Happy #FierceLiving Friday!
This afternoon, while I was reading my new book, The Social Media President: Barack Obama and the Politics of Digital Engagement by James E. Katz, Michael Barris, and Anshul Jain, I thought about how accessible President Obama (POTUS) and the White House are compared to previous administrations.
The Twitter chat POTUS had about climate change with comments about the NBA yesterday is a perfect example. Click on link to read a Storify summary of key moments during the chat that were posted on the WhiteHouse.gov blog:
https://m.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/05/28/follow-along-potus-answers-your-questions-climate-change. When I read it, I immediately said, “only in the USA can you tweet and chat directly with POTUS.”
Under the new leadership of Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman, the White House Office of Digital Strategy (WHODS) has expanded the voice of POTUS through his own Twitter account so that he engages with Americans more directly. WHODS is also giving Americans a greater opportunity to have their voices heard by POTUS without any third party gatekeepers. By valuing and creating an open portal for direct conversation, the WHODS is making certain that everyone’s voice can be heard. What a great #socialcivics lesson on digital engagement! Now that’s what I call Fierce Living!
Here’s what I’d like to know. If you could have a Twitter chat with POTUS, what would you discuss?
Photo Credit: Pete Souza, http://www.whitehouse.gov
Ananda Leeke 