While some say social media is the great communication tool of the century – breaking class boundaries to enable conversation between the elite and the huddled masses – most tweets to the famous go ignored.
This is especially the case with politicians, who are presumably spending their days building a better democratic institution.
But not on Wednesday. During a Senate hearing on cybersecurity – featuring testimony from National Security Agency chief Keith Alexander – Senate appropriations committee chairwoman Barbara Mikulski paused the hearing to respond to a tweet.
"I want to respond to a tweet about me from Rosie Gray," Mikulski said, referring to Buzzfeed reporter Rosie Gray.
Mikulski, a Democratic senator from Maryland, then read the tweet:
Mikulski continued:
I want to say to Rosie: there is no attempt here to muscle, stifle, any senator from asking any line of questioning. So we have an opening hearing.
So Rosie, it's an open hearing. Hi, look forward to keeping in touch.
If you have any questions for Mikulski, her Twitter is @SenatorBarb.
Democracy!
