AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File
- Former Rep. John Dingell used Twitter to express a variety of opinions after announcing his retirement in 2014.
- He used his signature dry humor to joke about old age, while also expressing outrage over the Trump administration and the Republican Party.
- In his early 80s and late 90s, he became a Twitter celebrity of sorts, with more than 200,000 followers.
Former Rep. John Dingell was a changemaker in his 59 years in Congress, but in the last years of his life, he also became a Twitter celebrity.
Dingell, who died on Thursday, at 92, often used his Twitter feed to comment on politics, weigh in on Michigan sports teams, joke about his age, and take digs at celebrities.
His openness on the social media platform came after he announced plans to retire from Congress at the end of 2014.
Earlier that year, Dingell had made headlines after a somewhat viral exchange with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water about Kim Kardashian. In retirement, the Congressman embraced his dry humor.
As of Friday morning, his Twitter account had 264,000 followers.
Read more: Former Rep. John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress, dies at 92
In recent years, he expressed outrage over the Trump administration and the Republican Party.
He also voiced his joy and frustrations over the Detroit Lions and Michigan Wolverines, his favorite sports teams.
Often he would joke about his old age.
He also showed his deep knowledge of pop culture.
Sometimes he would send his followers words of wisdom.
Last August, Dingell told Detroit station WDIV that it was in fact him tweeting on the account.
His wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell, who was elected into his seat when he retired, confirmed the claim.
"John Dingell can say, ‘When you’re 92 you can get away with saying a lot of things that the rest of us can’t,’" she said.
On Wednesday, Dingell posted a final tweet before dying from complications from prostate cancer.
"The Lovely Deborah is insisting I rest and stay off here, but after long negotiations we’ve worked out a deal where she’ll keep up with Twitter for me as I dictate the messages," he wrote, referencing his wife. "I want to thank you all for your incredibly kind words and prayers. You’re not done with me just yet."
Dingell died on Thursday, aged 92.
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Source: Business Insider