Move over CSPAN now we can get our political news directly from the source… the people on the floor. Twitter is not the bleeding edge but it sure is great to see politicians giving updates about what’s going on during their session. It almost takes the middleman of PR or Campaign managers out. I’m sure some staff members are urging their candidates to stay off twitter for the sanctity of their careers, but all of a sudden politicians become more real. There’s something authentic about getting the most boring play by play from the mouth of the horse, its kind of like baseball players giving me updates from the dug out instead of listening to the fluff that comes out of the broadcaster’s mouth. Of course it could just be some intern in the gallery twittering away, but hey welcome to the 21st century politics.

Shimkus, GOP using Twitter in protest

By Adam Jadhav

U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, has been helping out in the ongoing GOP House protest. Republicans are accusing Democrats of taking a break instead of doing the people’s business. GOPers, including Shimkus, want a number of things passed — including offshore drilling.

So they’ve been holding session anyway — though the session is technically in recess — to give their viewpoint. But with the lights practically off, the GOP has taken a new approach to get the world out: Twitter, a micro-blogging service that allows people to post quick 140-character updates on what they’re doing.

Shimkus is one of several congressmen who are using the service — through their mobile phones or laptops — to end-around the mainstream media.

Now I’m not the first person to comment on this nor is Twitter exactly new. But in the mainstream Twitter is pretty unheard of. The representatives are also apparently using Qik.com, an even more unheralded technology that allows live broadcasts.

Here’s a link to Shimkus’ Twitter feed.

Also, you can following the Post-Dispatch’s political twitter feed here and our Qik feed here. We’ll be using both at the political conventions later this month and next.

Enjoy.