When breaking news happens, Twitter is an excellent medium for passing around information in real time. It’s also, horribly, a great tool to boast and let people know how many others are retweeting your messages as news is breaking.

“My tweet about the NYT reporting that an unexploded device was found in Newton got 20-plus retweets,” Politico‘s Kevin Robillard tweeted Monday night. “My retweet of the Boston Globe knocking it down got zero.”

Robillard had earlier tweeted a link to a NYT story on two bombs that went off at the Boston Marathon. Robillard wrote in his tweet that the report said “a device was found as far away as Newton [Mass.].” The story, as of now, contains no such reference, though a Google search indicates that the original version did (Robillard did not respond to a request for clarification on the matter). He followed up shortly with a retweet of Boston Globe staffer Neil Swidey who said, “It’s not true that one of the unexploded devices was found in Newton,” citing the Newton police captain.

The difference in number of retweets for Robillard’s separate messages led him to lament that the one with more seemingly dire news gained traction while the other went unnoticed. But… Read more

Sometimes a Separated at Birth goes in wildly different directions. Today is one of those days as we match Politico Pro reporter Kevin Robillard with a younger version of NBC’s Luke Russert and the late Chris Farley.

Quotes of the Day

“Dude I don’t even know how to make a gif #buzzfeedconfession” — BuzzFeed‘s newest Washingtonian Rosie Gray.

THREATENED: Reporters react to Woodward’s claims

“I never took nasty emails as threats. I took them as a sign I was doing my job. Nothing to do with bravery.” — Matt Apuzzo, AP investigative reporter in reaction to WaPo Bob Woodward‘s claim that he was threatened by the White House, namely Director of the National Economic Counsel Gene Sperling. (Sperling scoop by BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith.)

“The flaks I know usually just call to yell at me. no email I hate more threatening than ‘Kate, do you have second to talk about this?’” — Politico‘s Kate Nocera.

“Think abt it: You’re a 22-year-old reporter and you see what happens to BOB WOODWARD. You may stay quiet about when a flack barks/pressures” — National Review‘s Robert Costa.

“Reminder of the night: Non-reporters don’t understand journo-source interactions.” — Politico‘s Kevin Robillard.

(From our favorite non-vacationer…) “I know I’m on vacation, but I’ve gotten threats from both Obamaland and Romneyland. ‘You’ll regret this’ is like a walk in the park.” — Former BuzzFeed scribe Zeke Miller.

Politico Playbook Publish Time: 9:09 a.m.

Journo marvels over price of smokes

“I just saw woman in NYC buy two packs of cigarettes for $31. Who can afford that habit here?” — TWT senior opinion writer Emily Miller.

Important Q to Ponder: “You think when Ben Smith was 8 & watching All The President’s Men for the first time, he knew that one day he’d #BenSmith that guy?” — Breitbart‘s John Nolte, official nemesis to BuzzFeed‘s Smith.

Watch out for reporter in PJ’s

“Dear DC: I’m about to wander you in my pajama pants and I’m feeling very Jay Cutler #DoonttttCarrrreeee-esque about it.” — Roll Call‘s Meredith Shiner.

More Woodward and what he’ll regret… Read more

The TBD story by Kevin Robillard is about a controversial bar — not a turtle. “The short, brilliant life of the Thirsty Turtle,” the alluring tweet from TBD‘s Sommer Mathis reads.  The bar frequented by University of Maryland students recently closed the night after a stabbing.

Continuing with its bold correction policy, atop the story in bright red, is a correction, a whopping one at that: An earlier version of this story misidentified the man charged in relation to the stabbing. He is Leonardo Alonso Ramos. TBD apologizes for the error.

Greatest line: “I got 2 hook ups in the same night at turtle my first time ever going there…and then they were my first 2 of many random hook ups there…i will miss you turtle.”

Why the bar closed (apart from the stabbing)…

Read more