August 1, 2012
For Immediate ReleaseMcLean, Va. - USA TODAY has launched the USA TODAY/Twitter Election Meter at twitterelectionmeter.usatoday.com. The Meter tracks the Twitter Political Index, a daily measure of sentiment expressed by Twitter users about President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
The USA TODAY/Twitter Election Meter is a graphic representation of the Twitter Political Index, a daily number produced by Twitter in partnership with Topsy labs and polling firms the Mellman Group and North Star Opinion Research. The Index provides a daily snapshot of the sentiment of political conversation on Twitter.
"USA TODAY has always had its finger on the pulse of the nation and with the USA TODAY/Twitter Election Meter we combine the conversations on Twitter with our strength in visual story-telling to deliver a real read on how people feel about the candidates in this year's Presidential Election. It's also a great way to encourage people to join the conversation," said Larry Kramer, president and publisher of USA TODAY.
Because the discussion of topics on Twitter fluctuates, the daily index number is a weighted calculation based on three days worth of Tweets, with most weight given to the most recent day's tweets. The index is based on analysis of nearly 2 million tweets each week that mention Romney or Obama.
USA TODAY has a rich history of political polling through its partnership with Gallup. In 2012, USA TODAY's Swing States polls have shaped much of the national discussion of the presidential race. The USA TODAY/Twitter Election Meter offers an additional tool to evaluate the political climate. For all of USA TODAY's Election 2012 coverage, go to politics.usatoday.com.
USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY's mission is to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Today, through its newspaper, website and mobile platforms, USA TODAY connects readers and engages the national conversation. USA TODAY, the nation's number one newspaper in print circulation with an average of nearly 1.8 million daily, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper website launched in 1995, reach a combined 6.6 million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than 14 million downloads on mobile devices. The USA TODAY brand also includes USA TODAY Education and USA TODAY Sports Weekly. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Heidi Zimmerman, Director/Communications
7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22108
WASHINGTON, June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Former Presidential Candidate Gary Bauer congratulated Governor Scott Walker for his win in Wisconsin's recall election, calling it "another sign that taxpayers will award office holders ready to do the hard work of reigning in out-of-control government spending."
Bauer, the chairman of the Campaign for Working Families, made the following statement:
"I congratulate Governor Scott Walker for his hard-fought victory tonight, and most especially for having the courage of his convictions to fight the good fight. But the victory in Wisconsin is not Scott Walker's alone. It is a victory for the hard-working taxpayers of Wisconsin, who foot the bill year after year. It is a victory for common sense over powerful special interests. It is a victory that taxpayers in every state can celebrate. It is a victory, yes, even for some union members.
"Since Gov. Walker's reforms were enacted, tens of thousands of state employees have opted to keep more of the money they earn rather than let the public employees union siphon off their hard-earned dollars. In other words, once given the choice, more than half of the public employees union's members decided that they didn't need the union. These reforms will pay real dividends for the taxpayers of Wisconsin. They are the real winners tonight.
"The recall election is a sign of good things to come. The power of the Big Labor bosses has finally been checked, not just in Wisconsin, but also in scores of other states across the country. More governors, legislators and taxpayers will be inspired to stand up against the liberal labor unions and do what is truly in the best interests of their communities. Wisconsin's 10 Electoral College votes are now in play, and the anti-tax, small government movement that swept the country in 2010 is about to sweep Barack Obama out of office in 154 days!"
Source: PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1drYR)