The Tweet Heard ’Round the World

I was up bright and early today – like, early – and heard on the radio the audio of the off-the-record part of the interview President Obama gave CNBC on Monday – you know, the one in which he called Kanye West a “jackass” for stealing Taylor Swift’s thunder at the MTV VMAs.

The comment was tweeted, and then deleted, by an ABC reporter.

I cringed as I anticipated how some people would spin this to their advantage: “The POTUS said ‘jackass.’ How unbecoming!” came to mind.

Really, though, to me the most aggroying part of Tweetgate is that not only was the off-the-record remark tweeted, of all things, now the audio’s been leaked. It makes me shudder…and nostalgic for the days of yore.

For realsies.

Once upon a time, “off-the-record” used to mean something, you know, and you wouldn’t follow such a gaffe with another bigger one. Now you have to watch out for any unfamiliar-with-the-concept idiot with a BlackBerry, too.

Like, a writer wouldn’t write “and so-and-so said, off the record…” because that wouldn’t pass muster.

Tsk, tsk.

Photo: HuffingtonPost.com.