Sen. Claire McCaskill Tweets to Show She's Human, Not Cruella De Vil
By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
So why did Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill start Twittering so much that she's now dubbed 'Senator Tweet'? To let people know she's not the devil
Losing the 2004 Missouri governor's race was tough for Claire McCaskill, now the state's junior senator. But it's what people said about her that really rubbed the Democrat raw. Explaining the roots of her torrid Twittering, McCaskill tells Whispers of a focus group in that election: She gasped as voters called her smart but cold. "One woman called me Cruella De Vil," she says. McCaskill, a self-described "friendly person," says, "I vowed from that day forward that it was important that people know that I'm a human being." Enter Twitter.
"I realized that I was probably too focused on my technical answers to questions and showing off how much I knew," she says. "I probably needed to take a deep breath and just be more open and candid about me as a person. So Twitter's perfect for that. I get to do it all. I get to do policy—and I get to share recipes."
She was pushed to Twitter by her three kids. Now "Senator Tweet" does it about four times a day. McCaskill is very disciplined and proprietary about her Twittering. Only she tweets on her account, and nobody edits her 140 characters. She relays to her 24,000 followers policy talk on the Hill and personal info, such as how she liked Star Trek. "I'm trying to show that I'm really kind of fun to hang out and have a beer with," she says. But the politician is careful not to reveal what happens between senators or what is said behind closed doors—though she says, "Believe me, there are times I'd like to tweet."
Good thing she shows restraint, says a Senate leadership aide. He says there are no rules yet on Twittering but adds, "It is well understood to be in exceedingly bad form" to tweet off-the-record talks.
Illustration by Ed Wexler for USN&WR
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Health Care
There is a very simple alternative to public option:
1. Allow ANY person residing in the USA including undocumented aliens to enroll in any Federal health insurance plan as if they were a $1 per year employees at full Cobra cost That cost will still be approximately 50% of the cost of private insurance plans. This should be done by simply providing social security numbers. Undocumented aliens will be eligible for special social security numbers for this purpose and the government shall not be allowed to use any information gathered from enrollment for any purposes of immigration enforcement. We cannot afford undocumented aliens or any person residing in the USA to show up at ER rooms for their health care.
2. Allow employers to contribute to their employees participation in any Federal plan as long as the employer pays at least 50% of the premium. Any portion of the premium paid for by the employer shall be considered taxable wages.
3. However, no employer shall receive any deduction for health insurance paid for employees unless at least 90% of their average monthly census of employees are enrolled in a health insurance plan paid for in whole or in part by the employer. Employees shall consist of both part-time and full time employed for a minimum of 60 days. If an employee is receiving coverage through another family member, such employee shall not be counted within this requirement.
Claire
Claire is doing a great job for Missouri as well as our country. Her straight talk gets her noticed but it also gets the job done. The illustration is a low blow and she does not deserve it. Maybe YOU will be the subject of her next tweet!
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