"I think he'll have a minimal impact — unless you end up with tons of community forums, which is a distinct possibility," another insider says. "Because even if the mayor bypasses those, which would be a huge mistake, you're going to get Flaherty and Yoon and McCrea up there every night, making their pitch. And if he's heard by a ton of people, he could decide who gets to the final with Menino."
It might not take a slew of public forums to make this happen. As with many more established pols, McCrea's use of YouTube is a work in progress. But some of his videos already offer great grist for those eager to talk about — or write about — the mayor's race. McCrea's blog could also become a potent weapon. In both mediums, though, he'll need to keep the focus on the city rather than himself — and make sure that his sundry claims can withstand scrutiny.
Whether he'll do so is an open question. So, too, is how McCrea's own candidacy will weather the digging and dime-drops likely to ensue as the campaign progresses. Still, with Boston girding for the most intriguing mayor's race in a decade and a half, McCrea finds himself . . . relevant. Given where he was four years ago, that's a victory in itself.
To read the "Don't' Quote Me" blog, go to thePhoenix.com/medialog. Adam Reilly can be reached at areilly@phx.com.
Topics:
Media -- Dont Quote Me
, Election Campaigns, Kevin McCrea, Kevin McCrea, More 
, Election Campaigns, Kevin McCrea, Kevin McCrea, Winthrop, Flaherty Yoon, Shirley Kressel, Elections and Voting, Politics, Internet, Internet Broadcasting, Less 
