McCain in 2016: Huh?

FILE: Aug. 6, 2013: GOP Arizona Sen.John McCain talks at a press conference in Cairo, Egypt. (AP)

Politicians, operatives, White House officials, members of Congress—along with some snark artists—are debating, attacking, defending and kibitzing around the clock on Twitter. It’s a nonstop forum that is helping shape the political conversation.  In this daily feature, @laurenashburn picks some of the best – and worst – political tweets you may have missed.

Sometimes Twitter just gets it plain wrong.

John McCain told the Arizona Republic over the weekend that a lot of people want him to run for the White House.

“Particularly since the shutdown, I’ve had a spate of e-mails and letters and phone calls saying, ‘Run for president again,’" he said.

That statement was enough to set the Twitterverse on fire from people who’d rather not watch that race.

Begging him to run? Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Let’s go back to the original interview – which was longer than 140 characters. Immediately after McCain says people are emailing and asking him to run for president, he says this to the Republic:

“As you know, I’m seriously thinking about running for re-election to the Senate. But I think, in the words of the late Morris K. Udall, as far as my presidential ambitions are concerned, ‘The people have spoken — the bastards.’”

See what happened here? He has no intention of running for president – although the jury is still out on holding onto his Senate seat for another term.

John McCain was kidding! In the words of the inimitable Foghorn Leghorn:  “That's a joke, I say that's a joke son, dontcha get it?”

***

Chris Christie made the Sunday show rounds talking about his New Jersey victory, and deflecting rampant speculation that he’s a 2016 contender.

He did, however, make a joke about how no one should “give a darn” about what strategists for Mitt Romney’s campaign had to say about him as a potential running mate.

Except, according to a Yahoo news story by Chris Moody, he did use some of Romney’s top guys to help advise his campaign to the tune of $46,007.29. Moody’s colleague, Yahoo News’ Chief Washington Correspondent Olivier Knox, tweeted the news.

That’s the problem with shooting from the hip, Guv. Might wanna get that in check for 2016.

***

In a bizarre mix of drugs and politics, Democratic strategist James Carville just had to go there.

On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” he had some advice for the president on his flagging poll numbers.

“I think the best thing he can do is take a toke on the mayor of Toronto’s crack pipe, because his numbers are about 48.”

Carville telling Obama to smoke crack on national TV. Alrighty then.

Politico inhaled the story, and it took off online with more than one person wondering what James was on.

***

The biggest bullying story in America has had a boomerang effect for a New York Times political reporter.

Jonathan Martin happens to share the same name as the Miami Dolphins lineman who left the team after a barrage of nasty and racist taunts from a teammate Richie Incognito.

This prompted some easily confused tweeters to start tossing hate-bombs at the journalist.

The NYT Martin, summoning his courage, retweeted this one:

The sports blog, Deadspin, rounded up the worst offenders prompting fellow Timesman to reveal a state secret.

We hope he keeps some Kleenex around.

If you’d like to recommend your favorite political Twitter picks, email Lauren Ashburn laurenashburnFNC@yahoo.com or send her a tweet @laurenashburn with the hashtag #TwitterTalk.