Vindictive, bullying or just plain annoying? Probably all of the above. Today, President Obama will be holding an unprecedented Twitter Town Hall where "tweeps" can ask questions to the President about jobs and the economy, but the Republicans are out to ambush the online event.
The purpose of political Town Halls is to hear from the constituents - the common citizen - about a certain topic affecting them and in turn the representative answers the question. These types of meetings (in this specific case an online meeting) gives the sense of a personal touch, a one-on-one, and humanizes the relationship between constituent and government official. The President cares about the common man and wants to hear from them their genuine questions about jobs and the economy. However, the purpose of Town Halls will be diminished with the Republican ambush.
Why ambush the President's Town Hall and prevent him from answering questions from everyday Americans? Maybe the Republicans want to make him look bad? Or catch him in a gaffe with their loaded questions? Or viscerally they want the event to fail. Nevertheless, the purpose of the Republican ambush is negative. Oh, and they aren't trying to hide it, all throughout the social media sphere, Republicans and Republican politicians are asking their constituents to join up in arms and giving them loaded talking points to ask the President.
The Republicans can't be stopped with their ambush. It is their right. They have the right to participate in this Twitter Town Hall - everyone is invited. However, I do have an issue with their purpose. Town Halls are meant to enlighten and educate. The Republicans mean to sabotage and hinder. It's OK though, I am content inside. All this energy put into flooding the Twitter Town Hall, I wonder if the Republicans know that the questions are being moderated.