in vogue. In Boston, we call 'em cityslickers.

McCain is not the only person to shock the world by picking a ridiculous running mate to disagree with him. Michael Flaherty now has a little pit bull too!

His name is Sam Yoon and he's sick of Fat Cat Menino running things around here. This rootin tootin Korean brought out the Chinese fortune cookie on St. Paddy's Day because he thought, yeah, it's funny as hell to make fun of the Choinese, and tomorrow at town hall he's bringing out the pig and a giant stick of lipstick because, well shucks, he's a maverick, stupid, and mavericks do what it takes to stir up this town and win this thing.

Is it a gamble? Sure. Who wants a rogue deputy mayor criticizing you anytime you want to use that POWER that as chief executive you're supposed to wield?

But hey, these are mavericks. The economy is doing great. We'll all still have jobs once they run mavericky through city hall, right? OF course! HArd times call for hard mavericks!!

It takes courage to be a maverick and it takes courage to get drunk and streak across the 50 yard line and it's gonna take courage to fill in that oval for the mavericks who need to run this ship and right it.

Vote for the mavericks, your city will be in good hands. You'll have no one to thank but them.

September 29, 2009 2:43 AM
Boston Bertie said:

Sounds like this is worrying the Menino Machine by the sounds of some of the comments from the mayor's coat-holders.

September 29, 2009 7:24 AM
Foxed said:

I fail to see how offering Sam Yoon a figurehead position within the Flaherty administration is anything but political maneuvering, plain and simple. It's not a maverick move. It's shrewd politics. Business as usual.

Courageous? Not so much. Flaherty needs this move to win the progressive vote from the tried and true progressive incumbent, and Yoon, well... he needs a job.

September 29, 2009 7:47 AM
purplehusky64 said:

Brilliant move I'd say. It says we can work together to bring about change and usher in New Boston!

September 29, 2009 9:35 AM
Southie Mouthie said:

Michael, you lost our support. We don't want Sam Yoon affecting policy decisions.

September 29, 2009 10:52 AM
Sarah said:

You can put lipstick on Flaherty, I mean on a pig, but it's still a pig.

September 29, 2009 12:03 PM
student said:

I don't think Yoon would be holding a figurehead position. He's already gotten Flaherty to agree to term limits and putting him in charge of disassembling the BRA. I think Yoon very carefully positioned himself so that a) he could get his own promises seen through and b) he will definitely be in the position to run for mayor in 2017. Flaherty needed Yoon and because of that Yoon's already had an impact on the race.

September 29, 2009 1:09 PM
kbjp said:

Yoon campaigned on a progressive platform, this shows how un-progressive he is...teaming up with the conservative candidate in this race.

Yoon and Flaherty have only agreed on 2 things before: taking part in the discriminatory St. Patty's Day Parade and voting against the "tough choices" budget -- which has kept our city afloat during these rough times.

I thought Yoon was campaigning for good change -- but apparently he just wants change for the sake of change -- with no real progressive agenda. bummer.

September 29, 2009 2:23 PM
stupid said:

Yoon could run for mayor any time he likes. He doesn't need to be Flaherty's bitch. Who the hell in 8 years is gonna want a washed up poppa's boy. Yoon is a loon and he wrote his own political death certificate.

Four years ago, no one knew Loon Yoon. There are lots of young city councilors out there who you probably haven't heard of who have done more to this city than Yoon has done in his 5 years living in this city achieving nothing on city council. If Flaherty wins and is in for 8 years, believe me, Yoon is going to have stiff competition from all parts of the city.

Just like no one wants Menino's Rob Consalvo taking over, no one wants Flaherty's Loon Yoon taking over.

We want real leaders in this city. Menino has been a leader. I'll take him anyday over Floon.

September 29, 2009 2:24 PM
kbjp said:

completely agree on the Yoon political death certificate....I'm still unsure as to what he thinks "progressive" means...

September 29, 2009 2:44 PM
Jesus said:

Yoon's not a progressive, he's an evangelical.

September 29, 2009 4:00 PM
Berger said:

What would the pitch be from Yoon to his supporters? My understanding from here and elsewhere is that techinically Yoon will not be on the ticket, so you can't actually vote for a "Flaherty/Yoon" ticket the way I voted for Obama Biden. So isn't the pitch really:

Dear Supporter, I lost the Mayoral primary and since I am not running for the City Council again, I have no job come November. Michael Flaherty has been nice enough to offer me a job in his administration if he wins in November, so it would be great if you could throw some dough his way. That way your buddy Sam can have a job.

I just don't see how this isn't simply throwing support behind Flaherty in exchange for a job. And isn't that a quintisential example of the old boys, backroom politics Yoon is supposedly standing against?

September 29, 2009 4:37 PM
from blue mass group said:

For the record, term limits is a very republican, regressive policy stance.

There is no "Deputy Mayor" in Boston, but if there was, I am sure I would not want it to be an appointed position. By all means accept Yoon's endorsement and promise him a prominent place in your administration, but don't make up misleading titles. This seems like a big gimmick to me and at least on first impression is really turning me off to Yoon.

I also strongly dislike term limits on principle, so promising to enact them is a sure fire way to get me not to vote for you. Pushing for term limits just tells me that you think the voters are too stupid to stop voting for the incumbent. You should rethink that promise, since only people who have already decided to support you are going to be attracted by that position.

September 29, 2009 4:42 PM
quid pro quo said:

Sam Yoon endorses Michael Flaherty in exchange for a job. Sounds like the same old politics to me.

September 29, 2009 4:42 PM
Nawscious said:

Another way of looking at 'nearly 50% voted for change' is: more than 75% didn't vote for Flaherty.

This is an attempt to cut that figure down.

September 29, 2009 4:44 PM
BrightonBoy said:

Misconceptions corrected:

Michael Falherty may be a white male who is from South Boston, but he is no conservative:

1. 1st elected official in city to endorse gay marriage, long before the Goodridge decision.

2. Helped convince other Southie electeds to support gay marriage.

3. As Council President, helped pass Transgendered Rights bill.

4. Is and always has been pro-choice.

5. Is against the death penalty.

6. Has had numerous openly gay staff members.

7. Has had a racially diverse Council staff.

8. Has never missed a Pride Parade.

9. Endorsed, early on, Barack Obama for President.

10. Has held cmapaign events on Roxbury, Chinatown, Mission Hill and the South End. He will be a progressive Mayor for the WHOLE city.

September 30, 2009 9:14 AM
I'm no liar said:

Yes those are all true. Clearly. Thank you for this proof. I trust Flaherty now.

September 30, 2009 3:23 PM
2 become 1 by the spice girls said:

The new Floon campaign song....

www.youtube.com/watch

Hat Tip to Gin at Dot News.

September 30, 2009 6:15 PM
Kosta Demos said:

Don't be fooled by the boyish demeanor. Sam may be idealistic, but he isn't naive. He entered this campaign with very specific policy goals and Flaherty has offered him a chance to achieve them.

This is a clever, win/win proposition: Flaherty gains legitimacy in the eyes of many Yoon supporters (without whom he hasn't a prayer), and, win or lose, Sam is positioned to advance.

While I have been an enthusiastic Yoon supporter from the get go, I've said all along that the preliminary would be more about "brand" than "taste". This development seems to confirm that notion.

The ticket also makes pretty good copy at a time when Menino must surely hope that people would tune out the mayoral election as they have so often in the past. The responses from hizzoner's camp (some of them above) suggest a bit of crankiness and dyspepsia amongst the lord of Readville and his thralls.

Sam ran a tough, well focused race and it is amazing how close he came to surviving the prelim having started off with such relatively shallow financial and organizational resources. I hope he feels proud.

In the meantime, I look forward to donning my "FLOON" button.

October 1, 2009 12:44 AM
Maggie said:

Voted for Flaherty in the primary. Cannot vote for him after this. I've had my fill of pols kissing up to certain groups for the sole purpose of getting their waivering support.

October 10, 2009 5:53 PM