Michael Bennet: Half a loaf is better than none

Michael Roberts September 28, 2009 10:25AM

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Twitter isn't just for letting people know about dead bodies without linking to any additional information, as the Denver Police Department did this morning in regard to a slaying in an AT&T parking lot at 2535 E. 40th Avenue. It's also a place for politicos to promote themselves while trying to come across like real people. Witness this odd weekend tweet from Senator Michael Bennet's Twitter feed: "I'm proud of my daughter Halina for scoring the game-tying goal in her soccer game today."

What the hell? Do Mike and Halina only communicate via handheld devices? If not, and Bennet actually shared his pride with her in person, then the decision to send this info out to his 547 followers is an attempt to prove that he's not the dry policy wonk he sometimes seems. Problem is, his language still comes across as weirdly formal, as if he was writing it for a congressional proclamation, not an attagirl. Even when Bennet tries to loosen up, he can come across as uptight.

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Michael Roberts has written for Westword since October 1990, serving stints as music editor and media columnist. He currently covers everything from breaking news and politics to sports and stories that defy categorization.

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