Election season is often a stressful time. Running campaigns, interpreting polls and canvassing Berkeley’s streets can take a toll on candidates and voters alike. Twitter, in particular, is transformed into a political battleground — candidates wage wars with words, criticizing their colleagues in the space of 280 characters.
Sometimes, however, the notification from the little blue bird can signal something uplifting or even funny, instead of the typical doom and gloom we have come to expect in politics. The Berkeley City Council members’ Twitter accounts are no exception. Read on for a rundown of some of the funniest, goofiest and most heartwarming tweets to come out of our councilmembers’ accounts!
Rashi Kesarwani:
California has a housing crisis. Homeownership is more of a dream than anything else. Is California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s invitation for Floridians to move to our lovely state financially feasible? Kesarwani certainly thinks not. Just sayin’.
Terry Taplin:
“This actually sums up my political philosophy,”
Political philosophies are a loaded subject — many arguments and debates stem from clashing philosophies. For Taplin, though, his stance on life is one we can all appreciate: “Pizza for everyone.”
Ben Bartlett:
“@idriselba This movie is an affront to Leos everywhere. Don’t you know it’s #LeoSeason ?”
Astronomy is the study of celestial objects, space and the universe as a whole. Astrology is the study of how the great Idris Elba pales in comparison to the power of lions in mid August. #LeoCountryLetsRide
Kate Harrison:
“This is misinformation; I gave it a 4. Thank you for correcting.”
A sentence that can be used for any situation. Did someone lie about how you rated their downright horrendous homemade chicken alfredo? Here’s a classy way to let them know how you really felt.
Sophie Hahn:
An iconic phrase, bringing joy to whomever’s ears it graces. Hahn even nailed the punctuation, with an exclamation mark for every touchdown from Cal’s star running back Jaydn Ott against Arizona.
Susan Wengraf:
Though not a message in itself, the fact that it has been six years since Wengraf’s last tweet is remarkable. While some politicians use their Twitter accounts to drum up chatter, Wengraf subtly flies under the radar.
Rigel Robinson:
“Midnights (3am edition) is really good”
Who said City Council members can’t be in touch with pop culture? Certainly not Robinson, that’s for sure. There’s no better way to target the college student demographic than to publicly announce that you’re a Swiftie.
Lori Droste:
“I’ll be there in spooky spirit”
Do you ever get tired of using the same boring excuse to dodge commitments? Well, have no fear as Droste has the perfect way to (pumpkin) spice things up with a touch of spookiness.
Jokes aside, Berkeley’s City Council members do a considerable amount of work. Authoring resolutions, advocating for pedestrian safety or fighting for affordable housing are all day-to-day tasks for them. But they’re also quite human, and hopefully these tweets shine some light on the personalities behind the podiums.
