Politicians Make Crafty Use Of The Internet

It's official — the White House is on Tumblr, and the Internet magic is only getting started. Just launched, the Tumblr page titled "Letters To President Obama" features a 2009 letter written to the president from Natoma Canfield, a cancer survivor from Cleveland who praised the Affordable Care Act and the work that Obama has done to ensure American citizens receive the care they need. And though this Tumblr page is just debuting, it's a known fact that the prez has some strong social media game (@POTUS just launched this summer), while @FLOTUS is another fan-favorite. With social media in the mix, politicians can pretty much get a leg up on their online presence, whether that means furthering their own causes or promoting those of their peers. Let's take a look at some of the top contenders in today's political scene who prove that politicians often use the Internet to their advantage.

In her letter to Obama, Canfield praised the president on his legislation, highlighting his care and concern for her needs.

Of course, I can't begin to thank the President for the Affordable Care Act. During the fight to pass the law, he said that he carried my story with him every day, as a reminder for the Act would mean for people across the country.

With a simple post on Tumblr, Canfield's personal experience with Obama has become feed for the Internet mill. As the end of the Obama administration nears, it's always a good time for extra Internet popularity points. But the White House isn't the only one making use the of the World Wide Web. Here are some politicos who have made a name for themselves as posters, tweeters, and meme-makers:

Claire McCaskill

This Missouri senator knows how to use the Internet. She can be found @clairecmcc, and she's got tweets worth retweeting. The senator was recently featured in a piece on The Cut in which she was described to be drinking at a baseball game while donning gemstone-studded flip-flops. She transfers that casual candor to her Twitter followers by sending out her thoughts on everything from Missouri's new intern dress code to her thoughts on what she hopes for women leaders.

Rand Paul

Rand Paul really seems to like Twitter, and when it comes to social media, he's got enough jokes for the whole Internet. From spoofing Hillary Clinton's hard-drive scandal to promoting his politics via his dad's birthday, the GOP candidate's all about making sure his Internet presence is one to watch.

Hillary Clinton

A few years ago, Hillz's popularity no doubt soared with millennials when the Tumblr page Texts from Hillary gained popularity, and after fans shared photos of Clinton chatting it up with the likes of Sarah Palin to Arianna Huffington, the then-secretary of state no doubt became the top of the social media super pack. Now, as she launches her bid for the 2016 race, she's fully loaded with Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Watch out, social media universe, Hillary's on point.

Joe Biden

The Internet loves Joe Biden, and though the vice president became an Internet star without any effort of his own, he has made the online world swoon over him just as much as Leslie Knope. "Joe Biden looked out a window and instantly became a meme," reported the Daily Dot on the VP's Internet fame. If he chooses to run in 2016, he's already got a pretty impressive Internet game backing him up.

Joe and his Internet-loving cohorts aren't the only politicians hopping online to rack up likes and views, along with possibly gaining some votes here and there. Keep a lookout in 2016 for the GIFs, memes, and tweets that are sure to keep followers tweeting and retweeting all the way to the ballot box.