Newt Gingrich accused of 'buying' followers on Twitter

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Telegraph

Newt Gingrich accused of 'buying' followers on Twitter
A former employee of presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has accused him of buying followers on the Twitter website in an attempt to make himself seem more in touch with the grassroots.

http://i.telegraph.co.uk.nyud.net:8090/multimedia/archive/01845/ne_1845867c.jpg

By Alex Spillius, Washington
6:05PM BST 02 Aug 2011

The employee claimed that the Republican used a number of agencies that create inactive or dummy accounts which were made to "follow" his Twitter account.

Of Mr Gingrich's 1.3 million followers, he told the Gawker website that only ten per cent were "real sentient people who happen to like New Gingrich".

Most of his followers have odd usernames and no profile photos, suggesting they were mass generated.

However experts in the field pointed out that Mr Gingrich acquired most of his following when he was on Twitter's "Suggested User List".



Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/8677715/Newt-Gingrich-accused-of-buying-followers-on-Twitter.html

[Broderick]

1. HAHAHAHAHA

[Enrique]

2. why did this quote make me laugh?

only ten per cent were "real sentient people who happen to like New Gingrich".

:rofl:

[VWolf]

3. Because oxymorons are funny n/t

[beac]

7. "New Gingrich"? Is that like New Coke?

Guessing New Newt won't fare any better than that sugar beverage flop of yore.

Too bad for him no one likes "Classic Newt" much either.

[liberal N proud]

4. That is just sad

You have to buy people to support you!

:rofl:

[No Elephants]

5. He needs to save his money to buy a clue. Here's one:

Newt, stop spending money on this futile endeavor. You will not be the nominee. No one even remembered you were running until this embarrassing story came out.

[dtexdem]

6. Dead souls.

He didn't actually buy followers -- he bought fake follower mock-ups.

[the_chinuk]

8. Just let him live with the embarrassment.

That should be all the punishment that mister high-falutin' ex-history perfesser should need.

That and another reading of Santayana.

[yellowcanine]

9. That sure is an ugly face. Sure to scare small children.

[obxhead]

10. Damn.

Where do I sign up. I'll even create a fully fictitious username with a photo of a dogs asshole!

[tanyev]

11. Oh, that's what the huge Tiffany's bill was for.

:rofl:

[Doctor_J]

12. He's got to be one of the most amoral men in history

Seriously, this guy is more screwed up than even GWB

[Divine Discontent]

13. Oh, my, good heavens... SHUT IT DOWN NEWT, you're a joke amongst a lot of fools in the GOP.