Celebrities, members of Congress tweet during inauguration

{mosads}Twitter’s official hashtag was #inauguration. The microblogging service set up an Event page to monitor tweets about the occasion.

According to Twitter, there were 1.1 million tweets sent during the ceremony, which lasted just over an hour, referencing the inauguration, with the peek moment for tweets following the moment Obama said: “We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate.”

CHART: #Inaug2013 Tweet Volume vs. the 2009 #Inauguration. twitter.com/gov/status/293…

— Twitter Government (@gov) January 21, 2013

Some of those tweets were clearly coming from the risers set up for VIPs at the Capitol. Many members of Congress tweeted comments and photos during the ceremony.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) both tweeted their view of the president.

My view of @barackobama during the swearing in earlier today. -PM #WAinDC #Inaug2013 twitter.com/PattyMurray/st…

— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) January 21, 2013

Check out this photo I took of President Obama during #inaug2013! We the people have the power to decide our future. twitter.com/RepGwenMoore/s…

— Gwen Moore (@RepGwenMoore) January 21, 2013

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) mocked Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s “weird” hat, Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) complimented the Marine Corps Band and Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) snapped a photo of Beyoncé while the singer delivered the closing rendition of the National Anthem.

Clarkson, who sang “My country, ‘tis of thee” during the ceremony, tweeted her relief after finishing the song, and Michelle Obama personally tweeted that she felt “honored and blessed” that so many Americans attended the ceremony.

Fantastic music from the U.S. @marineband at the Inauguration. #idahodcphotos #inaug2013 twitter.com/MikeCrapo/stat…

— Senator Mike Crapo (@MikeCrapo) January 21, 2013

Beyonce closes the #Inaug2013 ceremony with The National Anthem yfrog.com/hs3c4lhj

— Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (@CongressmanGT) January 21, 2013

Wow ….I was incredibly nervous and cold ha! I just wanna officially thank President Obama for opening for me haha! Just kidding 🙂

— Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) January 21, 2013

Honored and blessed to be joining so many of my fellow Americans gathered to watch the Inauguration. –mo

— FLOTUS (@FLOTUS) January 21, 2013

Commenting on the chilly weather in Washington, D.C., was actress Gabrielle Union — who also said it was “worth it” to be a “frozen fudge pop” — and Longoria, part of the inaugural committee, tweeted a photo of herself — also looking bundled up from the cold — on the platform.

Frozen fudge pops we were but SO worth it to be a witness #Inauguration2013 instagr.am/p/UwcVK_p-aY/

— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) January 21, 2013

On the platform this morning for the President’s inauguration! #ProudMoment say.ly/Rsk50sC

— Eva Longoria (@EvaLongoria) January 21, 2013

The White House encouraged Twitter followers to share favorite quotes from Obama’s inauguration speech using the hashtag #inaugquote, but the hashtag never really got going, according to Topsy analytics.

Full audio of President Obama’s inaugural address now on @soundcloud: at.wh.gov/h07E2 #inaug2013 Share favorite quotes w #InaugQuote

— Kori Schulman (@ks44) January 21, 2013

The Presidential Inaugural Committee went on to live-tweet the parade following the swearing-in ceremony on Monday afternoon from @obamainaugural, while the Secret Service continued sharing updated security information about barricades and long lines at @secretservice.