Sen. McCaskill reads 'even the haters' on Twitter

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) seemed proud of a low Twitter stat in an interview on Friday: 0.

That's how many people the freshman senator is following on Twitter, despite having logged over 2,250 tweets and 70,000 followers herself. The reason is simple. 

"I read every @ reply I get every night — even from the haters. I'm looking for the people who are tweeting me from Missouri. I've been able to actually help people; we've gotten casework off my tweets. If I were following people it would just be too much," she told The Atlantic Wire, adding that she messages back dozens of residents of the Show-Me State every week.

McCaskill, who writes all her own tweets (it "drives my staff crazy," she says), credits her kids with getting her on Twitter.

"Twitter is just a good interactive way for me to communicate directly," she said. "I like it because when you're a senator there is a tendency for everyone to want to edit you, and I get tired of that. I yearn to break free and say whatever I want. Twitter is my space to do that; nobody edits it."

She also admitted to some embarrassing Twitter moments, "like when I left the L out of 'public option.' People were excited to read about the 'pubic option.' I think the fact that it is flawed and not perfect makes it more genuine and more authentic."

McCaskill isn't quite as enthusiastic about all social media platforms, admitting to the Atlantic that she "didn't get" Pinterest. But she is a fan of Instagram, which she recently used to promote Missouri produce.

And although she doesn't update it often, her Tumblr plays host to some interesting tidbits, like a recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie.

McCaskill is the first to admit she's not a part of the 'net generation, but she's certainly embraced its communication methods in her years in Congress. 

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