Inside Politics

CAMPAIGN 2012

Major teachers union endorses Obama’s re-election

CHICAGO — The nation’s largest education union has endorsed President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.

Members of the National Education Association voted to support Mr. Obama on Monday at their annual convention in Chicago.

In a statement, NEA President Dennis Van Roekel says Mr. Obama and the union share a vision and that members wanted early and strong support to help his election.

The endorsement comes a day after Vice President Joseph R. Biden addressed thousands of educators at the convention. The association has 3.2 million members.

VICE PRESIDENCY

Biden on Twitter: Watch for some tweets from veep

Now appearing on Twitter: Vice President Joseph R. Biden.

The famously verbose veep was to send his first-ever tweet Monday, a Fourth of July message from himself and wife Jill Biden asking Americans to take time in the day to think of U.S. troops and military families.

Given his gift for gab - not to mention gaffes - Mr. Biden might seem an unlikely candidate to say it in 140 characters or less. Not to worry - like most politicians’ tweets, Mr. Biden’s will be staff-written.

It’s part of the White House’s growing focus on social media. The White House regularly communicates via Twitter, as does President Obama’s re-election campaign. Mr. Obama has told supporters he’ll personally author some of the campaign tweets.

On Wednesday, the White House will even hold a Twitter town hall. Mr. Obama will take questions via Twitter, though he’ll respond verbally.

HOMELAND SECURITY

Obama taps Olson as new counterterror chief

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