Anyone who doesn’t already have a massive brain-crush on Newark Mayor Cory Booker hasn’t been paying attention. He’s handsome, he’s funny, he saved a lady from a fire — as I said earlier this year, he’s basically the Ryan Gosling of politics. And in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, he’s been turning in an Oscar-worthy Best Leading Mayor performance.
Booker’s Twitter feed shows him running around the city, checking on constituents and the family members they’re worried about, dispensing supplies and supportive words. He manages to encourage patience without denying that people are hurting, and applaud the efforts of repair workers without ignoring the fact that they can’t possibly work fast enough to avoid leaving some residents in the cold and dark for an unacceptably long time. He’s a Twitter whirlwind of accountability, responsibility, good humor, and putting his money where his mouth is — he’s even letting people crash at his house.
Here’s a sampling of Cory “Gosling” Booker’s extreme Twitter awesomeness:
Hey girl, I just want to keep you warm:
Where are u? Can I bring blankets, etc? RT @_LovelyEdith: We have had no power since Monday & it's been freezing with no heat! Please help!
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) November 2, 2012
Hey girl, why don’t you spend the night at my place:
Please let any1 on Homestead know they can come 2 my house & use the spare apt on 1st floor 2 relax, get warm, charge up etc @my_serenelove
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) November 1, 2012
Hey girl, let me buy you lunch:
I'm having lunch delivered for the 12 or so of you hanging at my place RT @uniquenj1 taking u up on your offer. Chillin at your place.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) November 1, 2012
Hey girl, I’m coming over, can I pick you up something on the way?
Can I come by and visit this evening with supplies to talk? MT @NiaBeGee: we have no idea whats going on. House full of ppl/ a week old baby
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) November 1, 2012
Hey girl, I got you some produce:
Good seeing u in the grocery store. Happy to treat. Enjoy your citrus. RT @PartyGurl_Rock: Thanks for the lemons
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) November 2, 2012
Hey girl, I tried to save you from a fire again, but it was just some delicious BBQ, so let me buy you lunch again:
God has a sense of humor. On Garside convincing diabetic 2go 2 hospital. We see a fire, run to it & its a guy w/ a BBQ pit. No rescue needed
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) November 1, 2012
Hey girl, don’t despair, we’re all in this together:
Don't know but UR living with courage & resiliency NOT a savage RT @Lifechanger14: where is power 4 irvington, tired of living like a savage
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) November 1, 2012
He’s also tweeting updates on power outages and school closings, retweeting requests for help from people he can’t see to personally, and repeatedly disseminating the number to call for support and non-emergency assistance. Not to mention encouraging hungry stoners to be self-reliant in their quest for Hot Pockets. A few more days of this, and Gosling will stop being an apt comparison. We’ll have to move on to Superman.
