Do We Really Want Our President on Twitter?

July 15th, 2008 | blogging

I don’t know the answer to that question. I really don’t.

Normally, I stay out of politics stuff. I don’t know where you stand on Obama. I don’t know where I stand, either. I’d rather talk about my daughter’s response to the second Harry Potter. Or my son’s poisonous frogs. (He’s four. Am I a bad father?)

But I had to share what I read in The Atlantic this morning. It’s a little political. It’s a little social media. The implications are pretty interesting.

Marc Ambinder wrote this in HisSPACE:

What Obama seems to promise is, at its outer limits, a participatory democracy in which the opportunities for participation have been radically expanded. He proposes creating a public, Google-like database of every federal dollar spent. He aims to post every piece of non-emergency legislation online for five days before he signs it so that Americans can comment. A White House blog—also with comments—would be a near certainty. Overseeing this new apparatus would be a chief technology officer.

I don’t know about you, but that paragraph stunned me. Weekly YouTube updates from the President of the United States? A White House blog–with comments turned on (and presumably moderated at least)? Social Media peer review of government legislation? Funding transparency that uses google algorithms?

I can’t decide what to think of this.

Is the office of the president going to start getting distracted by Twitter? Is this what good leaders do? If leaders should engage the web 2.0 crowd–and that argument seems more and more plausible–how in the world can the leader of the free world stay on top of basic time management without creating a Twitter ghost, an Obama comments ghost, maybe even a Wag the Dog Obama Youtube ghost?

It’s a crazy time, folks.

Viewing 20 Comments

sam van eman 4 months ago 1 point
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Does he really want that much input? My daughters don't even want that much input. They ask for help or suggestions, but they certainly don't enjoy being micro-managed.
I like having a say in where our country is going and welcome opportunities to voice my opinion, but this seems more like a wooing of the crowd, or at least a way for Obama to avoid being the lightening rod Bush has been.
Regarding work, I wouldn't want this to be part of MY job description.

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Sam 4 months ago 1 point
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Mark,
If that happens, I can't wait to leave a comment on Obama's blog. But if it's moderated like CNN's comments section, it'll never show up.
Maybe that should be a cabinet post - comments editor.
-Sam

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http://samwrites2.wordpress.com

B. Currant 4 months ago 1 point
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If nothing else, it will be a grand experiment. But as with all experiments, maybe the expectation that it MIGHT NOT WORK OUT should be set at the start. Or maybe it should be bounded by a time frame from the outset.

Will he do a "Works for Me Wednesday"? Will he accept memes and share with the world his 10 most annoying habits? I can see this will be wonderful grist for a whole lot of blog posts across the blogosphere!!

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Robert Treskillard 4 months ago 1 point
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10,000,000 comments ... now sort through that!

It's a blogocracy!

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http://robert.epictales.org

J.Dean 4 months ago 1 point
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With his experience, he needs all the input he can get.

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http://yourhillcountry.com

nancy 4 months ago 1 point
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it just doesn't matter much to me

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http://theblogofnancyblogspot.com

selahV 4 months ago 1 point
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Hello, I came by way of Ken Coffee's blog. My first comment would be:
"This is like a ridiculous waste of public funds." selahV

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http://selahvtoday.typepad.com

heather 4 months ago 1 point
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The YouTube updates remind me of FDR's fireside chats.
I know I have no way of politically helping. But thanks for asking anyway!

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http://www.heatheragoodman.com

heather 4 months ago 1 point
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Gasp! My comment showed up!

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L.L. Barkat 4 months ago 1 point
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Somebody get cold water, quick! Heather is gasping. : )

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http://seedlingsinstone.blogspot.com

spaghettipie 4 months ago 1 point
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I've definitely thought it was fascinating to see Presidential candidates with blogs, and myspace and facebook pages. This takes it to a whole new level. Seems to me it sounds like a good idea, but when you get to the implementation part, it's a ridiculous waste. Not to mention (as others point out) the censorship part. I hate to think about the way public opinion could be slanted or swayed based upon what is kept out of comments. And how do you ensure the "voice of the people" is really represented, rather than lobbyist or activist groups? And as the President of the United States, I want someone who can be decisive and make decisions in the best interest of the country. . . not someone who has to consult the comments on his blog for five days first. hmm, the more I think about this, the more it troubles me.

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Gordon Atkinson 4 months ago 1 point
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After this presidency, my standards are low. I'm looking for a president who won't take us to war for reasons that turn out to be wrong and then never admit it and keep us in the war anyway, at the cost of thousands of lives and over a trillion dollars. And one that will consider a national health care system.

So Obama can twitter, tweet, hoot, blog, whatever he wants.

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http://reallivepreacher.com

Marcus 4 months ago 1 point
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Thanks for the great comments everyone. I especially appreciate that you all have shared your opinions here without attacking each other. Politics can be so sticky.

Funny. I wrote this post so quickly after reading the article over breakfast. You just never know what will inspire comments, you know?

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http://www.goodwordediting.com

Camille 4 months ago 1 point
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Obama (if elected) may twitter, tweet, hoot, and blog---but will he be part of the community and listen, or will he be there to make carefully crafted political noise?
I'm trying to picture someone at lecturn intercommunicating in a room full of 10million people.

And I don't know about all y'all, but e-exposure is kinder to me than face-to-face real time. You can tweak what you twitter and buff what you blog to give the best possible impression. Just the best parts, Ma'am. A chance to nip those Dubbya & predecessors gaffes and faux pas in the bud.

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Shep 4 months ago 1 point
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We do live in a fallen world and everything can and will be twisted, but communication is always a good thing, no matter the medium. Even if it is just attempted communication. And it seems to me that it is inevitable that this medium will continue to grow and weave itself into the fabric of our lives, to include our government(s) and bloggers should welcome it and participate in it. Why else are you here if not to communicate?

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http://papapoet.com

christa allan 4 months ago 1 point
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Mark:
i'm going to have to stir this around my little gumbo pot of a brain for some time. But...hmm...will other countries' heads of states be following n their own Twitters?

And is Twitter going to be eligible for federal funding because if it can't keep my "OLDER" button working consistently to get me past the first page, how's it going to handle possibly milliions?

And while I appreciate his being open to technology's influence and power, I also wonder (and maybe worry) how much weight those opinions will carry as an wingnut can be on Twitter. I mean, I am, so...

And wouldn't it create even more gov't muckamucks? We'll have to create a Department of Twittering and appoint Twittees to follow the Twitters and who'll report to the chief twit...

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Ted Gossard 4 months ago 1 point
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Yes, Marcus. This could be all too consuming, yet if it's kept in a good place so that it would occupy, say a President Obama only for a small space of his time with good summaries, I think all well and good. And why not more communication through using YouTube and the like? We need more careful discourse and discussion, and hopefully getting away from the sound bite.

But just my small take.

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http://communityofjesus.blogspot.com/

Sam 4 months ago 1 point
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Mark, are you aware of this website? http://www.sfwa.org/
-Sam

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Lady Jane Grey 4 months ago 1 point
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I am hesitant to be excited about anything that minimizes the stature of the office of the President of the United States to the level of my youth kids! On one hand, it's great to be accessible and make your constituents feel involved, but I think basing your decisions on public opinion to this extent might make him look weak. A president is supposed to be a decision maker, not a follower. Obama, while he is trying to represent a new age in politics, does not need to look any weaker, given his lack of experience in executive positions.

It reminds me of the Clinton administration, who based many of their decisions on polls. Just LEAD!

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jp 3 months ago 1 point
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Better a president who listens, than one who doesn't. Better a president who twitters than one who is learning to use the internet. Better a president who is clear about his religious beliefs than one who seems to hide it. Better a president who is distracted by the American people than a president distracted by the war machine.

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Do We Really Want Our President on Twitter?

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