Obama turns to Twitter in 'town hall' meeting

WASHINGTON – US president Barack Obama took to Twitter yesterday to press his economic agenda, using the popular social media…

WASHINGTON – US president Barack Obama took to Twitter yesterday to press his economic agenda, using the popular social media site to criticise 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, Mr Obama responded aloud before an audience of 140 invited guests.

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.

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Mr Obama, who is not known for brevity, touched on topics ranging from the weak housing market to Nasa to the debate about the US 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, drawing laughter.

Asked by one Twitter user what mistakes he had made in office, Mr 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.”

The president is locked in a dispute with congressional Republicans about how to reduce the US deficit and raise the debt ceiling. He used many of his answers during the town hall to press his case for ending tax loopholes while reducing spending.

He said the US 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 the wealthiest Americans.

The Twitter event came after hackers took control of a FoxNews.com Twitter account on Monday, sending six false tweets saying Mr Obama had been shot dead and prompting an investigation. The White House has declined to comment on the hacking event. – (Reuters)