To counteract the impression that voters have completely abandoned Anthony Weiner’s penis-y run for mayor, his campaign has released an ad featuring four average New Yorkers, only two of whom have worked for Weiner. As reported by the Daily News, exactly half of the every-person testimonials come from individuals who advertise their professional connections with Weiner right on their LinkedIn pages.
Whereas Bill de Blasio paraded out his famous friends, Weiner has his present and past volunteer employees: Mary Elizabeth Elkordy, who represents Queens in the clip, was a fund-raising intern for Weiner in 2009, while 18-year-old Joel Acevedo of Staten Island is currently a campaign intern preparing to vote for the first time. Their affiliations are not noted.
Weiner’s spokesperson Barbara Morgan told the Daily News that neither of the interns was ever paid by the campaign. So it’s not exactly bribery. “They are all real live supporters who have chosen Anthony Weiner,” she said. As far as we can tell, yes, they are alive.