I’ve been asked many times now why politicians should be on Twitter. Other than the obvious reason that it is an easy way to keep in touch with interested constituents and the press, there is one extremely important one: it is an easy way to keep track of what others are saying about you.
As a public figure, there are always people out there talking about you – your voting record, your public comments, and in some cases, your private life. How useful would a computerized communication system that can give you real time information on what people are saying about your latest TV spot or vote on the floor? Situations happen where there are misunderstandings, and Twitter can offer an extremely quick way to quash rumors before they get out of control.
And you’re not the only one out there, so Twitter offers you a quick way to keep track of news you’re interested in. The House Floor is on Twitter, letting your colleagues and constituents know what is going on in real time. Colleagues in Washington, most of the Federal alphabet soup, and many media outlets are twittering with news. How useful would it be to correct a comment to a journalist before a story is released with a few keystrokes on a computer, or even on a Blackberry?
Getting started on Twitter can be time-consuming, but it can be a useful tool for communication. In the coming weeks there will be more Twitter resources added here, including information on software, getting started, and more advanced options for use. As always, seriously consider joining yourself, or having someone from your staff get an account and post for you.
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