Twitter’s trending topics, the Top 10 terms and tags being tweeted at a
given time, reflect the momentary, conversational zeitgeist of its users
in real time. The list offers insight into the various issues people
are talking about at a given moment. On the rare occasion when one topic
manages to occupy several of the trending terms, it is a clear sign
that an issue has struck a chord with the public.
That’s what happened within minutes of US President Barack Obama telling
ABC News that he had finished his “evolution” on whether to support gay
marriage last Wednesday, becoming the first sitting US president to
openly advocate same-sex nuptials.
Viral video of the week:
Suddenly, Tweeters around the country were talking about
#MarriageEquality, Mr. President, POTUS, #IfIWasPresident,
#FutureBidenGaffes (a reference to the fact that Obama’s announcement
was forced by Vice President Joe Biden, who prematurely expressed his
own support for gay marriage days earlier) and Log Cabin Republicans (a
gay Republican advocacy group). The reactions occupied 60 percent of the
terms on the trending list.
Tweet of the Week:
Across the Internet, gay rights supporters
expressed joy
at the announcement, which helped re-energize the liberal base that had
grown disillusioned with Obama since his 2008 campaign. The Obama
campaign, immediately pushing an onslaught of pro-LGBT emails, adverts
and merchandise, managed to ring up over $1 million in donations within
90 minutes. A George Clooney-backed fundraiser in Hollywood a few days
later, already expected to be a bonanza for Obama, ended up
pulling in a record $15 million.
While the general reaction was positive, reflecting the growing majority
of Americans’ belief that same-sex couples should be free to wed, the
move prompted swift condemnations from social conservatives as well.
Several hours after the announcement, religious Tweeters opposed to
Obama’s stance managed to trend “Put God First” on Twitter right
alongside “Gay Marriage.”
Senator Rand Paul, son of unlikely GOP candidate Ron Paul, said he didn’t think Obama’s views “
could get any gayer.” Bristol Palin, daughter of former vice presidential candidate
Sarah Palin, caused an uproar when she lambasted the president in her
blog.
Responding to Obama’s explanation that conversations with his daughters
helped him reach his decision, Palin wrote, “It would’ve been nice if
the President would’ve been an actual leader and helped shape their
thoughts instead of merely reflecting what many teenagers think after
one too many episodes of Glee.” Angry fans of the musical comedy show
and gay rights advocates alike quickly shot back on Twitter:
Fox News got into hot water for its knee-jerk reaction to the
announcement, headlining its Fox Nation website with the proclamation,
“Obama Flip Flops, Declares War on Marriage.”
Though they
quickly changed
the headline to “Obama Flip Flops on Gay Marriage,” they were not quick
enough to escape criticism for their heavy editorializing. The
Huffington Post even produced a meme out of the incident, imagining the
kinds of headlines even Fox would have rejected, such as “Obama Actually
Gay Muslim, Bin Laden Lives.”
The Log Cabin Republicans blasted the US president for not arriving at
the “Dick Cheney position on marriage equality” a few days sooner, in
time to influence North Carolina’s referendum banning gay marriage in
their state. As Yahoo! News
pointed out, the statements made no mention of presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney’s position on the issue.
Romney clarified that himself, quickly declaring that he always has been
and remains opposed to gay marriage and even civil unions if they
entail the same set of rights as marriage.
Though it helped him shore up his conservative credentials, Romney’s
stringent opposition to gay rights took on a sinister turn following a
Washington Post report that that he
bullied gay students
at his prep school as a teenager. The accusations aligned uncomfortably
with the Romney campaign’s own attempts to play him up as mischievous
prankster, a portrayal they hoped would break his image as a stiff,
un-cool candidate.
Romney said he does not remember the incidents, but admitted that “back
in high school, I did some dumb things and if anybody was hurt by that
or offended,
obviously I apologize for that.” Given the spate of
suicides attributed to gay bashing
in the United States last year and the anti-bullying activism it has
spurred from celebrities, politicians and major companies in the form of
“
It Gets Better” videos, the bullying charges against Romney may well resonate with the American public.
But the Republicans establishment itself may be coming to terms with the
fact that opposing gay rights will land them on the “wrong side of
history.” In 2004, a weakened George W. Bush used opposition to gay
marriage as a wedge issue to distract from the flailing Iraq War. In
2012, Obama is using support for gay marriage as a wedge issue to
distract from the flailing economy. The only reason that is possible is
because more and more of the American electorate is coming to see gay
marriage as a civil right.
A leaked memo by a top Republican pollster
warned that, even among Republicans, support for gay marriage is
growing "at an accelerated rate with no sign of slowing down.” It
recommends that Republicans start supporting gay rights as a
conservative value, a “freedom to decide how you live and to enter into
relationships of your choosing, the freedom to live without excessive
interference of the regulatory force of government.”
#USelections2012 offers weekly insight
into the US Presidential election through a social media lens, tracking
candidates as they try to reach 270 electoral votes in 140 characters
or less.
The writer is a Breaking News editor and blogger at The Jerusalem Post. Read his blog ‘The Bottom Line’ here.