When Joseph Demma posted a note about the political ambitions of his boss on his Facebook page last Sunday, he undoubtedly had no idea about the backlash that would result.
 
He may have been kidding – some have called the post "overzealous" – but that is all beside the point now.
 
The ruckus began when Demma, chief of staff to Utah's Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert, posted these words: "Joseph Michael Demma's Boss (just re-nominated for Lt. Gov) is now a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010!"
 
Since Demma is connected to several reporters via Facebook, the media quickly picked up on it.
 
The problem for Demma: his boss, Herbert, apparently has no desire to challenge U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett, now in his third term. According to the Associated Press, Bennett is in the fundraising process and assembling a campaign staff to run for re-election in 2010.
 
In addition to the Facebook post, there was also a message sent from Demma's Blackberry to several influential Republicans declaring Herbert's imminent run for the Senate.
 
"Our LG will, unless he becomes GOV in the interim, file to run as a GOP representative for the US Senate seat in 2010, regardless of who might also be in that race – the incumbent, included," the message read. Demma has denied sending it, though there is a code distinctly tied to his device, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
 
The messages have left Herbert in an extremely awkward position, having to deny communications from his chief of staff. But that's exactly what he's done this week.
 
"I just want to make sure we squelch any talk or rumor," Herbert told The Salt Lake Tribune. "I have absolutely zero, less than zero, interest of running for Senate, certainly against my good friend Robert Bennett."
 
So just why would Demma put out a "distorted message," as Herbert put it? Both Herbert and Demma have effectively attributed the matter to the excitement of last Saturday's state GOP convention, where Herbert handily received more votes than Bennett for delegate to the Republican National Convention.
 
The whole debacle points to the power of Facebook. It's just another example of the effect that a personal page can have on one's public persona.
 
"I think Joe feels bad," Herbert concluded. "He apologized to Sen. Bennett's staff and me."