Candidates' social accounts spin, raise money during debates
As the candidates were taking shots at each other on stage, their campaigns were doing damage control and spin online – or raising money.
As Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. asked former Vice President Joe Biden about an old op-ed in which he had allegedly argued that women working outside the home led to the deterioration of families, Biden's Twitter account posted a thread shortly afterward about the issue.
"This attack from Senator Gillibrand has been two weeks in the making, and it STILL isn’t accurate," wrote Biden's campaign.
Gillibrand's camp responded by tweeting an image to the op-ed and asking that Biden "explain" to the country.
.@JoeBiden op-ed in 1981: Expanding the childcare tax credit and allowing more women to work would subsidize "the deterioration of the family."
Those are his words. He should explain to America: How does a mom working lead to the deterioration of the family? pic.twitter.com/RADnzTbofx— Meredith Kelly (@meredithk27) August 1, 2019
In an earlier debate moment, after Biden made a slip of the tongue and referred to Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. as "president," before correcting himself to "future president," Booker made a fundraising pitch to his followers.
"Future President has a nice ring to it," Booker's campaign wrote.
Future President has a nice ring to it. Chip in $5 (or whatever you can) to help our campaign keep up the momentum: https://t.co/ZGRhXUzrlR https://t.co/d2DRKRHnMg
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) August 1, 2019
Some viewers weren't so pleased with the social media posts.
"I think it’s weird when the 'candidates' tweet during the debate," wrote Ben Mankiewicz. "It’s an aggressive acknowledgment that 'yeah, my account is a fraud, run by an intern.'"
I think it’s weird when the “candidates” tweet during the debate: it’s an aggressive acknowledgment that “yeah, my account is a fraud, run by an intern.”
— Ben Mankiewicz (@BenMank77) August 1, 2019
During the first debate, Fox News host Dana Perino said the social media posts could distract from a sense of "authenticity."
I don’t think that candidates’ should tweet from their accounts via staff during their debate performances. If voters want authenticity, tweet for yourself. There’ll be time enough to tweet, when the debatin’s done....
— Dana Perino (@DanaPerino) July 31, 2019
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Democratic debate 2019: Candidates' social accounts spin, raise money
