The Long-Lost Tweets Of The Media Elite

How did the media's most influential accounts tweet when they first started out? Let's take another little trip into Twitter's memory hole.

New York Times, 2007:

"Word up!" It is I, the Gray Lady, with a "shoutout" to all my hip young friends. Just wanted you to know I've added new specialized feeds.

"Word up!" It is I, the Gray Lady, with a "shoutout" to all my hip young friends. Just wanted you to know I've added new specialized feeds.-- The New York Times

Washington Post, 2009:

Hello new followers! Ready for #inaug09? On Jan. 20, tell us about traffic/Metro/walking problems using hashtag #dcalert (please retweet)

Hello new followers! Ready for #inaug09? On Jan. 20, tell us about traffic/Metro/walking problems using hashtag #dcalert (please retweet)-- The Washington Post

OH: Man: "Let's ask (the Nat'l Guardsman) how far the Mall is." Woman: "...We don't want the mall. We want to go to that big grassy field."

OH: Man: "Let's ask (the Nat'l Guardsman) how far the Mall is." Woman: "...We don't want the mall. We want to go to that big grassy field."-- The Washington Post

Slate, 2008:

Who would've thought that a Communist nation would excel at synchronized drumming?

Who would've thought that a Communist nation would excel at synchronized drumming?-- Slate

China in 1978 apparently looked like a Microsoft Windows screen saver

China in 1978 apparently looked like a Microsoft Windows screen saver-- Slate

Butterfly is just hard. It's breaststroke that's weird.

Butterfly is just hard. It's breaststroke that's weird.-- Slate

Phelps is cupping his boob again.

Phelps is cupping his boob again.-- Slate

Newsweek, 2008:

Q: Any early voters out there?-- Newsweek

Q: Prediction time: Who wins the presidency? By what margin? What's the deciding factor? And how about House, Senate races?

Q: Prediction time: Who wins the presidency? By what margin? What's the deciding factor? And how about House, Senate races?-- Newsweek

OK, journalists, come on. Our economy is crumbling; we're still in two wars, and you're asking Obama about getting a shelter dog?

OK, journalists, come on. Our economy is crumbling; we're still in two wars, and you're asking Obama about getting a shelter dog?-- Newsweek

CNN, 2007:

Voters reject Chavez's referendum

Voters reject Chavez's referendum-- CNN

Indian girl has extra limbs removed

Indian girl has extra limbs removed-- CNN

New Yorker, 2008:

Rahm Emanuel, undecided superdelegate, said that Obama is the “presumptive nominee” during a conversation at The New Yorker Conference.

Rahm Emanuel, undecided superdelegate, said that Obama is the “presumptive nominee” during a conversation at The New Yorker Conference.-- The New Yorker

Breaking News, 2007:

JUST IN: US Secretary Rice says no new Cold War in Russian-US relations

JUST IN: US Secretary Rice says no new Cold War in Russian-US relations-- Breaking News

BREAKING: Roadside bomb explodes in Iraq; casaulties reported

BREAKING: Roadside bomb explodes in Iraq; casaulties reported-- Breaking News

BBC, 2008:

Rupert Murdoch, 2011:

Have just. Read The Rational Optimist. Great book.

Have just. Read The Rational Optimist. Great book.-- Rupert Murdoch

Great time in sea with young daughters, uboating.

Great time in sea with young daughters, uboating.-- Rupert Murdoch

Great oped inWSJ today on Ron Paul. Huge appeal of libertarian message.

Great oped inWSJ today on Ron Paul. Huge appeal of libertarian message.-- Rupert Murdoch

Steve Jobs biog interesting but unfair. Family must hate.

Steve Jobs biog interesting but unfair. Family must hate.-- Rupert Murdoch

Steve Forbes, 2010:

One unambiguous piece of great news—youngest daughter graduated from college!

One unambiguous piece of great news—youngest daughter graduated from college!-- Steve Forbes

Baseball commissioner should reverse self and restore that perfect game!

Baseball commissioner should reverse self and restore that perfect game!-- Steve Forbes

Arianna Huffington, 2009:

Many thanks for the warm welcome! I look forward to tweeting for years to come.

Many thanks for the warm welcome! I look forward to tweeting for years to come.-- Arianna Huffington

Writing about credit unions on Monday. Have you read anything interesting about them lately?

Writing about credit unions on Monday. Have you read anything interesting about them lately?-- Arianna Huffington

Had fun at the Webbies. Acceptance speech: I didn't kill newspapers, okay?

Had fun at the Webbies. Acceptance speech: I didn't kill newspapers, okay?-- Arianna Huffington

Tina Brown, 2010:

Count down to our women in the world summit and I'm tweeting my first tweet.

Count down to our women in the world summit and I'm tweeting my first tweet.-- Tina Brown

Ever since the tampon in the car park, my interest in the Tiger story finally died.

Ever since the tampon in the car park, my interest in the Tiger story finally died.-- Tina Brown

Woah! Newsweek.com's superb content will live on under its own banner & in URLs on the new site. Not shutting down, combining.

Woah! Newsweek.com's superb content will live on under its own banner & in URLs on the new site. Not shutting down, combining.-- Tina Brown

David Carr, 2009:

old man stumbles onto social media platform. hits interthing trip wire. mayhem and tears ensue.

old man stumbles onto social media platform. hits interthing trip wire. mayhem and tears ensue.-- david carr

I'd do anything to have that just-written feeling except actually write something. 1,400 words = 14 tweets. no biggie, right?

I'd do anything to have that just-written feeling except actually write something. 1,400 words = 14 tweets. no biggie, right?-- david carr

Does time and space expand to fill twitter or is it the other way around? I always forget. On pier in nola eating mufeletta. Def. Expanding

Does time and space expand to fill twitter or is it the other way around? I always forget. On pier in nola eating mufeletta. Def. Expanding-- david carr

when winter finally ends, we become dawgs hanging our heads out the car window of life. having a moment. please ignore the tongue-slobber.

when winter finally ends, we become dawgs hanging our heads out the car window of life. having a moment. please ignore the tongue-slobber.-- david carr

Henry Blodget, 2008:

And now MSFT is talking to News Corp about going after Yahoo together! MySpace, MSN, Yahoo

And now MSFT is talking to News Corp about going after Yahoo together! MySpace, MSN, Yahoo-- Henry Blodget

Ballmer: Google Apps blow, no one actually uses them: http://bit.ly/3n5lt

Ballmer: Google Apps blow, no one actually uses them: http://bit.ly/3n5lt-- Henry Blodget

Matt Drudge, 2011:

@HowardStern ok if howard's finally going for tweets, I better, too. Always hated the name 'twitter', so bitter.

@HowardStern ok if howard's finally going for tweets, I better, too. Always hated the name 'twitter', so bitter.-- MATT DRUDGE

Why must Internet terms always be so flakey and such kitch? Blogger Cyber Netizen?! Get it over with, insert the stuxnet in my android!

Why must Internet terms always be so flakey and such kitch? Blogger Cyber Netizen?! Get it over with, insert the stuxnet in my android!-- MATT DRUDGE

Mike Allen, 2009:

We just got Siamese fortune cookies --two in one bag--"The best way to succeed in life is to act on the advice you give to others"--SO TRUE!

We just got Siamese fortune cookies --two in one bag--"The best way to succeed in life is to act on the advice you give to others"--SO TRUE!-- Mike Allen

TV gonna eat up TIME cover tease: "Boomerangers: Bunking In with Mom and Dad"--opposite of recent trend story saying more taking care of M&D

TV gonna eat up TIME cover tease: "Boomerangers: Bunking In with Mom and Dad"--opposite of recent trend story saying more taking care of M&D-- Mike Allen

Ezra Klein, 2009:

Earlier tonight, I was in a latin-asian fusion restaurant playing a techno remix of hava nagila. THis melting pot thing has gone too far.

Earlier tonight, I was in a latin-asian fusion restaurant playing a techno remix of hava nagila. THis melting pot thing has gone too far.-- Ezra Klein

Bobby flay stole my jacket.-- Ezra Klein

How could there have been a Ryan Reynolds/Rachel Weisz romantic comedy with political overtones and no one told me?

How could there have been a Ryan Reynolds/Rachel Weisz romantic comedy with political overtones and no one told me?-- Ezra Klein

Joan Walsh, 2009:

My daughter Nora had to hold the door to the MSNBC trailer shut to keep out David Shuster and Pat Buchanan while KO taped his promo JW

My daughter Nora had to hold the door to the MSNBC trailer shut to keep out David Shuster and Pat Buchanan while KO taped his promo JW-- Joan Walsh

i haven't gotten over this whole black president thing, I gotta say. I could watch this all night...

i haven't gotten over this whole black president thing, I gotta say. I could watch this all night...-- Joan Walsh

Long day. But despite what you've been hearing, and hoping, I'm not going to marry Dick Armey!

Long day. But despite what you've been hearing, and hoping, I'm not going to marry Dick Armey!-- Joan Walsh

Nick Denton, 2009:

The confusing name and amateurish design of theawl.com could be a deliberate antidote to the pro web. Or just be confusing and amateurish.

The confusing name and amateurish design of theawl.com could be a deliberate antidote to the pro web. Or just be confusing and amateurish.-- Nick Denton

Now I know why I don't go to benefits.

Now I know why I don't go to benefits.-- Nick Denton

To quote the great Marty Singer -- Eric Dane's lawyer -- if you don't want a sex tape on the internet, "don't make one!"

To quote the great Marty Singer -- Eric Dane's lawyer -- if you don't want a sex tape on the internet, "don't make one!"-- Nick Denton

Anthony de Rosa, 2008-9:

Oof, first order of business, unfollow Julia Allison's twitter.

Oof, first order of business, unfollow Julia Allison's twitter.-- Anthony De Rosa

The Super Bowl is opening for The Boss today.

The Super Bowl is opening for The Boss today.-- Anthony De Rosa

Nick Kristof, 2008:

@sashak and @myoung Thanks for the welcome. I'm trying to avoid going extinct. Help teach me how to do this....--ndk

@sashak and @myoung Thanks for the welcome. I'm trying to avoid going extinct. Help teach me how to do this....--ndk-- Nicholas Kristof

Jack Shafer, 2009:

Mark Morford hammers the critique of newspapers by "geek gurus" Shirky, Winer, and Johnson. I sense a building backlash. http://bit.ly/Ez86d

Mark Morford hammers the critique of newspapers by "geek gurus" Shirky, Winer, and Johnson. I sense a building backlash. http://bit.ly/Ez86d-- Jack Shafer

David Gregory, 2009:

Hey, just jumping into the conversation on twitter, thanks to Sacca. I know this is going to be better than the banking comm hearing on now.

Hey, just jumping into the conversation on twitter, thanks to Sacca. I know this is going to be better than the banking comm hearing on now.-- David Gregory

Dan Abrams, 2009:

I took a long walk with my dad tonight. There is nothing better than quality time with your personal idol.

I took a long walk with my dad tonight. There is nothing better than quality time with your personal idol.-- Dan Abrams

Jeff Jarvis, 2007:

I wish we could tag tweets with 140-character reviews: The nano Entertainment Weekly

I wish we could tag tweets with 140-character reviews: The nano Entertainment Weekly-- Jeff Jarvis

Jut heard Good Morning America says "you can Twitter on your phone, it's like MySpace on your phone." Close but no iPhone.

Jut heard Good Morning America says "you can Twitter on your phone, it's like MySpace on your phone." Close but no iPhone.-- Jeff Jarvis

I'm showing my daughter Twitter. Another one corrupted.

I'm showing my daughter Twitter. Another one corrupted.-- Jeff Jarvis

She says she's not doing this.-- Jeff Jarvis

Clay Shirky, 2008:

It's funner to curse the darkness than to light a single candle.

It's funner to curse the darkness than to light a single candle.-- Clay Shirky

Werd!-- Clay Shirky

Jonah Peretti, my boss, 2010:

Old media is about control, new media is about manipulation

Old media is about control, new media is about manipulation-- Jonah Peretti

This tweet copyright 2010 all rights reserved. No retweeting, copy-pasting, or other duplication allowed without expressed written consent.

This tweet copyright 2010 all rights reserved. No retweeting, copy-pasting, or other duplication allowed without expressed written consent.-- Jonah Peretti

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