COULD TWITTER PREDICT THE ELECTION? OBAMA VERSUS ROMNEY IN TWEETS
What does twitter say about the election? Using a sample of tweets over a 16 day period before the election, we were able to identify trending topics that may have helped to predict the winner of the 2012 presidential election.
The words below represent common words tweeteed from a sample of tweets from the U.S. presidential election. The words are weighted based on their statistical significance throughout the 16 day time period they were collected. Those that were tweeted consistently throughout the election were thrown out, and we analyzed those that had small counts during some time frames of the election, and then had larger counts during others. These words often represent events that were taking place during the election, and their repreition indicate that they may have had an impact on the ouctom of the elction.
SAMPLE TWEETS PER DAY
22,000
The Romney and Obama twitter feeds were all a buzz this election, but do the amount of tweets predict who will win? The tweets analyzed represent tweets about either candidate or from either candidate.
23-Oct 24-Oct 25-Oct
18,000
26-Oct 27-Oct 28-Oct 29-Oct
14,000
30-Oct 31-Oct 1-Nov 2-Nov 3-Nov
10,000 OCT. 23 - OCT. 26
OCT. 27 - OCT. 30
OCT. 31 - NOV. 3
NOV. 4 - NOV. 7
4-Nov 5-Nov
Mourdock: “that’s something God intended to happen”
Powell: “I plan to stick with him in 2012”
McCain: “Obama Benghazi handling a cover-up or incompetence”
Romney: “I will ensure FEMA has the funding it needs to fulfill its mission”
Romney: “Today’s increase in the unemployment rate is a sad reminder that the economy is at a virtual standstill”
Cher & Kathy Griffin tweet: ‘Don’t Let Mitt Turn Back Time On Women’
Obama “four more years” tweet becomes No. 1 retweet
6-Nov 7-Nov 0
Obama: “he’s forgetting what his own positions are… I think it’s called Romnesia”
Romney: “it should be left to states to decide whether to grant same-sex couples…hospital visitation rights”
Christie: “I cannot thank the president enough for his personal concern and compassion for our state”
Romney: “[they] are going to build Jeeps in China”
USA Today: “Another poll gives Obama a solid lead…in Ohio”
@RuPaul tweets: Now @MittRomney Sashay Away!
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Obama and Obama related tweets are in BLUE. Romney and Romney related tweets are in RED.
6000