Barack Obama Loves Rick Scott's Tweet

Politics make strange Tweetfellows. While Mitt Romney has tried to claim Florida's economy under Barack Obama has been lagging, Florida Governor Rick Scott has maintained, for his own political future, that the economy in the state is improving.So, while it might be strange that the Barack Obama campaign is highlighting...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

October 11, 2012

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "19274298",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17482312",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482310",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482313",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Politics make strange Tweetfellows. While Mitt Romney has tried to claim Florida's economy under Barack Obama has been lagging, Florida Governor Rick Scott has maintained, for his own political future, that the economy in the state is improving.

So, while it might be strange that the Barack Obama campaign is highlighting a Tweet made by Rick Scott, perhaps the most unpopular governor sweeped in during the Tea Party surge of 2010, it actually makes perfect sense.

Scott tweeted the following last week:

Tampa-St.Pete.-Clearwater and Miami area experienced largest unemployment rate declines in country. #FLBack2Work bls.gov/news.release/m...
-- Rick Scott (@FLGovScott) October 5, 2012

According to Bloomberg News, Josh Earnest, the principal deputy White House press secretary, made note of the Tweet, and indicated that Obama may be talking about the tweet during his appearance at the University of Miami today.

While Barack Obama and Rick Scott may be political opposites, they're both incumbents and their reelections chances rest substantially on their economic track records.

Of course, who is really to credit for the unemployment decline in Florida's two biggest metro areas -- Scott, Obama, or neither -- is a whole other matter of discussion.

Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.