Obama joins Twitter; Tweets with Bill Clinton

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama joined Twitter on Monday – to the great concern of the Chicago Cubs – and in one day zoomed to 1.72 million followers. To compare: First lady Michelle Obama has 1.92 million followers and Vice President Joe Biden has 514,000.

Obama’s Twitter handle is @POTUS, the longtime nickname for President of the United States, no matter who is in the White House. The shorthand for the first lady is always FLOTUS.

Former President Bill Clinton, with 3.48 million followers as of Tuesday morning, asked, “Does the username stay with the office,” a not very veiled reference to the presidential ambitions of Hillary Clinton. #Asking for a friend,” Clinton said.

Obama replies, “Good question, @billclinton. The handle comes with the house. Know anyone interested in @FLOTUS?”