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Cory Booker: why Trump should try being nice on Twitter

President Donald Trump courted controversy throughout his unorthodox presidential campaign not only for his outrageous statements, but also for his social media habits that critics dubbed as bullying.

Today, Trump’s personal account is the 41st most followed on Twitter. But even though he has amassed a large following, his off-the-cuff tweeting approach hasn’t changed. Since winning the presidential election, Trump has used Twitter to insult Meryl Streep, opine on foreign policy, and complain about the reporting of media outlets such as CNN and the New York Times.

But there are some policymakers, such as Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, that use the platform differently. While serving as mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Booker made a name for himself on Twitter by personally responding to constituent requests made through the platform. He even delivered diapers to a Newark denizen stuck at home with her child during a snowstorm after he had heard about the situation on Twitter.

Like many with a large following, Booker is often the subject of insults and trolls online. But unlike the president, he often responds to his online critics with kindness.

For more, watch this video, the latest from our Vox Voices series, and see how the former “Mayor of Twitter” and current New Jersey senator uses social media to take on critics (including friendly jabs from Mindy Kaling) and why he thinks President Trump should use Twitter to help unite a divided America.

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