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Ask Roll Call: Twitter Q&A Transcript (Stu Rothenberg)

By Christina Bellantoni
Posted February 18, 2011 at 9:53am

Roll Call is continuing Twitter Q-and-A sessions and the latest edition was with Stu Rothenberg, a Roll Call columnist who is best known as the editor of the Rothenberg Political Report.

His latest column questions the wisdom of buzz suggesting Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), who is recovering from a gunshot wound, could mount a Senate bid.

Stu is a Twitter newbie but has already mastered the craft, and he got a record number of questions Thursday.

Since it was on Twitter, of course, his answers were kept to under 140 characters. A transcript follows.



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Here we go – @ takes your questions in 3, 2, 1 …



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Welcome to our 5th Twitter Q&A w/ @ ! He writes 2 columns a wk & authors Rothenberg Political Report, longtime indep. pol analyst



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Thanks for all your questions. Let’s get started!



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Q1! RT @: @ @ If not Giffords…Napolitano for AZ Senate? How ’bout Cpt Kelly?



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Q2! RT @: @ @ What’s up w ME Senate race? Replay of DE and Mike Castle?



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.@ Snowe must be careful. TP rival not strong. Gov. endorsed but if O’D could beat Castle anything possible ^@



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.@ Napolitano might, she’s looking at it. Open seat will generate plenty of interest. ^@



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Q3! RT @: @ Any idea what Sharon Angle’s COH is currently? Thoughts on which race she goes for Cong/Sen/POTUS?



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.@ Under $15k w/ $350k in debt as of 12/31. Ran for House once, another run likely b/c gaining seat + Heller ^@ (Ed. note: Heller likely to run for Senate, meaning yet another open seat)



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Q4! RT @: @ @ what impact will these budget cuts have on urban communities?



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.@ Still waiting to see where final cuts are but cities, counties already squeezed, more of same coming. ^@



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Q5! RT @: @ @ any thoughts on national implications on voter motivation from WI protests



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.@ Warm & fuzzy mood of mid-Jan giving way to traditional battle lines. These fights get partisan juices flowing ^@



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Q6! RT @: @ @ how is the president looking in 2012



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.@ Better right now. Job approval up but it’s all about economy & GOP nominee & strategy ^@ ()



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Q7! MT @ W/ cells, auto dial & spike in crappy data, is there still polling out there we can trust? What kind & who? (Ed. note: Lauren is Roll Call’s political editor.)



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.@ Love NBC/WSJ poll/I look @ WaPo, CBS/NYT, CNN. I keep eye on unreleased partisan polls avg person doesn’t see ^@



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Q8! RT @: @ with prices on goods increasing and wage reductions for working folks; will recovery for economy take longer?



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.@ Voters showing some optimism & econ forecasts are up a bit, but outlook remains hazy. ^@



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Q9! RT @: @ Huge cuts to Medicare home health will harm seniors. Your thoughts.



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.@ I don’t expect huge Medicare cuts in near term, Congress still unwilling to make tough choices. ^@



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Q10! MT @: When I tell people I live/work in DC they ask if media here should be on Obama payroll. How beholden is RC to WH whims?



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.@ Not at all. Nationally, some reporters/commentators in tank for Obama but most reporters simply trying to do jobs ^@



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Q11! RT @: @ What are your thoughts on the VA Senate race for Ds? Does TommyP increase or decrease Dems chances?



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.@ Perriello runs good campaigns but he’s really pretty liberal. He would get base excited. Credible but underdog. ^@



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Q12! RT @: @ who do you expect can win the hearts of college aged republicans in 2012?



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.@ Attractive, charismatic, conservative = John Thune. ^@



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Q13! MT @: @ what’s your take on how Calif. House delegation will shake out after redistricting & move to jungle primary?



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.@ Great Q! Nobody knows what commission will do, expect number of incumbents to be thrown together. It will be zoo. ^@



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Q14! RT @: @ @ if Christie decides to throw his hat in can he do damage?



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.@ Great shoot from the hip style. He really connects w/ average guy but his style could wear thin. Keep watching ^@



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Q15! MT @ S.Israel refuses to say Dems can re-take House in ’12. Is he right to be cautious? Your # for Dem pickups? (Ed. note: Steve is a Roll Call political reporter.)



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.@ W/out district lines it’s impossible to handicap races. A guess: minimal changes in House. Dems could net a few ^@



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Q16! RT @: @ for @ Q&A: Who’s the best 2012 GOP contender (a) politically and (b) governmentally?



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.@ Guessing here: Mitch Daniels would address deficit in bold way. Politically, Mitt, T-Paw, Thune. ^@



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Q17! MT @: .@ Who would you rather have on your fantasy team this year? Josh Johnson or Matt Cain and why? (Ed. note: Nathan is Stu’s colleague.)



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.@ Love both of them. I’d pick Josh Johnson. More Ks. A proven ace. ^@



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Q18! RT @: @ for @ Q&A: Can a comparison be made between a baseball relief pitcher and a party’s VP selection?



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.@ Nope. VPs don’t matter. Relief pitchers do.



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Final question from Roll Call’s @: What’s your wild card Senate seat Dems could flip in 2012?



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.@ Indiana. If Lugar gets dumped in GOP primary it’s a whole new ball game, Dems must have good candidate. ^@



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Thanks so much to @ for our 5th Twitter Q&A. Transcript to be posted at RollCall.com later.



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Next week’s edition will be with Paul Singer, Roll Call’s lobbying & investigations editor @

Follow @rollcall on Twitter and follow our staff list for the full complement of reporters and editors.

Read our previous Twitter Q&A transcripts with Steven T. Dennis here, Jennifer Bendery here, Steve Peoples here and John Stanton here.

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