Twitter on blast

Posted: Friday, February 27, 2009 11:19 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Congress

A decidedly skeptical look at what Members of Congress are Tweeting:

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
John McCain goes pork-hunting, vowing to reveal the "top 10 projects." His list so far (expect to hear all about these):

"#7. $300,000 for the Montana World Trade Center - enough said"
"#8. $200,000 "tattoo removal violence outreach program to could help gang members or others shed visible signs of their past" REALLY?"
"#9. $475,000 to build a parking garage in Provo City, Utah"
"#10. $1.7M 'for a honey bee factory' in Weslaco, TX" ...

Video: GOP all a-Twitter.

John Cornyn feels the need to post a "Twit pic" from "backstage" at CPAC.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher is organizing Santelli tea parties: "Please ReTweet: Tea Party for Orange County at Huntington Beach Pier 9:00 a.m. tomorrow http://bit.ly/eWsVB (I will be there.)"

Pete Hoekstra wants you to know he landed safely ... again. (Didn't he learn his lesson the first time?) "Safe landing. Very windy and bouncy. A little late but thank you NWA."

Hoekstra also feels about "spending" the way some do about Twitter. "Doesn't it ever stop?Now 750 billion more for banks!Stimulus/omnibus/banks?No!We can't afford this and it needs to stop." ...

Uh, I guess Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) likes cats? "Apparently my micro-blogging was covered on Colbert. Meow."

And Roy Blunt likes maps: "I met with the Missouri Geographic Alliance today. Last year I received their Geography Legislator of the Year award."

Claire McCaskill jumps into 2010 politics, by the way: "Nice visit with Gov Blunt in airport. We're on same flight to St Louis.He seems happy and content to be out of the pressure cooker."

She's also "really disappointed with all the earmarks,both D&R."

She's happy though -- "yay" -- that she gets to go home to Missouri.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher loves Kosovo and wants you to, too: "Had lunch with President & PM of Kosovo; we can be proud that we stood with the Kosovars in their quest 4 freedom & self determination."

John Ensign "will continue to stand up against liberal attempts to silence conservative talk radio." Just so you know.

He also really wants you to be his friend. "Just checked my Facebook page and saw I that I was one supporter short of 800. Will you be #800?"

Ensign was on Tweet fire yesterday: "Everyone will see a tax increase. If you use electricity you will be taxed to pay for @BarackObama's budget" and "The Democrats' priorities are clear: grow the size of government until it is entwined into every aspect of our lives."

Ed Perlmutter is tech'd out: "See photos and my most recent press release regarding NEW DEMS RELEASE REG REFORM PLAN on my facebook page."

Jim DeMint doesn't like the "Fairness Doctrine" and gets in a dig at Dick Durbin: "Voting just started on Durbin's backdoor Fairness Doctrine amendment, mine to ban FD is up right after."

There were also some reactions from House members who got to meet with Secretary of State Clinton yesterday:
-- Rep. Donald Manzullo: "Had productive meeting with Sec of State Clinton this morning. Shared concerns with $900 million US funding for Gaza."

-- Rep. Dana Rohrabacher: "Had breakfast w Sec of State Clinton; pushed hard on Afghan policy & human rights issues, including China & Ethiopia."

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen liked her intern. "At our DC office. Saying bye to alex, a fab intern from australia. Have many intern slots for YOU! Sign up! U will work on impt issues." Like Twittering?

And sign of the apocalypse? McCain became the second Member of Congress (Chuck Grassley was the other) to Tweet about being interviewed about Twitter. McCain calls it his "new found love."

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Comments

Twitter? What is this "twitter"? And why do I care??

BamaBoy (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 11:42 AM)

Twitter? What is this "twitter"? And why do I care??

BamaBoy (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 11:42 AM)

"Everyone will see a tax increase. If you use electricity you will be taxed to pay for @BarackObama's budget" and "The Democrats' priorities are clear: grow the size of government until it is entwined into every aspect of our lives."
------------------------------------------------------

#1 investing in energy that is practically free and limitless is a great investment, which will in turn shift demand from oil to renewable...this is the perfect time for this shift because of the drop in demand for energy because of the economic downturn...when the economy is in an upturn and renewable energy is in place we will be in better shape domestically.

#2. Thanks to the Patriot act government is already entwined with everything we do...we go to the airports, we travel, we talk on the phone...big brother is listening and watching. We provide police protection and fire protection...why not health protection? The other two affect our lifespan and safety...so does health.

GP NW Indiana (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 11:52 AM)

McCain is a freaking idiot going after small potato stuff like that.

Dave, Tn (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 11:54 AM)

Seriously, somebody is going to have to explain this "Twitter" or "Tweeter" or whatever-the-hell-it-is to me.

Why do I care what you're doing every single minute of the day?

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 11:54 AM)

For the love of all things holy, PLEASE make them stop.

Brett C. Cerritos, CA (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 11:55 AM)

What is it with Republicans and Twittering? Oh, yeah, narcissism.

Susan L., Redmond, WA (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 11:56 AM)

I would heartily recommend that the GOP (Goofy OLD Paranoids) use Twitter. What better method could there be for these TWITS........

budintexas (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 11:59 AM)

I think it's hilarious that you took the time to follow, copy, paste, and comment on all of these twitter posts just to point out how dumb they are.

Jason, Baltimore, MD (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 11:59 AM)

honey bees are needed to farm and produce food for our country. Ask farmers how important bees are for this country.

ramona slayton (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00 PM)

And so I don't get it: Why, if the republicans don't want governement "entwined into every aspcet of our lives" are they then willing to let government tell me what to do with my body? Maybe white man speak with forked tongue.

Judy in AZ (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:07 PM)

Sound Bites Gone Wild. Oh boy, just what we don't need.

John, Morgan Hill, California (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:10 PM)

It's nice to see McCain finally likes something.

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:10 PM)

Oh, please.

It's a bit pathetic to watch the GOP jump on the latest tech-fad in an effort to re-brand themselves for the 21st century. Of course none of them realize that it's the core message- not the packaging- that needs a complete overhaul. I guess they think "Dudes, we all Tweet!" will play a bit better than "You kids get off my lawn!"; but they are so ham-handed about it that they just embarrass themselves.

Oh well, at least they have Steele helping them to keep it real. And apparently Michele Bachmann approves. Heh.

Suburban Mom paying attention, IL (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:13 PM)

Good ol John is having a little difficulty differentiating between pork and stimulus. In truth, there isn't much difference. Both create Jobs...except for the tattoos.

This is knd of a hoot. Seeing what the Republicans are thinking about. Pretty shallow.

Ron Indiana (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:14 PM)

Push clue-less Santelli into the harbor with the tea.
He is a joke. I am boycotting CNBC because of their far right political tyrades. I suggest others do the same. They are not living on the same planet with ther rest of us.

Joan, Minneapolis (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:15 PM)

Senator McCain is demonstrating exactly how petty and trivial the GOP has become.

We're talking about an $800-plus billion stimulus package and in an effort to demonstrate wasteful pork-barrel spending he's going after these projects???

#10 on that list is a project that represents somewhere around two-ten-thousandths of a percent (0.0002%) of the total of the stimulus package.

We're not impressed

They Told Me There Wouldn't Be Any Math (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:15 PM)

Market down 80. Still waiting for Obamanation to fix our economy for us. Or at least stop making it WORSE.

Still...

Waiting...

Bob Smith, Obamanation, USSA (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:17 PM)

>> .... One day the hammer will come down and the Dems will need medication to get through it .... Palomino (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 9:50 AM) (from another thread) <<

Gee, thanks for worrying about us. But really ... if that ever happens, we'll just use the same medication YOU'RE using right now. There seems to be plenty of it.

Make mine grape, please. Yum.

Anna Molly (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:19 PM)

'...John McCain goes pork-hunting, vowing to reveal the "top 10 projects." His list so far (expect to hear all about these)...'

McCain missed the BIGGEST Porkl Barrel Project:
the F-22 Raptor !!

It's a plane without a mission
Designed to fight the Soviet Air Force
THERE IS NO SOVIET UNION !!

The plantws that help build thisProk Barrel Boondoggle are located in multiple states to try to generate political muscle behind it

CANCEL THE F-22 !!

END Military Pork barrel !!

What's the difference between pork barrel and military pork barrel ??

War spending comes wrapped in an American Flag !!

Please write your Senators and Representative, asking to kill this incredible waste of tax payers dollars

Then, lets look at 'Star Wars'

MSierra, SF (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:21 PM)

Removing tats from ex-gang members is a good investment. Employers do not hire people with those kind of tattoos often. The last thing we need is to stunt the upward mobility of those who have left gang lifestyles and are trying to make a better life, and be an example in their community.

Josh (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:23 PM)

Is McCain's stuff real, or is it a figment of GOP imaginations like the Disneyland to Vegas train or money to save the Marsh Mouse? Does he comprehend that a new parking garage will employ architects, concrete finishers, steelworkers, and electricians, the very stuff of which economic stimulus is made? Then again they're still on the "government doesn't create jobs, it only destroys them" mantra. Tell that to all the firemen, police, snow plow drivers, teachers, and even the congressional aides that come up with this claptrap.

John B, Des Moines, IA (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:29 PM)

'...Rep. Dana Rohrabacher loves Kosovo and wants you to, too: "Had lunch with President & PM of Kosovo; we can be proud that we stood with the Kosovars in their quest 4 freedom & self determination."...'

Not a fan of Rohrabacher, but he IS RIGHT about Kosovo
Standing up for Kosovar freedom and independence is a GOOD THING
They were being 'ethnically cleansed' by the Serbs
The US and Eurpoe stood up for the Kosovars

Now, do the same for the Palestinians

MSierra, SF (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:29 PM)

Regarding the Twitter picture of the four goppers:
It reminds me of the old joke about how many republicans it takes to put in a light bulb. One to hold the bulb and three to turn the ladder.
What a bunch of paleolithic ignoramuses!

DSR Cincinnati, Ohio (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:29 PM)

Having been a jail chaplain, I thing tatoo removal is a very important thing. If a tatoo keeps someone who is ready to walk away from the destructive life style of a gang member to become a tax payer with a job, I say "Hurray!"

There is nothing wrong with directed spending. Many businesses and organizations depend upon it to provide jobs and accomplish very important things. I don't know what that bee farm is about, but if it helps to keep us from the dying out of the honey bees - a very dire prospect that is presently facing us - then I'm for it. I don't personally have time to check out all these things. That's why we have legislators and pay them.

The evil pork was that which was inserted into bills in the dead of night and didn't get any scrutiny at all - just slipped in to garner someone's vote so they in turn could garner someone's campaign contribution. That was the sort of pork Obama pledged not to allow.

Faith, Mounds View, MN (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:35 PM)

My, my, my most of the pork listed in this article is Republican pork. Piggies at the GOP trough should never ever complain about Democratic spending.

One man's pork is another's cash cow. Perspective, ah, perspective so one can ask, if someone else rates a top ten how much would that equate to McCain's.

eagle1776 (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:41 PM)

>> A LIBERAL group monitoring DEMOCRATS?? Kinda like liberal democrats conducting a liberal-leaning poll and then publishing results as an average american opinion. I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine... (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 10:54 AM) (from another thread) <<

No. It's EXACTLY like that. We learned it from Faux News. As for scratching your back, first show me the loofah.

Anna Molly (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:42 PM)

"Market down 80. Still waiting for Obamanation to fix our economy for us. Or at least stop making it WORSE.

Still...

Waiting..."

------

So eight years of malfeasance -- where President Bush did not veto ONE spending bill (so much for the argument that Congress passes all the budgets) -- and cooked the books by keeping war expenses out of them, the Bobs of this nation believe that five weeks of an administration will change things?

Instant gratification? Do you want the problems to go away yesterday?

Get real.

schriendog, colorado springs (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 12:42 PM)

Sen. McCain seems determined to show Americans that he is anti-agriculture, anti-small states (paying back Iowa and Montana for rejecting him?) and uninterested in informing himself about projects he rejects. He always says he's for small businesses -- well those are the businesses (like keeping honey bees) that depend on information, data and results from scientists to help them best manage their business and try new things. The small business owners don't have the resources to do that kind of research, and big businesses don't share the info. If the project is supported by the government, small business owners can make use of the published results, and they can prosper. The more we have seen of Sen. McCain since the election, the gladder we are that he was not elected.

let it be (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 1:01 PM)

Time to do away with CHILDISH THINGS McShame. Our problems are too big for the smallness of this old mans thinking.

And MSNBC needs to stop with the GOP talking points already
ENOUGH is ENOUGH

Nj (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 1:12 PM)

This nit-picking has left me all a-twitter!

I agree with you, Judy in AZ. The best line ever from West Wing was Sam saying that Republicans wanted smaller government - just small enough to fit into the bedroom.

Mark in Dallas (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 1:18 PM)

GP NW Indiana: "..this is the perfect time for this shift because of the drop in demand for energy because of the economic downturn...."

What kind of winter you been having? Demand for energy in Michigan is way up due to the record cold temperatures and snow that is *NOT* global warming!

It's a hoax (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 1:19 PM)

McCain continues to display his ignorance. Some of those items might not be necessary but if we want flowers, fruits, vegetables and trees in the future we need to do some research into why the honeybees are quickly becoming so scarce. I bet most of the items in the budget have the same importance depending where they are. At least when Obama is finished spending, we will have good roads, bridges and schools in addition to better energy sources. With Bush's budget we just got a bunch of dead soldiers, innocent civilians and a lot of PTSD soldiers that have returned from the occupation.

mary dale, clinton iowa (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 1:33 PM)

"honey bees are needed to farm and produce food for our country. Ask farmers how important bees are for this country."

I second this. Ya know ... call it want you want but some of these projects are really, really good.

Bruce from Raleigh, NC (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 1:42 PM)

Not sure why the harping about the stock market. It's down for lots of reasons such as Citi moving closer to a government bank, increase in new unemployment claims and the list goes on. If you had paid attention to the market, it lost the most points under Bush starting in 2007 but then it's easier for republicans to forget truth and point to President Obama for the blame. Must say I'm enjoying the view from the side of the democratic winners Nov 4. My guess is all those tea parties will be attended by folks making big bucks like Santelli; it's easy to cry foul when it's not your house, your job, your child who is sick and you have no insurance.

Jody, IA (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 1:50 PM)

Hypocrites all....and BORING!!!

Jimmy Crackhorns (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:06 PM)

what next - sexting?

nuanced (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:07 PM)

And yet, John McCain doesn't tell anyone about all the taxpayers money he spends on rebuilding his million dollar Barbie/Cindy doll with the latest plastic surgery and botox injections.

Santa Fe, NM (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:14 PM)

Where are their manners? I could not believe that U.S. Senators reportedly were twittering during an address by the President to a joint session of Congress.

Patricia Decatrel, NY, NY (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:15 PM)

>>>John McCain goes pork-hunting, vowing to reveal the "top 10 projects." His list so far (expect to hear all about these):

"#7. $300,000 for the Montana World Trade Center - enough said"
"#8. $200,000 "tattoo removal violence outreach program to could help gang members or others shed visible signs of their past" REALLY?"
"#9. $475,000 to build a parking garage in Provo City, Utah"
"#10. $1.7M 'for a honey bee factory' in Weslaco, TX" ...

==========
Since I know you Limbaugh-Zombies are going to jump all over this, I present the same challenge I presented to your rantings about ACORN (you know, the one NONE of you passed). SHOW ME WHERE IT IS IN THE PACKAGE! I mean page, section and paragraph. After all, if McCain took the time to Twitter it, it must be true, isn't it.

http://jawillie.blog.com

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:16 PM)

>>>John Ensign "will continue to stand up against liberal attempts to silence conservative talk radio." Just so you know.

He also really wants you to be his friend. "Just checked my Facebook page and saw I that I was one supporter short of 800. Will you be #800?"

==========
Ok, this is just plain pathetic (you know, like the Generally Obsolete and Pathetic party).

http://jawillie.blog.com

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:19 PM)

This article is satire, isn't it?
If not, we are in some deep yogurt, and the inmates are running the asylum....

twag (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:29 PM)

Honeybees are necessary in the pollination process. Without them we would have no fruits or vegetables that grow above the ground. As far as tattoos, I worked for a major corporation that did not allow tattoos to be displayed. You had to cover them with a bandage if you wanted to continue employment.

RBC, DAINGERFIELD, TX (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:34 PM)

RBC, DAINGERFIELD, TX (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:36 PM)

Can we ever have a spending bill with Pork????

Jim, South Korea (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:42 PM)

The republicans will first have to pass through the 20th century before they can use 21st century technology. They may be right about evolution...none of them have evolved in 50 years...they are still entrenched in their racist southern hick pasts.

Sick of reprehensible scum (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:42 PM)

mccaine sounds like a twit going after small items like that. most of the stuff he lists are actually job creaters.

ddl (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:45 PM)

My favorite thing to tell Republicans these days is that if the Obama administration fails, than all of us Americans fail, so how about helping out or just shut the hell up

Steve W, Olivebridge, NY (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:47 PM)

The economic downturn is the best thing that ever happened from a liberal perspective. They can shove through every pet wet dream they ever had about socialized programs - including Hillary's failed attempt at federal healthcare - regardless of the cost and America simply begs for more.
What will it cost to service a $20 trillion national debt in 2019?

John, Boise, Idaho (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:49 PM)

So Sen Ensign, ""The Democrats' priorities are clear: grow the size of government until it is entwined into every aspect of our lives."
As a Nevadan, will you then work to disentangle the government from our private lives, since you and the Republicans have been working dictate our private lives?? Or is only the financial that you are talking about, not our CIVIL RIGHTS???

bartman (Sent Friday, February 27, 2009 2:49 PM)

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