This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.

Barack Obama Marks His Twitter Debut With An Epic Banter With Bill Clinton

Barack Obama Marks His Twitter Debut With An Epic Banter With Bill Clinton
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 23: U.S. President Barack Obama, who is in New York City for the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, speaks at the Clinton Global Initiative on September 23, 2014 in New York City. World leaders, activists and protesters have converged on New York City for the annual UN event that brings together the global leaders for a week of meetings and conferences. This year 's General Assembly has highlighted the problem of global warming and how countries need to strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 23: U.S. President Barack Obama, who is in New York City for the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, speaks at the Clinton Global Initiative on September 23, 2014 in New York City. World leaders, activists and protesters have converged on New York City for the annual UN event that brings together the global leaders for a week of meetings and conferences. This year 's General Assembly has highlighted the problem of global warming and how countries need to strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Barack Obama, the President of the United States, has finally joined Twitter. Six years after he was elected to office, and halfway through his second term, the 53-year-old leader of the most powerful democracy started tweeting from his official handle, @POTUS (short for President Of The United States).

Hello, Twitter! It's Barack. Really! Six years in, they're finally giving me my own account.

— President Obama (@POTUS) May 18, 2015

Even as The White House confirmed that it was indeed Obama tweeting from his own handle on Monday afternoon, his wife welcomed him to Twitter with an "About time!"

By Monday night, Obama had over 1.43 million followers.

BREAKING: President Obama just launched @POTUS with a tweet from the Oval Office. It's really him! #WelcomeToTwitterhttps://t.co/oMsgvV55i1

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 18, 2015

It's about time, @POTUS! –mo

— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) May 18, 2015

But our favourite Twitter-banter so far is between him and former Prez Bill Clinton.

Welcome to @Twitter, @POTUS! One question: Does that username stay with the office? #askingforafriend

— Bill Clinton (@billclinton) May 18, 2015

Good question, @billclinton. The handle comes with the house. Know anyone interested in @FLOTUS?

— President Obama (@POTUS) May 18, 2015

Clinton was referring to his wife, Hillary, who is running for President next year and is the liberal frontrunner for the Democratic Party. The former US Secretary of State to Obama is said to be banking heavily on his coalition to win the election next year.

A press statement from The White House on Monday said that the new social media account would help Obama "to engage directly with the American people, with tweets coming exclusively from him," adding that it would help his administration become "the most open and participatory in history."

We'll be watching the @POTUS twitter handle closely for further updates. Till then, here's a video of Obama sending his first tweet.

Watch President Obama send his first tweet from @POTUS. #FollowTheTweets

https://t.co/N8JxY8kQIE

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 18, 2015

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.