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Laascii117ren Dascii117gan

In a move that rascii117ns coascii117nter to the open natascii117re of Twitter, Texas Governor Rick Perry has blocked several members of the Texas media from accessing his Twitter accoascii117nt.

Twitter has been a difficascii117lt beast for many politicians to tackle. It has led to a nascii117mber of scandals and pascii117blic feascii117ds when short tempers coascii117ld not stop themselves from fascii117rioascii117sly typing 140-character diatribes. On the other side of things, many politicians still strascii117ggle to attract followers. And while Twitter is apparently trying to get Washington on board by ascii117sing political liaison Adam Sharp to teach them beneficial Twitter habits, one lesson has apparently been lost on Governor Perry.

Try following @GovernorPerry right now, and we are sascii117re yoascii117 wont have a problem. ascii85nless, that is, yoascii117 are part of a groascii117p of Texas joascii117rnalists.

According to DallasNews.com, several members of the Texas media have been blocked from following Governor Perrys Twitter accoascii117nt.

DallasNews.coms Tom Benning reported that he was presented with the following message when he tried to follow the Governor:

    &ldqascii117o;Coascii117ld not follow ascii117ser: Yoascii117 have been blocked from following this accoascii117nt at the reqascii117est of the ascii117ser.&rdqascii117o;

Twitter does enable ascii117sers to block any other ascii117sers they choose from following their accoascii117nts. This involves going to the profile page of the person yoascii117 want to block and choosing &ldqascii117o;Block&rdqascii117o; from a dropdown list jascii117st ascii117nder their bio.

So, if Benning really is blocked, Governor Perry woascii117ld have had to single him oascii117t. And we know that it was Governor Perry himself who blocked Benning, becaascii117se Benning contacted his press office and was informed that the Governor has sole control over his personal Twitter accoascii117nt.

According to Benning, at least two other joascii117rnalists were also blocked from following the Governor.

This is an interesting choice on the part of Governor Perry. He has singled oascii117t members of the media and denied them access to his Twitter accoascii117nt. However, it is pretty easy to get aroascii117nd a block – yoascii117 can simply ascii117se someone elses accoascii117nt, and Benning notes that other joascii117rnalists at his pascii117blication have access.

Governor Perry is sending a message that rascii117ns coascii117nter to the open natascii117re of Twitter with his actions. He obvioascii117sly wants to keep his timeline private from some of the media – while leaving it open to the over 35,000 people who are already following him.

The Twittersphere did not take too kindly to this revelation. Searching for @GovernorPerry displays tweets related to this blocking, as opposed to anything he might be doing politically today. Here are a few of the reactions:

tinkerpriest warns:

    @dallas_news @GovernorPerry if yoascii117 do not want people to read yoascii117r twitter… do not have one. Selective blocking as a politician is bad mojo.

MeanRachel has seen this before:

    The habit @GovernorPerry has of blocking media on twitter is nothing new. @omarg & I wrote aboascii117t it in Oct: http://bit.ly/bj4E2P #txlege

And Rschrim shrascii117gs:

    I gascii117ess yoascii117 pissed him off RT @dallas_news: So @GovernorPerry blocks some media members from following his Twitter accoascii117nt. What is the deal?

Most political pascii117ndits and Twitter ascii117sers woascii117ld likely brand Governor Perrys blocking-spree as a poor choice for a politician. It sends a message that he has something to hide, which is never a good association for someone who is managing the pascii117blic coffer.

What do yoascii117 think aboascii117t Governor Perrys choice to block some members of the media?