Inside Obama's Twitter Blitz On the Payroll Tax 294
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by
Soulskill
from the this-is-politics-in-the-future-and-i-am-sad dept.
from the this-is-politics-in-the-future-and-i-am-sad dept.
Hugh Pickens writes "Brandon Rittiman reports that White House officials launched a Twitter campaign Tuesday to put pressure on Congress to reach a deal extending the payroll-tax cut. Using the Twitter hashtag #40dollars, the White House successfully got thousands of people to respond and explain what a $40 cut to each paycheck would mean to them personally. By Wednesday morning, the #40dollars hashtag started 'trending,' which is what happens when Twitter's algorithms see a topic suddenly surge. It's not easy to create that kind of surge, but the White House has 2.5 million Twitter followers to call upon. Macon Phillips, the President's Director of Digital Strategy, says his team has managed to get a few Twitter topics to rise to the level of 'trending' before — most notably when they began tweeting about the death of Osama bin Laden. 'What's very important about a social-media campaign like this is that regular people are making the point about how this would affect them. It's not us here in Washington trying to argue on their behalf.' says Phillips. 'The #40dollars campaign puts a face on that amount to demonstrate the payroll tax cut's real-world impact on middle-class families.'"
Re:Using the media to hide the impact (Score:4, Funny)
All I can think of is that Obama lost a ridiculous bet with Boehner on some secret round of golf.
Boehner: "Ten thousand dollars? Chump change. No, I said let's make it interesting."
Obama: "Ok, loser has to wear a dress and an SS armband at their next press conference."
Boehner: "That's getting closer, but people pretty much expect that. The campaigns are on, so wacky attention-whoring is already in."
Obama: "What did you have in mind?"
Boehner: "If I win, you have to be all tax cut, free money, no consequences, wooo! and my party gets to be.."
Obama: "-- Oh my god --"
Boehner "..the voice of.."
Obama: "-- I don't believe this --"
Boehner: "..reason and responsibility."
[Several seconds of silence, then they both burst out laughing]
Boehner: "Scared?"
Obama: "No, you're toast. Speaking of which, what happens when I win?"
Boehner: "We drop the birther thing."
Obama: "Oh please. No seriously, c'mon. I used to think that whole thing was stupid, but it makes people subconsciously think of me as a little more exotic and cool. Try again."
Boehner: *shrugs* "Science."
Obama: "Are you serious?! Holy shit. Really?"
Boenher: "The question is, do you have the balls?"
Obama: "What's your handicap?"
Boehner: "Gingr--" Obama: "Quit fucking around, this is a serious bet."
Boehner: "Minus 5."
Obama: "Oh."
Boehner: "Not so cocky now, are you, Mr Cool?"
Obama should be praised as a hero. So he lost at golf, BFD. He fought for science.