My Year In Tweets

It turns out, you can be pretty snarky in 140 characters. I've been on Twitter for a couple of years now (follow me at twitter.com/dbernstein), and use it for a variety of purposes: breaking bits of political news; passing along news or commentary of interest; linking to my articles and blog posts; offering brief observations and commentary; interacting with readers and political junkies; and of course, cracking humorous one-liners. This last category is where I have the most fun, usually at the expense of politicians and other public figures.

This year, with the gubernatorial and other state-wide races, most of those quips have been about Massachusetts pols; Boston city elections held more of my attention in 2009, and I suspect that in 2011 I'll take more shots at Republican Presidential candidates.

I've sifted through my output for the year, and pulled out 50 of my favorite Tweets. For those of you who follow me (a number that more than tripled over the course of the year), this may be a fun trip down memory lane; for those who don't, perhaps it will spur you to do so. Or, maybe not -- it's entirely possible that I amuse only myself.

I am posting them here, unedited, as they originally appeared, and in chronological order. I've resisted the urge to provide explainers or context; I think they're pretty self-explanatory. (For instance, the first one was sent from the Scott Brown victory party on election night.)

For those unfamiliar with Twitter conventions... "RT" means "retweet"; what follows is the ID of the original Tweeter, and their Tweet (often edited for space). My comment on their Tweet appears before the RT. Phrases starting with a "#" are "hashtag" identifiers; for example, I usually tag Tweets about state politics with "#mapoli" and Tweets about the governor's race with "#magov". Some are more inventive.

Enjoy!

Big boos when Coakley came onscreen initially - forgive them, they don't have much practice winning –19 Jan

Sad campaign-finance entry: Martha Coakley for Senate Comm., $1165 expenditure on 1/19/10 (election day) for "confetti machine" –24 Feb

I missed the end of health care summit -- did the ghost of Ted Kennedy appear and chase the Republicans around the room? –25 Feb

Psst - there's a clue in her twitter name! RT @karyn4treasurer: I'm making an important political announcement on Monday, March 1... –27 Feb

In MA Auditor's race, I've decided to pronounce Guy Glodis's 1st name French, Gee with a hard 'g'. All my posts should be read that way. –17 Mar

"Rich Davey" (the new MBTA GM) should be my hip-hop name. –22 Mar

How will we be able to tell the difference? RT @datafordonkeys: Breaking - Mihos tells supporters on Cape he is out of #MAgov race. #MApoli –1 Apr

Top of my head, five all-time Mass. musical performers I'd vote for: J Mascis, Dickie Barrett, Rich Gilbert, Jonathan Richman & Akrobatik –8 Apr

Newt's "secular-socialist machine" theory is wrong. Checked w/ my alt-media brethren, and it's still a secular anarcho-syndicalist machine. –9 Apr

BTW, the anti Tea Party protesters here are just as white as the Tea Partiers –14 Apr

Kamal Jain is limiting himself to two terms as st auditor. In that spirit, I am limiting myself to 8 yrs as Red Sox starting CFer #magopcon –17 Apr

Told @timforgovernor today that I've been tweeting with his daughter @MakenaCahill. I really hope he knows what that means. –17 Apr

Thank goodness Monday's almost here; dying in anticipation of @MAhadenough launch. Hope it involves setting fire to things! #mapoli #magov –16 May

Valuable insight about me: I follow VT guv candidate @BrianDubie, and every time he Tweets, seeing his name makes me laugh. –18 May

Steve Murphy asked no Qs of Signori --statewide campaign got your tongue, councilor? –2 Jun

If I was mayor: "No wager on series, b/c LA has nothing Boston wants." RT @WBUR: LA mayor challenges Menino to a bet: http://wbur.fm/anYJHr --4 Jun

I don't want to say that DiNucci has been Auditor a long time, but this year the office upgraded to Abacus 2.0 #MADem10 –5 Jun

Battery dying, (possibly of boredom...) #MADem10 –5 Jun

In bocce, maybe. RT @TinoCapobianco: @dbernstein Hey do you think Mayor Menino could beat Scott Brown in 2012? –15 Jun

@pewresearch sez: 58% of US evang.s expect Christ's return by 2050. http://pewrsr.ch/bvrkKl & I say: then why so worried about US debt? –15 Jul

Sciacca Shocker! Conway goes "Post"-al as chrome dome underling grabs reins at rag #shouldabeentodaysHeraldcover –21 Jul

Should always be obvious that the facts are not all in, when the only facts in so far come from Breitbart. –21 Jul

At MA Young Dems diversity panel. Touching to think that one day these will be officeholders yelling at me for something I wrote about them. –28 Jul

My best guess: All casino-related maneuvering on Beacon Hill at this point is not about passage, but about where blame goes for non-passage. –30 Jul

Biting... my... tongue... RT @OfficialSGP: Congresswoman Michele Bachmann will be our keynote speaker at the inaugural Smart Girl Summit –5 Aug

You mean, right before the poll? RT @ppppolls: Ron Paul does 5 pts better with Republicans who have smoked Marijuana than those who haven't –13 Aug

Every time I see a reference to Obama's stop today in Menomonee Falls, a muppet goes "doo-dooo, do-doo-doo" in my head. –16 Aug

Moderator tells audience not to applaud - said nothing about vuvuzelas!!! –16 Aug

Serious question for my #mapoli #magov Tweeps: Paul Loscocco -- WTF? –17 Aug

DP says CB isn't evil, just because he has bad values. Bad, amoral, evil values. #bzdebate #magov –7 Sep

Ah, the last few days before an election in Massachusetts -- so little time, so many allegations of dirty tricks to look into! #mapoli –11 Sep

You call it election-day poll-site campaigning; I call it middle-aged men going around to middle schools trying to make new friends. Creepy. –14 Sep

Jeff Perry wins 7 more weeks of questions about the strip-search incidents.... #ma914 –14 Sep

Wait - The Baker camp is HAPPY that the worst political strategist in the country is no longer advising Tim Cahill? #magov #mapoli –23 Sep

At Charlie Baker's 'Women for Baker' event (or "Chicks for Chuck," as I call it). #magov #mapoli –30 Sep

At Baker HQ for presser to answer stunned voters' burning question: Paul who? #magov #mapoli –1 Oct

Yes, it's my birthday. Debating how to celebrate -- should I go out and smash it like Oh My God, or light it up like it's dynamite? –7 Oct

The Massachusetts governor's race has turned into the Beatles' breakup saga. #magov #mapoli –8 Oct

For simplicity and clarity, I have decided to start referring to the former Cahill consultants collectively as "the Yobgoblins." #magov –13 Oct

Obama said to text GOTV to 89800, and the Patrick campaign team appeared to simultaneously orgasm. #magov #Obama –16 Oct

Either Baker is on the same cold medicine I am, or he seems to have lost the will to campaign. #magov #wmadebate –21 Oct

Boy, one more bad poll for Charlie Baker and Loscocco's gonna have to leave him too. #magov #mapoli #bandwagonjumper –22 Oct

Stein: I don't read, b/c I already know everything. #magov –25 Oct

BREAKING: Baker camp sues Yobgoblins, seeks protective order to prevent disclosure of Charlie's mole. #magov #nomomole –26 Oct

Apparently Hudak has dropped his lawsuit against Tierney after seeing documents that prove he is, in fact, a kook. #mapoli #ma6 –27 Oct

"Milton's OK I guess, but it's no Quincy." = Things NOT to say at tonight's Gov. Patrick media holiday party. #magovpartyNoNos –9 Dec

Scotto must be so freakin' jealous of the GOP Senators who can just vote no on everything without thinking about it.... –9 Dec

More Bill Hudaks. --MassDems #MASantaList –22 Dec