Obama's Twitter Debut: President Sends His First-Ever Tweet (PICTURE)

President Obama has sent his first Tweet.

Obama admitted in November 2009 that he had "never used Twitter" ("My thumbs are too clumsy to type in things on the phone," he explained), which came as a disappoint to avid Twitterers--and his more than 3 million followers on Twitter.

On January 18, during a visit to the American Red Cross headquarters in D.C., the President finally posted his first Twitter update.

His inaugural Tweet didn't come from his Twitter account, @BarackObama, but rather from the Red Cross' account, @RedCross. His Tweet was also in the third person (see screenshots below):

President Obama and the First Lady are here visiting our disaster operation center right now.

The Red Cross followed up with a post confirming that it was Obama who had sent the Tweet:

President Obama pushed the button on the last tweet. It was his first ever tweet!

Shortly after, the Red Cross also posted photos from the Obamas' visit.

TechCrunch wonders why the President chose not to update his personal Twitter account:

Obviously, this tweet was a way of showing his support for what the Red Cross is doing to help people in Haiti following the devastating earthquakes there last week. Though it might have been better for him to tweet from his account with over 2 million followers about the relief rather than the Red Cross' which has a "mere" 50,000 followers.

It remains to be seen if Obama will keep up the Tweeting.

A recent study that found Republicans have been 'out-Tweeting' Democrats.
The "Twongress" report indicates that the number of 'active' Republican Twitterers is nearly double the number of 'active' Democrats: "89 Republicans are actively tweeting, compared to 43 Democrats," writes The Hill, adding, "The divide is especially apparent in the House, where 42 percent of the Republican Caucus is tweeting, while only 12 percent of the Democratic Caucus has found a Twitter audience."

Quick Poll

Do you think Obama will keep Tweeting?

Yes

No--it was a one time thing only.

Yes--but rarely

Share your vote on Facebook so your friends can take this poll

See a screenshot of Obama's Twitter post below:

Follow HuffPostTech On Facebook And Twitter!

Comments

[MANOFCOMMONSENSE]

01:58 PM on 01/27/2010

THE SUPREME COURT FREE SPEACH FOR ( WE THE BUSINESS???)
FOLKS HERE'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITHIN THE NEXT 20 YEARS IF THIS STAYS THIS WAY!!!! THE MULTI BILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO BUY ( ALL ) TIME SLOTS TO THE POINT IF IT BECOMES A BIDDING WAR FOR WHO CAN AFFORD THE MOST WHO WILL WIN???? BIG BUSINESS!!! THE NETWORKS WILL NOT TURN DOWN THE BIG BUCKS!!!

[MANOFCOMMONSENSE]

01:50 PM on 01/27/2010

HERE WHERE THE SHORT COMINGS OF PEOPLE WHO POST COMMENTS!! YOU NEED TO PUSH COMMON SENSE OF OUR AGENDA!! THE REPUBLI=CONS ALWAYS GO TO BATTLE OVER ONE POINT AND CONTINUE TO PUSH PUSH PUSH THAT ONE POINT!! AND IT TAKES ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN!! ( TEA PARTY!!) THE JOB HERE IS TO REPEAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU BALANCE A BUDGET OR ADDRESS THE NATIONAL DEBT!!!! IF ALL BUSINESS'S AND PEOPLE ARE PAYING IN LESS IN TO THE FED GOV CAUSE OF UNEMPLOYMENT!! AND LESS INCOME FOR BUSINESS'S DO TO THE CURRENT ECONOMY CONDITIONS!! ( LESS PEOPLE BUYING )

[The Bank]

12:03 AM on 01/20/2010

I think it's pretty tweet that Brown won.

[butterfly218]

10:08 PM on 01/20/2010

This President supports all that is good . He is quite a guy . The Rethugs are running on nothing, really .They say they will always say no , they will come up with nothing for the American people , they promise more nothing if elected and they vow to run our country into the ground . If you run on nothing , how do you know when you are done . They are theives stealing from the people , stealing a unearned pay check , and using the air ways to promise more nothing just like the last 30 years .

[Okieborn]

11:42 PM on 01/19/2010

The Democrats got a split lip and a bruised ego tonight by the newly elected Senator Brown !!
I am a Progressive Democrat and I am ashamed the way some of the Democratic Senators sold their vote to the pharmaceutical and Insurance companies and forgot their moral issues !!
Mr. President the Bipartisan crap will have to go, the Republicans want you to fail and a da** good example is what happened at the polls tonight !!!
Sir you are losing your base and the hope and change for America with it !!!

[Anda]

11:25 PM on 01/19/2010

I hope this will wake up Obama, Get rid of the Bankers and Wall Street group.

[mary clyne]

09:36 PM on 01/19/2010

Well my peeps, if Brown wins I hope the Dems realise that they have to put back in the the Public Option or else .This is a wake up call for the Dems, the People rules. There are other elections to come, who knows, the repubs might lose much more seats than us .there is always hope!
Hold on Mr President do not give up hope, we are still backing you.Rome was not built in a day

[hamchunk]

09:41 PM on 01/19/2010

But Rome was brought to its knees and destruction by political ineptness and corruption.

[GunneraGirl]

09:49 PM on 01/19/2010

i thought it was the lead linings in the water system, which slowly gave everyone lead poisoning.

[hamchunk]

09:19 PM on 01/19/2010

Great. More entertainment and style over the substance he was supposed to deliver. Hope you feel better reading his tweets while standing in the unemployment office. Dupes.

[Nyla785]

09:13 PM on 01/19/2010

When Repubs talk of 'leadership' they mean swaggering, dismissive, reckless tough talk.
No, Obama does not possess that.
Nor should any American president.

[ittybittykitty]

06:25 PM on 01/19/2010

My son (age 17) says Twittering is for old people and conservatives. None of his friends "tweet."

[PRONESE]

04:31 PM on 01/19/2010

Oh Great
*
*
Another Twittering Twerp.
*
Posish!
*
R/ PRONESE

[zootliberal]

03:51 PM on 01/19/2010

his first tweet: MA WTF?

[dynagirl7371]

08:35 PM on 01/19/2010

I really dig your picture, avatar whatever.

[zootliberal]

11:55 AM on 01/20/2010

Avatar, thanks, he's a muppet and he plays the saxophone, so we have two things in common. His name is zoot, and one of my favorite jazz musicians is zoot sims - also a great saxophone player. I used to see him on Sesame Street and the Muppet Show (when my daughters and I watched). I suspect he would have voted for Obama, and blown a gasket when he heard Pat Robertson tell us about the Haitian pack with the devil.

[rnaghi]

03:11 PM on 01/19/2010

Obama just wants to be a celebrity. A president tweeting, appearing on tv every day, making some marginal improvement consttantly seem like some historical event. ive seen Obama on tv everyday, pretty much saying the same lies over and over and over hyping every single thing he can find. Now twitter. I saw him on an nfl commercial the other day. Not that being on tv doesnt give him time to do anything else, im sure he can find the time if he wanted to, but that it seems to be his primary motivations.
He needlessly compromised on issue after issue to the point where that legislation was compromised. Healthcare, the stimulus, etc. All to get republican votes? He must have some sort of obsession with people liking him, and he seems determined to win the support of republicans because he just wants to be liked. Its Sad

[Skygazer]

06:58 PM on 01/19/2010

Well, he did say he was going to be the president of "everyone," not just the Dems. Unlike the GOP who could give a flying toss about anything but their rich supporters always sticking it to the whole country with their constant hog fest at the government corp. welfare trough. Oink, oink, oink....say the bankers. Oink, oink, oink, say the health insurance co.s. Oink oink oink say the Joe Lieberman's of this world.

Anyhow, enjoy the nice Obama, cos I hear he's getting put away for a while. Obama is a pragmatist and he's about results and the GOP should bend over and assume the position cos playtime is over.

[lemondade]

02:30 PM on 01/19/2010

I LOVE OBAMA'S STRENGTH AND PATIENCE AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE THROUGH ALL THE MUD SLINGING OF THE GOP.

OBAMA IS A GREAT PRESIDENT AND LEADER OF ALL PEOPLE. HE SHOWS GRACE (THAT IS WHAT GOD TEACHES US.)

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, MR PRESIDENT. AMEN.

[zootliberal]

03:52 PM on 01/19/2010

fanned

[KarenT]

05:54 PM on 01/19/2010

Fanned

[gurukalehuru]

02:28 PM on 01/19/2010

Why did he have to choose Bob Dole as his twitter role model?

[spark19me]

02:07 PM on 01/19/2010

good thing He is shining light on the red cross.. but who cares about twitter..not on it and never will.