Obama takes a shine to social media
Print Edition
US President Barack Obama is taking to Twitter to muse about sports, pop culture, even Supreme Court rulings‚ at all hours of the day.
The White House has used Twitter to promote the president’s views for years, but with tweets composed by press aides and released at strategic times.
Only occasionally would Obama post to Twitter himself, identifying a bona fide presidential tweet by appending his initials.
Now Obama is composing his own tweets almost daily, without the filter of his press office. His personal twitter account, @POTUS, launched earlier this summer.
“Hello, Twitter! It’s Barack. Really!” Obama wrote in May. “Six years in, they’re finally giving me my own account.”
Obama, who has been known to use an iPad and a Blackberry, can send tweets from a variety of secure devices, according to the White House. Obama gives his team a heads up before he tweets, and his staff says he sometimes agrees to tweet about topics his aides suggest.
He’s already amassed more than 3 million followers. He follows only 66 Twitter users‚ mostly sports teams, federal agencies and top government officials. He briefly set a record for attracting a million followers faster than any other Twitter user. But Obama’s record was quickly broken by Caitlyn Jenner.
A look at some of Obama’s recent tweets:
Obama’s first reaction to the Supreme Court’s historic ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide came through his Twitter account.
“Today is a big step in our march toward equality,” Obama tweeted on June 26. “Gay and lesbian couples now have the right to marry, just like anyone else.”
After Obama tweeted that he’d listened to the new album from The Black Keys, the rock band tweeted back asking if they could use Air Force One for their upcoming tour.
A few hours later, Obama tweeted his response: “It’s not mine; just a loaner. Maybe you can come play at the White House sometime instead?”
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