Be nice to the noob

The President started a Tumblr today, another arrow in the old social media quiver leading into the 2012 campaign.

According to his Hello, World post, "We’d like this Tumblr to be a huge collaborative storytelling effort—a place for people across the country to share what’s going on in our respective corners of it and how we’re getting involved in this campaign to keep making it better."

President Obama knows a thing or two about dealing with unruly opponents. But this is the internet we're talking about. 4Chan. Anonymous. Seriously pissed off flamers.

As he has done so many time during his administration when dealing with contentious Republicans, President Obama began by extending the olive branch.

"There will be trolls among you: this we know. We ask only that you remember that we’re people—fairly nice ones—and that your mother would want you to be polite."

Sigh. Steve Jobs got the chance to weigh in posthumously on Obama's problems in office via his autobiography: "He's having trouble leading because he's reluctant to offend people or piss them off."

Trolls don't have mothers,  Mr. President. They are the internet id. You cannot appeal to their sensible side. You need to get a big ban hammer, and wield it with impunity.

via @lizgannes