Congress on Twitter: Yay, or nay?

Mon Feb 2, 2009 12:19PM EST

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A new Web site is tracking which U.S. House and Senate members have discovered the joy of tweeting—and which haven't. 

The L.A. Times tech blog has the scoop on Tweet Congress, the aptly named site that lets you search for Twitter-savvy House representatives and Senators by name or location.

You can also find out who's the most followed (John Culberson, R-TX, with an impressive 5,932 Twitter followers, and counting) and the most active (yep, ditto). Indeed, Republican tweeters outnumber Democrats almost two-to-one (41 to 24), while Independents—I'm looking at you, Lieberman—are still in the dark when it comes to the red-hot microblogging service. (Speaking of which ... click here for a quick Twitter primer.)

Pop quiz: Which state is leading the pack when it comes to best Twitter representation? If you guessed California, New York, or Washington state (home of Microsoft, right?), well, you guessed wrong. Instead, try South Carolina, with four of its eight U.S. representatives tweeting away. Up next: New Mexico (two of five) and Ohio (seven of 20). Among the many zilches: New York, the District of Columbia, Washington—and yes, Alaska.

Also interesting, but a little harder to quantify: Finding out which representatives are actually tweeting themselves, and who's just staffing it out. Rep. Culberson of Texas looks like he's really getting into it ("you will always be talking to me not staff," he tweeted last week). Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill also seems to be getting into the spirit: "What a game. Found myself pulling for the underdog", she Twittered during the Super Bowl.

On the other hand, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi needs to loosen up, if her recent tweets ("On The Senate Passage of the State Children's Health Insurance Program [link]") are any indication.

Related:
Tweet Congress tracks politicians on Twitter, heckles ones who aren't [L. A. Times tech blog]

Comments on Congress on Twitter: Yay, or nay?

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  • 1 Posted by kcdaren66104 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    Interesting that the article doesn't tell the reader what "Twitter" or "Tweeting" is. It appears to be "texting". Am I wrong?

  • 2 Posted by bob65752329 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    what is tweeting??? Horrible piece of journalism not explaining what they are referring to.

  • 3 Posted by dpd908 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    Republicans Twitter more because they have smaller vocabularies and therefore don't need much space in which to write. Intelligent people are constricted by Twitter. I could go on...

  • 4 Posted by pnkmdyfld on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    What in the heck is a twitter? Sorry, I must sound like John McCain....

  • 5 Posted by kortinga on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have to agree. Please include the definition of a word that you are going to be using a million times in a article if its a slang word. I am 21 years old and never heard of "twitter" or "tweeting" in reference to texting.

  • 6 Posted by bessievesey on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:05PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think they are acting like a bunch of kids on the play ground without adult supervision the only difference these are supposed to be grown men women that we have sent to DC to manage this messed up government but instead they are joking for position. It really won't matter in the end because we will all go to heck any way if these dopes don't realize that it is not about them but the people who are really hurting in this country remember them. The people who sent you there too work for them not yourselves democrat and republicans.

  • 7 Posted by nortlandhomesteader on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:41PM EDT Report Abuse

    Does this mean that some politicians are talking to their employers -- and just maybe actually listening to them? That would be great. Then maybe they will act accordingly. I think you call that republican democracy.

  • 8 Posted by amarpateldc on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    Twitter is a website of blogs. If you are 21 years old and dont know what Twittering is, then you must be really busy earning an education and not have time for this kind of stuff.

  • 9 Posted by drobinow on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    I can't quite remember what Twitter is. I checked it out a while back and it was so stupid I ignored it. It's something for children and illiterates.Forget about it.

  • 10 Posted by amarpateldc on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    ...and besides all you have to do is click on one of the links (those are the highlighted words).

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