By Mike Saucier (@MikeTheSauce)
After scanning tweet after tweet, week after week, I begin to notice patterns. I can’t quite pin it down, but after substantial swaths of time are devoted to reading the sub-140-character thoughts of hundreds of people in patches of time every day, a collective mood emerges. And this week that mood was angst. An even more amped-up angst about the elections. Angst about Superstorm Sandy. Just a lot of angst. As always though, a kinder, gentler side of Twitter shows its face, as it did with sympathy, concern and compassion for Sandy victims in the Northeast.
Speaking of patterns, let’s start with a couple tweets that reflect a pattern of…reversal.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (@NRCC) tweeted: “The Tucson Weekly so disgusted w/ Ann Kirkpatrick it took back its endorsement of her.”
Turns out the paper was all set to endorse Kirkpatrick over Republican opponent Jonathan Paton for the District 1 congressional seat, which should have been a given considering the paper’s other endorsements and its politics but it reversed course after, it said, Kirkpatrick “released an advertisement last week that was so dishonest and full of lies that we were disgusted.”
The other reversal comes in the form of a tweet gone bad.
Matt Canter (@mattcanter), communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, tweeted: “The new McCain & Kyl #azsen ad is awful. Talk about a hostage video. Why not admit we like Carmona a lot but now he has a D after his name”
Okay, that’s an opinion. But he used the word hostage. And he was referring to Sen. John McCain. Not sure what the open mouth, insert foot analogy is for Twitter, but whatever it is, it applies here.
So then, this follow-up tweet: “Poor choice of words in a tweet earlier. I apologize for that. I think Kyl and Mccain’s praise for Carmona deserves real attention.”
It’s the last week in an election season. No time to mince words, as these two tweets indicate.
Shawnna L.M. Bolick (@slmbolick) fumed at the theft of her Jeff Flake sign. “@FlakeforSenate sign is gone again. My son told me we should attach an electric current to it if we put up a new one. Liberals R cheating.”
And Cindy McCain (@CindyhM1) tweeted: “It is wonderful Pres Obama is at the WH during the storm. Why did he go to Vegas when our Ambassador to Libya & 3 others were murdered?”
Republic columnist Robert Robb (@RJRobb) tweeted: “Flake/Carmona AZ Rep pieces revealing. Flake’s is about tough decisions he’ll make to control debt. Carmona’s is about … himself.”
Robb also tweeted a tease to his column: “New column: The relentless negativity of American politics … What can or should be done about it.”
The Flake/Carmona race has already grabbed a significant share of national headlines. This week it received an infusion of celebrity via Robert Redford.
Tweeted 3TV political editor Dennis Welch (@dennis_welch): “Oscar winning actor and environmental activist Robert Redford is pitching in to help @CarmonaForAZ raise money.”
And Andy Barr (@AndyBarr34), communications director for Carmona, tweeted: “Robert Redford just did a blast to our list attacking @FlakeforSenate for wanting to mine for uranium at the Grand Canyon #AZSEN”
Not sure why you would overtly say your surrogate is “attacking” your opponent…
Charlotte Shaff (@charshaff), whose Twitter bio reads, “Midwest girl at heart, love Sunny AZ. Wife of @azbonepa. Mom to Jake & Eric. AZ Cards Season tix holder. Past lives in TV, promo, now a WAHM in PR,” summed it up nicely in her tweet about election season weariness: “I say this daily. I can’t WAIT for this political season to be OVER. The political attack ads are ridiculous.”
An event as big as Superstorm Sandy will always reverberate in Arizona, with its huge transplanted population from the Northeast (@MikeTheSauce—via NYC and Massachusetts–included). Hard-to-fathom images of destroyed parts of Atlantic City, The Rockaways in Queens, and watery lower Manhattan hit home for many and stories of extended power outages, gas shortages, and flooded tunnels continue to be told today and will continue throughout the weekend.
State Rep. Heather Carter (@HeatherCarterAZ), who is originally from Maryland and represents North Phoenix, Cave Creek, Carefree and Scottsdale, tweeted:
“My thoughts and prayers go out to my family, friends and everyone back east. In all my years back there I don’t remember weather like this!”
Republic reporter Ryan Randazzo (@utilityreporter), tweeted the good news that more help was on the way, as Arizona pitched in: “National guard will fly AZ utility equipment to New York in the morning”
Along those lines, the Salt River Project (@SRPconnect) tweeted: “We’re sending about 62 crew members along with trucks and equipment to help @LIPAnews restore power in New York.”
Marie Saavedra (Msaavedra3TV) of 3TV tweeted that help from AZ Task Force 1 is heeding the call:
“AZ Task Force 1 got the call. Will head to the Northeast today at 3pm with 80 members of #phx Fire and PD, 12 trucks of equipment”
Jason Sillman (@phxnewskid), evening assignment Editor FOX 10 News Phoenix, tweeted:
“Just a thought. I don’t think politics belongs in the news today. it’s all about our fellow Americans on the East Coast.”
Micah Johnson (@TV_Agent), whose Twitter bio reads, “Television Agent & Social Media Brand Savant at MediaStars. Former CNN and NBC Anchor” tweeted his annoyance at TV anchors
“New #TV drinking game: Every time an anchor tells a reporter, ‘Stay Safe’. Be prepared to be wasted in 5 minutes. #StopSayingIt”
This week marked the passing of George Smith, a Navajo code talker who sent U.S. military communications to front lines during World War II.
Responding to the news, Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (RepGosar) tweeted: “My thoughts and prayers are with the Navajo Nation & the family of Navajo Code Talker George Smith who passed away this week”
And Jeff Flake (@FlakeforSenate) tweeted: “One of the few remaining Navajo Code Talkers, George Smith, has died at the age of 90. We owe these men a debt of gratitude.”
PR guru Jason Rose (@jasonrosepr) pointed out in a tweet that the Arizona Republic has some ground to make up in its digital subscription numbers. The latest newspaper circulation list came out this week and the Republic is #21, with 275,622 weekday readers and 483,556 on Sunday. Digital editions such as those on tablet computers or websites that charge for access are also tallied and the Republic has some catching up to do and will look to close the gap by charging for access to stories on its website.
Rose tweeted this and a link to the circulation list: “Disconcerting: top 25 newspaper circulation #s show how far behind az republic digital subscriptions are v others.” http://nyti.ms/SsFDsP
Speaking of media, the great Bob Costas appeared at the Cronkite School, which prompted Todd Walsh (@ToddWalsh), “pre and post game show host for Phoenix Coyotes and Arizona Diamondbacks, host of The Tenth Inning for Fox Sports Arizona,” to tweet: “seeing Bob Costas and the Cronkite School reminded me of just how hard it is to break into this biz. Never lose the ‘devotion.’ Amen.”
Tweets are a window into the lives of others. These are just a taste.
From the ultimate multitasker Amanda Vega (@AmandaVega): “Pacing the house while Brushing teeth, flossing, texting, tweeting. I WILL get in this last 240 steps to hit 10,000 for the day!”
Vega’s bio is as multitask-heavy as her at-home routines. It reads: “CEO w/20+ yrs online exp. #22 at AOL. Social media zealot. PR Maven. Published author. Speaker. Ivy MBAer. Pink Porsche owner. Pug lover. Britney fan. Abrasive.”
Sports columnist for azcentral sports, Paola Boivin (@PaolaBoivin) tweeted: “Dropped off the 15-year-old at his 1st rap concert tonight. Free-flowing weed. Misogynistic lyrics. Sniff. My boy is growing up”
Star Padilla (@starpadilla), social media and content director for @EminentSEO & @Eminent_SM, tweeted: “Seriously 2nd night in a row the neighbors take their loud mouths to the patio for all of us to hear. can someone hand me something to throw”
@MikeTheSauce was told when moving here in April that the weather turns for the better in October. Turned out to be true!
Michael Dee (@MichaelSDee), publisher and president of AZFoothills.com and Arizona Foothills Magazine, tweeted: “Best Place To Live AZ…..temps all week in 80s RT if you agree”
Retweet! Retweet! Retweet!
Cyrus Igono (@cyrusigono), who was feeling the slight morning chill in the air, tweeted to his 81,000 followers: “Ok it’s officially cold in az!!”
And the last of the random tweets comes from Catie Shuga of Tempe (@catie_shuga): “Whenever I’m on the lightrail, I get a sense of overwhelming gratitude for my parents for forcing manners on me as a kid. #stayclassyphoenix”
For this week’s business and product plugs, let’s turn to a Cardinals wide receiver Michael Floyd (MichaelMFloyd), who tweeted:
“Big thanks to Niketown in Scottsdale for helping me pick out new gear to wear.”
Phil Lacovara (placovara), Dbacks blogger/co-editor @AZSnakepit.com, tweeted his love for Tokyo Rice Bowl in Tucson:
“I seriously don’t think I’ve eaten here since high school…and I don’t think the prices have gone up. Awesome! W/ @jennalacovara”
Well, Halloween happened. There were the predictable twitpics of costumes and candy, and there were these:
Melissa Blasius (Melissa12News), watchdog reporter at 12 News in Phoenix, tweeted: “Halloween turned pretty scary for me. Got stung by a scorpion – twice! I knew I was afraid of them for a reason.”
Kristen Keogh (@KristenKeogh), reporter for Fox 10, tweeted, “A trick or treater just came to the live truck and gave me a Tootsie Pop. My favorite!!! Halloween is complete”
And Ryan Recker (@RyanRecker), sports director at KVOA-TV in Tucson, tweeted: “The closest I’m going to get to celebrating #halloween will be the spider-themed donut I devoured today”
It’s always good to end on positive note in an otherwise angst-y tweet week. So who better to do that than Phoenix’s own phenom Jordin Sparks (@JordinSparks) of “American Idol” fame (and who shares a birthday with @MikeTheSauce).
Sparks, who has an eye-popping 2.4 million Twitter followers, tweeted a link to a Huffington Post article and video from a 3TV report about a Queen Creek girl with a brain disorder who was being bullied at school. You won’t regret the 3 minutes and 22 seconds you will spend watching what happens to her after the school football team takes some action.
Sparks’ tweet, which is TwitterZona’s Tweet of the Week: “Love this! I know theres more people out there like this! #StandUp2Bullying!! #az” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/10/29/queen-creek-football-players_n_2039212.html …\
