The Top Ten: Tweets
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Adam Snow had the excellent idea of compiling a list of the best of the 140-charactermaximum microblogs, starting with the first: “just setting up my twttr.” Sent by @Jack, better known as Jack Dorsey, on 21 March 2006, it has now had 64,000 retweets.
"Ed Balls" @edballs (then tweeting as @edballsmp), 28 April 2011; 56,000 retweets. He says he was looking for a tweet that mentioned him. Nominated by @MrSimonM.
"hhhhhghhghhhh hhghghghghhghg hhwghghwghghgh ghghghghghghgh ghghghghghghgh hghghgggghggg" @YvetteCooperMP to me, from her handbag, by mistake, 18 November 2011; 153 retweets.
"Nailed it! That's a wrap!" @OneTweetTony, 13 June 2012; 2,925 retweets. Nominated by Calum, known as @u38cg.
"Four more years" @BarackObama, 7 November 2012, with photo of Barack embracing Michelle; 743,000 retweets (was the most retweeted, since overtaken by Ellen DeGeneres' selfie at the Oscars).
"Worse for me as there's nothing else in here" @JamesBlunt, replying to a tweeter who complained: "Waking up with James Blunt stuck in your head. Nowt worse." 5 June 2014; 2,209 retweets.
"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP" Leonard Nimoy, four days before he died; 279,000 retweets. LLAP = Live Long and Prosper.
"Image from #Rochester" @EmilyThornberry, 20 November 2014, with photo of house draped in England flags, and a white van; 1,068 retweets. MP's by-election tweet cost her her post. From @JoshCowls.
"Where does bad light end up? In Prism." @richardpinner, 8 October 2014; one retweet.
"If you're waiting for universal popularity, you'll be on Twitter a VERY long time. xxxx"
@jk_rowling, 6 September 2014; 6,217 retweets. Thanks to Graham Sutton.
"We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet"
@CIA, 6 June 2014; 303,000 retweets. Nominated by John Peters (@johnthejack).
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments