Well someone was going to cash in on the story of Obama skyrocketing to the White House. Who knew it would be an unknown, unpaid volunteer? Rahaf Harfoush, former comment moderator on my.barackobama.com, apparently did.
She volunteered for the campaign during its final three months, along with two to three dozen other people in the same role. While she was buoyed by her background as a research coordinator for the book Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything, there was nothing remarkable about her résumé or time there.
Since then she's gone for profit, billing herself a "social media strategist" who "helped develop the most innovative, comprehensive, and high-stakes social media campaign ever conceived." She's given speeches on the campaign's successful media tactics and is now writing a book, Yes We Did! An Inside Look at How Social Media Built the Obama Brand.
So while she's becoming a spokesperson for the campaign's afterlife, bewildered staff members on Obama's new media team scratch their heads. Good thing they are getting paid!
Topshop
Geox
American Retro
She was probably high on the wave of "hope" and seeing Obama who has no experiance win the white house, she was inspired by her own inexperiance to declare herself as the mastermind behind the campaign.
1eh good for her for cashing in. Capitalism is what makes America great!
2CG - comparing Obama with Jesus? No thanks.
It is ridiculous that this woman could jump on the bandwagon (3 months left to the campaign!) and make so much money off of it. There were volunteers who were much more involved, or there from the beginning who should be the ones writing books.
3I'm wouldn't necessarily call what she did capitalism, more like entrepreneurial, but yes that is what makes this country great.
4But she was the one who wrote the book and got on the ball first, I admire her spirit for that.
I do agree with you lil about the messiah stuff, everytime I see some kind of reference like that here it honestly offends me but I didn't want to be the first to say it (because I'm sure I'd be jumped all over and I'm just not in the mood today).
5I agree with mydia and lil on this one. It's been overdone, and I've found it offensive from the start. The joke is just in bad taste.
6I just want the unicorn I was promised
7I got mine yesterday, its in the backyard looking bored.
8No fair!
9She should be a politician to make herself look that good for doing nothing
10I thought my unicorn would come at the same time as my free unlimited gas card, and the checks for my mortgage payment. Still waiting on those.
11Interesting. I'm with ya'll on the Obama is the messiah deal. I'm tired of hearing it. And it offends me a little too, mydia.
Glad to hear you guys got your unicorns. I'm still waiting for my new house and groceries for life. Maybe the keys will come in the mail tomorrow.
12Hey, anything can happen. We got a President who based his career on doing nothing, just voting "present"...
13Keep telling yourself that is why he got elected Dave. I am sure the real answers are too soul crushing for you to honestly deal with.
Anyway, as for the writer, good for her! If she is lying about her role, that is not good of course. But if she did learn from volunteering and is good enough of a writer to make it an interesting read, more power to her. David Plouffe is coming out with a book, and I am sure history will see that as the most informative version of the campaign, but that doesn't mean there isn't a place for her perspective as well.
14the funny thing is that she knew americans were gullible enough to buy anything that had to do with the behind the scenes life of the obama campaign. in a world of talentless bloggers making millions, why are we surprised that this chick has made something outta nothing?
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