It’s no big secret that politicians usually aren’t the ones actually tweeting, vineing, and posting to their other social media accounts. That responsibility falls on staffers the vast majority of the time, who do their best to reflect what a candidate might have said in a particular situation.
All that being said, politicians generally try to make their followers feel as if they are really the ones clicking send, tweet, post, etc. Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush could hardly pretend that he was manning his social media accounts on Wednesday night, however, he was busy taking part in the Republican primary debate on CNN. And in the middle of back-and-forths with the likes of Donald Trump and Carly Fiorina, the former Florida governor somehow managed, not only to join Vine, but to tweet an apology to his mother (and former FLOTUS) Barbara Bush. The tweet (embedded below) came after Jeb! — as Late Show host Stephen Colbert is fond of calling him — admitted to smoking marijuana in the past.
“Forty years ago I smoked marijuana and I admit it. I’m sure that other people might have done it and may not want to say it in front of 25 million people. My mom’s not happy that I just did,”
Sorry Mom
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) September 17, 2015
In contrast, during the very same debate, a politician from America’s other major political party did seem to be the one behind the computer. Using the hashtag #DebateWithBernie, fast-rising Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders live-tweeted the event and sarcastically skewered several of the candidates before losing his patience and signing off with the following tweet:
Thank you all. I’ve had it. I’m going home. Talk to you soon. #DebateWithBernie
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) September 17, 2015
At this point, it’s safe to say that social media has changed politics forever and we love the new normal. Let the madness continue!
