White House’s Robert Gibbs engages in his first Twitter battle — with Weekly Standard’s Stephen Hayes

HAYES: But @PressSec, raising taxes on high-income earners disproportionately affects small biz owners and that’s coming on Jan 1. – about 18 hours ago via web

HAYES: And @PressSec, even Pres Obama acknowledged that raising taxes in a recession “is the last thing you want to do.” – about 18 hours ago via web

HAYES: We’re not technically in recession (yet) but the recovery is dying, @PressSec. So an obvious question for POTUS (cont) – about 18 hours ago via web

HAYES: If it’s bad to raise taxes in a recession, is it wise to do so in a collapsing recovery w/an economy flirting with a double dip? @PressSec – about 18 hours ago via web

HAYES: Here’s POTUS intvw w/@chucktodd last August: “The last thing you want to do is to raise taxes in the middle of a recession” (cont) @PressSec – about 17 hours ago via web

HAYES: POTUS continued: “because that would just suck up—take more demand out of the economy and put businesses further in a hole.” @PressSec – about 17 hours ago via web

HAYES: So @PressSec, if raising taxes in a recession wld “put businesses further in a hole” what would raising taxes in a stymied recovery do? – about 17 hours ago via web

HAYES: Come on @PressSec, I answered your questions. Answer just one of mine – about 17 hours ago via web

HAYES: If it’s bad to raise taxes in a recession, as POTUS says, wise to do so in collapsing recovery w/economy flirting w/a double dip? @PressSec – about 17 hours ago via web

GIBBS: Don’t be fooled – the economy added 67,000 private sector jobs,8th straight month of added private sector jobs, job loss came in Census work – about 2 hours ago via web

HAYES: Did the WH or @PressSec discount temporary census jobs when they boosted employment numbers? – about 1 hour ago via web

GIBBS: As a matter of fact @stephenfhayes the Pres specifically mentioned in June stmt Census jobs were temp and focused on private job growth – about 1 hour ago via web

HAYES: My question, @PressSec, was whether the WH discounted temp census jobs when they boosted employment numbers. In June, POTUS noted decline – about 1 hour ago via web

HAYES: So POTUS in June made the same point you made today — census jobs were temporary — to explain away the drop. @PressSec – about 1 hour ago via web

HAYES: POTUS in June said report “reflected the planned phase out of 225,000 temporary Census jobs.” Was not discounting them when added. @PressSec – about 1 hour ago via web

GIBBS: @stephenfhayes (1/2) “I want to emphasize that most of these jobs this month that we’re seeing in the statistics… – about 1 hour ago via web

GIBBS: @stephenfhayes (2/2) “…represent workers who’ve been hired to complete the 2010 census” – about 1 hour ago via web

GIBBS: @stephenfhayes May report would have been biggest in more than 10 yrs – but obviously that wasn’t what we said b/c they were Census – about 1 hour ago via web

HAYES: Fair points, @PressSec. And POTUS talked abt May jobs report saying census hires were temp. http://bit.ly/cblhaf – about 1 hour ago via web

HAYES: If it’s bad to raise taxes in a recession, as POTUS says, wise to do so in collapsing recovery w/economy flirting w/a double dip? @PressSec – about 1 hour ago via web

GIBBS: @stephenfhayes To keep our econ going we must keep taxes low for middle class, not give tax breaks to millionaires when we can’t afford it – 27 minutes ago via web

GIBBS: @stephenfhayes I have enjoyed our tweets – shows that a good debate doesn’t have to be a nasty debate – 26 minutes ago via web

HAYES: But @PressSec, tax breaks aren’t for millionaires unless $200k in income makes you one. – 22 minutes ago via web

HAYES: And @PressSec IRS #s tell us a majority of those whose taxes will be going up report small business income – exactly ppl who generate jobs – 21 minutes ago via web

HAYES: I’m with you there, thx RT: @PressSec @stephenfhayes I have enjoyed our tweets – shows that a good debate doesn’t have to be a nasty debate – 19 minutes ago via web

HAYES: Hey @PressSec, would be eager to ask Pres Obama about these policy choices next Friday.

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