Tweet Beat: The Best Congressional Tweets of the Week

Welcome back to Washington, poli-twits! The President’s address to Congress Wednesday night was undoubtedly the biggest event of the week, unleashing a maelstrom of tweets that, like our members, just don’t agree. Mark Warner and Claire McCaskill admired Obama’s “bipartisan tone,” but Kevin Brady thought it was “needlessly partisan.” Arlen Specter and Chris Dodd thought the speech was “inspirational,” while Jason Chaffetz and Roy Blunt yawned their way through it. Everyone got mad at Joe Wilson, who, despite his sheepish apology last night, seems to have been spurred on in his crusade of rudeness by Sean Hannity. But more important, why can’t any of our representatives spell “disappoint” correctly?

In other news, a guest tweet by our esteemed editor, Garrett Graff, was too good not to include. McCaskill, ever the matriarch, has been cooking up a storm, Rick Perry is loving Roy Orbison, and John McCain has been schmoozing world leaders again.

vermontgmg: Police on Conn. Ave. trying to figure out what to do about illegally parked car, CA plate “US Congress 46.” That’d be Dana Rohrabacher.
Garrett M. Graff, editor, The Washingtonian

IRL: UN Relief Works Agency won’t teach Holocaust. Says it’s not human rights violation:highlighting UN antiSemitic bias. Meaningful reform now!
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Florida

michaelcburgess: And please add my name to the list of Members of the House demanding the resignation of “Green Jobs Czar” Van Jones.
Representative Michael Burgess, Texas

michaelcburgess: Virtual explosion of unvetted, unaccountable “Czars” outside normal Advise and Consent role of the Senate adds to the chaos of this Admin.
Representative Michael Burgess, Texas

SenJohnMcCain: Unemployment tops 9.7% – billions in bonuses & bailouts for Wall Street. What’s wrong with this picture?
Senator John McCain, Arizona

clairecmc: Son’s birthday this weekend. Making his favorites, baked ziti, potato casserole, fried chicken….you get the idea. Nothing healthy.
Senator Claire McCaskill, Missouri

keithellison: At MinnPost.com a kid just asked when the public was going to backlash against twittering politicians. Whadaya think?
Representative Keith Ellison, Minnesota

ArturDavis: Tara and I are enjoying the holiday weekend. Tonight I’m headed to the Shoals Labor Council Fish Fry. Should be good!
Representative Artur Davis, Alabama

keithellison: Rocking time at the House of Labor. Kicked it w/ sheet metalers, ltter carriers, UAW, AFSCME, steelers, UTU, flight, IBEW, IAM & more.
Representative Keith Ellison, Minnesota

GovernorPerry: Meeting later this AM w/Barbera Orbison re: possible Roy Orbison Day In Texas. What is ur favorite Orbison song? Crying? Pretty Woman?
Governor Rick Perry, Texas

SenJohnMcCain: Met with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi – he is an intelligent and well informed friend of the United States.
Senator John McCain, Arizona

clairecmc: Honestly,I don’t get why anyone would not want our President to tell kids to do their homework, read, and stay in school.Laura Bush is right
Senator Claire McCaskill, Missouri

clairecmc: I’m complimenting Laura Bush for rising above the partisan noise, and stating the obvious. Good for her.
Senator Claire McCaskill, Missouri

bobinglis: Lots of tension in advance of tonight’s speech. Joint sessions are always logistical and security feats. This one seems especially charged.
Representative Bob Inglis, South Carolina

jasoninthehouse: Getting a preview of the President’s comments via a handout on the Floor. Plan seems worse than before.
Representative Jason Chaffetz, Utah

petehoekstra: Handing out laminated talking points produced by the White House is tacky. This is serious business. I will not twit during speech.
Representative Pete Hoekstra, Missouri

clairecmc: No tweeting during President’s speech. Don’t want my mom to holler at me about bad manners.
Senator Claire McCaskill, Missouri

RepSteveIsrael: Obama: “The time for bickering is over”
Representative Steve Israel, New York

BarackObama: “Know this: I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it’s better politics to kill this plan than improve it”
President Barack Obama

SenChrisDodd: Tonight, President Obama made a tremendous case for action on health care reform.
Senator Chris Dodd, Connecticut

jasoninthehouse: The President didn’t sway many….perhaps none of the congress in the room.
Representative Jason Chaffetz, Utah

chelliepingree: President walked by while I was waiting outside the Chamber. I told him he did very well and he gave me a hug.
Representative Chellie Pingree, Minnesota

MarkWarner: Also glad he called
out “death panel” scare tactics. Whether malice or ignorance, it disrespects families dealing w/ aging issues.
Senator Mark Warner, Virginia

MarkWarner: Appreciated Pres’ bipartisan tone. Let’s keep what works, fix what’s broken. We agree on 80%.
Senator Mark Warner, Virginia

clairecmc: Strong speech. Big olive branch to Republicans. Hope they realize the cost of doing nothing is much higher than resonable measured reform.
Senator Claire McCaskill, Missouri

jasoninthehouse: It is about control. The President wants Federal control and I want state control.
Representative Jason Chaffetz, Utah

RepKevinBrady: President gave good sales pitch but I’m still not buying the ShamWow. Nothing new. Same government plan. Needlesslly partisan.
Representative Kevin Brady, Texas

clairecmc: Biggest disappointmnt of evening, the total lack of respect shown by one member for the President.Never acceptable to behave like a jerk.
Senator Claire McCaskill, Missouri

RepKevinBrady: By attacking GOP and being, frankly, misleading, President probably destroyed chance for thoughtful bipartisan reform. He’s not listening.
Representative Kevin Brady, Texas

RepSteveIsrael: “You lie” yeller was Representative Joe Wilson. Shameful.
Representative Steve Israel, New York

bobinglis: Impressive speech. At least a mention of tort reform. Bold commitment to not increase deficit. Oh that it were provable!
Representative Bob Inglis, South Carolina

SenArlenSpecter: The President’s speech was inspirational with a substantive, pragmatic blueprint for comprehensive insurance healthcare reform
Senator Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania

RoyBlunt: The president said nothing will require you to change what you have. Then he has not read the Pelosi plan.
Representative Roy Blunt, Missouri

jasoninthehouse: I have made two big decisions tonight. We are killing the health care bill and we we are killing the mouse in the office.
Representative Jason Chaffetz, Utah

keithellison: “I will not waste time with people who calculate that its better to kill a plan than to improve it” – Pres. Barak Obama.
Representative Keith Ellison, Minnesota

DavidVitter: Just left Obama speech. Dissapointed. He’s not listening. LA doesn’t want big govt option.Full reaction here
Senator David Vitter, Louisiana

keithellison: Had to sit on R side of aisle, no D seats left. R said: “he’s making s–t up!”; one yells “LIAR!”. “This is the MOST partisan speech”.
Representative Keith Ellison, Minnesota

keithellison: Ellison: Expected Obama to stand up for the Public Option & he didn’t dissappopint me. Devil’s in details, but we have something to work w/
Representative Keith Ellison, Minnesota

SenArlenSpecter: There ought to be a reprimand or censure of Representative Joe Wilson to discourage that kind of conduct in the future.
Senator Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania

CongJoeWilson: Thank you all for your understanding and support. I’m on Sean Hannity radio now. Listen in.
Representative Joe Wilson, South Carolina

CongJoeWilson: Sean Hannity urged listeners to stand with me against liberal attacks
Representative Joe Wilson, South Carolina