It’s become commonplace for political candidates  to use social media for campaigning, but recently many of them have started using it not just to express their views on an issue or to release statements of their plans to the public as in Senator Evan Bayh’s case, “Here is the video of my retirement announcement.http://bit.ly/cBhAu7” (@SenEvanBayh). They have also begun using it in ways to reveal their personality in less formal, biting ways.

Democratic Candidate for Governor Darren E. McGillis recently had a post that leads one straight to aan old school rap video with an ironic twist. The rap song “Friends” plays in the background as images of Republican leaders sharing smiling photo-ops together. The undertone is scathing as the voice refers to people being friends for money purpose while a picture of rival Charlie Christ in friendly poses with convicted ponzi-schemer Scott Rothstein. “Republican friends how many of us have them…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R9sP4JKdCE” @mcgills4GovFL. The guilt by association message is clear, as is the appeal to the generation X voters who grew up when this song was popular.

Rep. Alan Grayson from Florida uses twitter to get across his ideas as well with a link to a CNN interview. “She’s an Inspiration to Quitters All Over the Country” http://goo.gl/fb/ciSw8. In the interview he makes even further mocking comments, calling former Governor Palin a “reality show star” among other things.

The Daily Kos (@DaliyKos) even gets in on the action by taking a jab at an entire political movement. “Fox poll: IRS more popular than tea party movementhttp://bit.ly/cihuHG.”

Sometimes, one can seemingly go too far. In England, Labour Party cancdidate Stuart MacLennan used twitter in a similar way but pushed the envelope too far for the political climate when he said, “God this fair-trade, organic banana is shit. Can I have a slave-grown, chemically enhanced, genetically modified one please?” (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-candidate-dropped-for-offensive-remarks-on-twitter-1940717.html).

“It’s almost now becoming a standard that you should really have a Facebook page or Twitter if you are running for office,” says Richard Pineda a communication studies professor at the University of Texas at El Paso.

Politicians must learn to go where their voters are. If their voters want to hear the issues and their take on them, they should deliver it to them in a format that they can readily accept and understand. But as social media becomes more social, are we going to see more or the lack of manners that can typify internet chatrooms? Or is it really just a microcosm of our society at large, where negative campaigning and mudslinging can someimtes be the political norm?

Perhaps, it really just is a reflection of the candidate’s personality. As the case with Michele Bachmann, congresswoman from Minnesota, usually seems to be on the offensive in most of her appearances, so she is on he twitter feed. “What’s the point of having a debt limit if we just keep raising it? http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126099939736594429.html” and “Today’s the one year anniversary of the so-called “stimulus” package. Was it worth the $862 billion?” @MicheleBachmann. This is in direct contrast to someone like Evan Bayh who tries to keep a different air about him, “I love working for the people of Indiana…. But I do not love Congress” and ”last two sessions [of the Indiana legislature] have been disappointing.”