BOSTON (AP) - An off-the-cuff joke by Gov. Deval Patrick about seeking a third term in office sparked of a brief firestorm online before it was quickly extinguished.
Patrick made the comment Wednesday at a performance management conference at the University of Massachusetts-Boston. It came after a flattering introduction that Patrick joked would make it easier to announce his run for a third term.
Some observers took the remark literally, and within minutes Patrick's fake announcement was racing around the internet. But the governor's office quickly clarified the comment was a joke.
Possible candidates from both political parties are already laying the foundation for gubernatorial campaigns next year.
Patrick is midway through his second term and has repeatedly said he's not interested in another four-year term.
Patrick's term ends in January 2015.