Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Obama tweets for the first time, tweaks Republicans
|
Edition:
U.S.
Article
Comments (0)
Slideshow
Video
Technology
Media moguls focus on digital dollars at Sun Valley
Verizon ends unlimited data plans
Twitter seeking another round of funding: report
Obama Twitter session to focus on economy
Microsoft wants Samsung to pay smartphone license
Ferraris for smartphones as handset makers battle
Sony suspects pranksters hit Irish website: source
Cyran: Zynga brings cash crop to IPOville
Follow Reuters
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
YouTube
Read
Jurors cried, felt sick after acquitting Anthony
|
06 Jul 2011
Hackers expose flaw in Apple iPad, iPhone software
06 Jul 2011
UPDATE 1-Powerful quake off New Zealand triggers tsunami
06 Jul 2011
Fans, stars and Hollywood mourn end of Harry Potter magic
06 Jul 2011
Prosecutors to review widespread cheating in Atlanta schools
06 Jul 2011
Discussed
208
Minnesota government shutdown begins after talks fail
125
Obama: ending tax breaks required to cut deficit
104
White House snubs McConnell invitation to Obama
Watched
Giant dust storm hits Arizona
Tue, Jul 5 2011
Skyping on Facebook
Wed, Jul 6 2011
Casey Anthony found not guilty of murder
Tue, Jul 5 2011
Obama tweets for the first time, tweaks Republicans
Tweet
Share this
Email
Print
Related News
Republicans agree to revenue increases: Senator Kyl
Wed, Jul 6 2011
WRAPUP 5-Republicans agree to revenue increases-US Sen. Kyl
Wed, Jul 6 2011
Obama to meet Congress leaders Thursday on debt
Tue, Jul 5 2011
Hackers falsely claim Obama dead on Fox Twitter feed
Mon, Jul 4 2011
Treasury says Congress has month to reach debt deal
Fri, Jul 1 2011
Analysis & Opinion
Washington Extra – Tweet tweet
Obama’s position on the debt ceiling
Related Topics
Politics »
Technology »
Related Video
Obama answers Boehner's question at Twitter town hall
2:29am EDT
Obama discusses debt ceiling at Twitter town hall
Obama sends his first tweet
1 / 6
President Barack Obama reacts after tweeting at his first ever Twitter Town Hall in the East Room at the White House in Washington, July 6, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Larry Downing
By Jeff Mason and Steve Holland
WASHINGTON |
Thu Jul 7, 2011 3:31am EDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama took to Twitter on Wednesday to press his economic agenda, using the popular social media site to tweak Republicans and advocate for a deal to reduce the deficit.
In a "town hall" style meeting that lasted about an hour, the president fielded questions posted by users of the Twitter site and sent his first live tweet from a laptop in the White House East Room -- making what he called presidential history.
Sitting on a tall stool with a screen that showed tweeted questions nearby, Obama responded aloud before an audience of 140 invited guests who came to the White House for the event.
That number was a nod to a key part of "tweeting."
Twitter users send short, 140-character messages through the Internet about issues large and small.
The White House has tried using Twitter and other new media outlets to reach American voters, sometimes making announcements that way instead of through more traditional journalistic venues. The White House's @whitehouse account has some 2.25 million followers.
Obama, who is not known for brevity, touched on topics ranging from the weak housing market to NASA to the debate about the U.S. debt ceiling.
He did not stick to concise answers and did not send further tweets himself.
"One last point -- I know Twitter, I'm supposed to be short," he said while answering a question about education, drawing some laughter.
Another funny moment came when Republican John Boehner, Speaker of the House of Representatives, managed to get in a question through a Twitter message of his own.
"After embarking on a record ... spending binge that left us deeper in debt, where are the jobs?" read the moderator, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, from Boehner's tweet.
The tweet had some typos, however.
"First of all, John obviously needs to work on his typing skills," Obama joked.
"Obviously John's the speaker of the House. He's a Republican. And so, this is a slightly skewed question."
Obama went on to say that the United States had not seen fast enough job growth relative to U.S. needs.
HOUSING WOES
Asked by one Twitter user what mistakes he had made in office, Obama singled out the moribund housing market.
"The continuing decline in the housing market is something that hasn't bottomed out as quickly as we expected," he said.
"We've had to revamp our housing program several times to try to help people stay in their homes and try to start lifting home values up."
Obama is locked in a dispute with congressional Republicans about how to reduce the deficit and raise the debt ceiling, and he used many of his answers during the town hall to press his case for ending tax loopholes while reducing spending.
He said the country could face a second recession or worse if Congress did not raise the borrowing limit and suggested Republicans were using the debate like a gun to the head of the American people to support tax breaks corporate jet owners and the wealthiest Americans.
The Twitter town hall came after hackers took control of a FoxNews.com Twitter account on Monday, sending six false tweets saying Obama had been shot dead and prompting an investigation by the Secret Service.
Obama was at home at the White House on Monday, celebrating the July 4 holiday with his family.
The White House has declined comment on the hacking event.
(additional reporting by Laura MacInnis and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Politics
Technology
Tweet this
Link this
Share this
Digg this
Email
Reprints
We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/
Comments (0)
Be the first to comment on reuters.com.
Add yours using the box above.
Social Stream (What's this?)
© Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters
Editorial Editions:
Africa
Arabic
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
China
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
United States
Reuters
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Help
Journalism Handbook
Archive
Site Index
Video Index
Reader Feedback
Mobile
Newsletters
RSS
Podcasts
Widgets
Your View
Analyst Research
Thomson Reuters
Copyright
Disclaimer
Privacy
Professional Products
Professional Products Support
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Careers
Online Products
Acquisitions Monthly
Buyouts
Venture Capital Journal
International Financing Review
Project Finance International
PEhub.com
PE Week
FindLaw
Super Lawyers Attorney Rating Service
Reuters on Facebook
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
Other News on Thursday, 7 July 2011 EU MPs approve draft legislation giving member states more power to ban GM crops
Steve Stricker goes for Three-Peat at John Deere Classic
Keith Yandle opts to stay in Phoenix, signs mega-deal with Yotes
James Spader joins cast of NBC's "The Office"
Beyonce earns fourth #1 album on Billboard with "4"
Petition for Caylee's Law snowballs
Pia Toscano officially gets a record deal
Rapture preacher recovering from stroke in nursing home
Rupert Murdoch: Reporters' telephone hacking 'deplorable and unacceptable'
Mark Cavendish outsprints pack to rule Stage 5 of Tour; Hushovd in yellow jersey
U.S. Afghanistan drawdown begins slowly, 800 Marines out in fall
|
Libyan rebels push towards Tripoli on two fronts
|
Special Report: Can Malaysia reform and discriminate?
|
Thailand's Yingluck says to let baht appreciate: report
|
Ogando's pitching, explosive offense power Rangers sweep of Orioles
Somali arrested by U.S. sought to expand al Shabaab
|
Justin Masterson baffles Yanks hitters, Tribe tops New York
Women's World Cup: USA falters vs. Sweden, to play Brazil in quarterfinals
South Korea expects huge economic boost from Winter Games
|
Ex-NBA player, UNLV star Armen Gilliam dies after collapsing at pickup game
Israel, protesters at fault in Lebanese border clash: U.N.
|
TSA Airport Scanners Wouldn't Catch an Implant Bomber
Greek premier warns against descent into lawlessness
|
Blue Jays' Juan Bautista keep bashing ball; collects 59th RBI
IAEA chief says to meet Iran FM, wants cooperation
|
2011 by the numbers
Obama makes history with first Tweet Town Hall
Hezbollahs Latin American influence worries Congress
50-mile wide dust storm envelopes Phoenix area in darkness
Judge rejects Apple bid for injunction against Amazon
|
Facebook launches video chat with Skype
|
Hackers expose flaw in Apple iPad, iPhone software
|
Samsung Q2 falls as weak LCDs overshadow mobiles
|
Government facilities targets of cyber attacks
|
Obama tweets for the first time, tweaks Republicans
|
Accused hacker indicted over AT&T-iPad breach
|
Hulu to hit 1 million paid users by summer's end: CEO
|
Apple escalates Samsung battle, files ITC complaint
|
UK soldiers targeted in Murdoch phone-hacking scandal: report
|
Fans, stars and Hollywood mourn end of Harry Potter magic
|
Adele, Lady Gaga power music recovery
|
American Idol reject Pia Toscano signs record deal
|
Young stars struggle with life after Harry Potter
|
Bronchitis-hit Taylor Swift cancels three more shows
|
CNN drops Eliot Spitzer TV talk show
|
A Minute With: Bill Pullman about Torchwood
|
Claudia Schiffer aims to create lasting fashion brand
|
Sales slide for Beyonce's new chart-topper
|
Harry Potter fans brave elements for final glimpse of stars
|
South Sudan capital sweeps up, cracks down before split
|
Yemen VP presents new transition plan: Saleh stays
|
TV report of China leader's death fuels political rumor mill
|
Red Shirts warn new Thai government to seek justice
|
Syrians block Hama streets with burning tires
|
Snapping photo of airline worker's name tag gets passenger booted off plane
Malaysia police storm preschool, free 30 children
|
NATO acknowledges killing Afghan civilians, probes more claims
|
Pentagon to comply with appeals court ruling on DADT
U.S. unveils new plan against maritime threats
Analysis: Rebel gains too slow to hurt Gaddafi badly
|
Bow Wow admits to fathering child
Greece stops Gaza-bound boat, immobilizes flotilla
|
Baseballs big names could testify in Roger Clemens perjury trial
Mike Young, Elvis Andrus lead Rangers to lopsided win over Orioles
EU farm-product ban adds to Egypts woes
Casey Anthony sentenced to maximum on four counts of lying to law enforcement
Arabic becoming the language of Facebook
Cowboys wideout Roy Williams sues ex to get engagement ring back
Apple's app downloads race ahead, surpass 15 billion
|
Murdoch declines further comment on hacking at Sun Valley
|
EBay buys Zong as mobile payments gain traction
|
Struggling LG slashes phone sales targets
|
Creative Chinese skirt censors to search for Uncle Jiang
|
Horrible Bosses eyes joblessness, aims for laughs
|
Young stars struggle with life after Harry Potter
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights