THE EARMARK

Politicians have a complex relationship with the social networking fad-of-the-moment, Twitter.

On the one hand you have the tech-savvy younger generation, who have used the microblogging service to do everything from launch a gubernatorial campaign (Gavin Newsom) to declare their heterosexuality (Charlie Crist).

On the other hand, you have a bumbling older generation who either has no idea what Twitter is (Jim Bunning) or suddenly remembers that they invented the whole technology and enlists a staffer to “tweet” for them (John McCain).

This week, Capitol Hill daily newspaper The Hill made an allegation that Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) was a member of that latter group– letting aides “ghost-tweet” for him when he’s too busy to post e-chestnuts like: “U can’t get swine flu fr eating pork. Eatup. Regardless of epidemic.”

Big mistake, The Hill. If you remember nothing else for the remainder of your earthly days, remember that Chuck Grassley always files his own Twitter entries…

Sen. Chuck Grassley doesn’t appreciate when his Twitters are questioned, so when The Hill’s Michael O’Brien raised the possibility that a stand-in was Tweeting for the Iowa Republican, Grassley struck back.

It all started when a Tuesday posting on The Hill’s Twitter Room asked, “What have they done with the real Chuck Grassley?”

The post noted that Grassley’s latest Tweet had spelled words out and had the proper punctuation, which broke from Grassley Twitter tradition.

Hours later, Grassley fired back on Twitter: “To the Hill reporter who thought I didn’t input my own AM Tweet today. Well believe me I did. My Bb is always w me.”

So let the record stand. Whether he’s rocking out to Pink Floyd or having sex with Sen. Kent Conrad’s wife, Sen. Grassley is always on Twitter.

(Of course why we’re even reporting this is up for debate, because we assume all our readers already subscribe to Grassley’s feed.)