Lawmakers a-Twitter during Obama speech

I'm gonna enjoy posting this for the people who brush off some of these FREE communication resources. The game done change peoples

By Dana Milbank
The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — President Obama spoke of economic calamity and war Tuesday night in that solemn rite of democracy, the address to the joint session of Congress. In response, lawmakers whipped out their BlackBerrys and began sending text messages like high-school kids bored in math class.

"One doesn't want to sound snarky, but it is nice not to see Cheney up there," announced Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., as Obama entered the chamber.

"I did big wooohoo for Justice Ginsberg," broadcast Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., upon sighting the ailing Supreme Court justice. She could be seen applauding with BlackBerry in one hand.

"Capt Sully is here — awesome!" announced Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas, spotting the US Airways hero pilot in the gallery.

Then there was Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, in whose name this text message was sent at about the time the president spoke of the need to pull the country together: "Aggie basketball game is about to start on espn2 for those of you that aren't going to bother watching pelosi smirk for the next hour." A few minutes later, another message came through: "Disregard that last Tweet from a staffer."

And it wasn't just Twitter. "I'm broadcasting live from the middle of Independence Avenue," announced Culberson, in live streaming video on Qik.com. He jammed his 8-gigabyte camera phone into the faces of three Capitol Police and demanded that they introduce themselves. They did not look happy.

"The presidential motorcade will be coming from where?" Culberson asked. "What time are you expecting him to arrive?"

"That's classified," an officer replied.

Culberson went on: "I'll do one more broadcast and then I will tweet from the floor." READ