David Cameron (photo: flickr - Screaming Bertha)

David Cameron has been caught out by live radio. In a live interview on Absolute Radio with Christian O’Connell, Cameron used two words that he really shouldn’t have. He used the phrase “pissed off” and then when asked why he didn’t use Twitter he stated (swear word coming up!):

“The trouble with Twitter, the instantness of it – too many twits might make a twat.”

Why that’s a good and bad thing

David Cameron gets one thing about Twitter. It’s instant. It’s impossible to stop what you tweet getting out and what you tweet stays out there – there’s no delete (well, there is, but it actually doesn’t delete it from twitter search).  For that reason, and given his choice of words on live radio, it’s probably good he isn’t on Twitter.

However, it’s a bad thing. In a world where UK politicians are not seen as trustworthy or having integrity after the expenses scandal, we do actually want to get to know a little more of the reality and humanity of the people behind the names.  There is a lot of “spin” and “managing the story” that goes on with PR, and that is something that people are reacting against.

Cameron at least is being real and honest

While he was, perhaps, using inappropriate words on live radio, it at least shows that he is a real person who uses some real words. His comments about Twitter are valid and it shows some sense about the service. However, this should be an opportunity to recognise it’s power. I found out about the story via Twitter, and it spread via Twitter.  If Twitter isn’t an absolutely vital tool in his arsenal for an assault on becoming UK Prime Minister in the next few months then I would be hugely surprised, especially as Barack Obama utilised it so successfully.

An eye opener – Twitter is the story

Perhaps the biggest thing about this story is that the focus was put firmly on David’s thoughts on Twitter or actually his thoughts on those that use Twitter. Not his swearing (although that came into it) and not that it was done on a radio show that is in a demographic he needs to target, but that it was reported all over Twitter as “David Cameron thinks you are all t**ts” which is not true (if it was, he’d lose all our votes in the UK straight away).

It’s David’s twitter comments that have sparked the social media backlash. Twitter is a big deal.