Am I done? Maybe, maybe not…we’ll see. In the mean time, I had emailed Patrick Hynes this:
I’m just a little bitty blogger with a small blog in small little NH. You’re a national powerhouse who the monied powerful and powerful-wannabees are looking to hire; I’m not even the dot at the end of your sentence.
His response?
Your powerhouse rhetoric is just silly.
Well, according to this story in Politico, it certainly seems that I'm right - Patrick Hynes used to be a nationally rated blogger - now he's a national level political operative:
Not only is the blogosphere changing how voters consume information, it’s also creating new jobs in politics, policy and online communications consulting. Although there is still no formal job description for “blogger relations” staffers, these part communications, part research, part online political organizing specialists are a growing industry in the political world.
“It’s becoming as common to have someone managing communications with bloggers as it was to have a press secretary 10 years ago,” said Patrick Hynes, founder and president of Hynes Communications, a social media public affairs agency.
Now, you have to be good, to have a rep, to be included in a Politico story. I think this buttresses my argument. Think I'm kidding? If you are in the same story as Michelle Malkin, you're top notch.
“There are some staffers who make the mistake of spamming bloggers with press releases that are not blogworthy,” said Malkin. “What distinguishes the good outreach is having information that hasn’t already gone out to POLITICO, the wires and everybody else. They understand the power of the collective conservative blogosphere and target not just the highest-traffic bloggers but also the second- and third-tier bloggers.”
But, back to Patrick Hynes:
The advent of blogger relations staff is a natural outcome of the democratization of information and communications over the past decade, said Hynes. “The major media organizations have gotten smaller, and yet there is more media now than ever before. There are more avenues to pitch stories and create narratives that are favorable to your side. Blogs are just one of these avenues.”
Hmmm, could this be a reason why Patrick decided to turn into The Hulk?
In some cases, a series of favorable blog posts on a candidate — or negative posts on an opponent — may have more impact than an ad blitz by a campaign, said Lavasany. “There are many examples of Republicans who ended up losing after being defined in a negative light by political bloggers.”
Well, other than for a Presidential campaign (check - he's already done that!), this is certainly near the top as well!
Meanwhile, others are outsourcing the job to a new crop of communications firms. The NRSC has hired Hynes Communications for online blogger outreach, said Harbath.
So, Hynes Communications is supposed to "smooth the way?" – GOOD JOB THERE, HYNSIE! Good job for Sean Mahoney dude – ticking off a blogger (tiny as I am) for political gain. This whole thing started with this post answering a question over at RedHampshire:
Will Grok ditch Guinta in favor of their buddy Hynes’ client?
My answer was this post: An answer for Amos
Question from RedHampshire:
But when Hynes client Mahoney gets in, what happens?
Answer by the ‘Grok:
I would imagine that Hynsie starts getting paid by Mr. Mahoney…
*****
Amos, let me ask you a follow on:
"Is Sean Mahoney going to keep paying Patrick Hynes?"
****
"Never pick a fight with a guy who buys ink by the barrel."
Ya think there’s been a reason why the ‘Grok has been examining Mr. Mahoney’s self financed campaign (the Bill Binnie of the First CD in this regard)?
