Government leaders have a thing or two to learn about using social media in a crisis from Mayor Cory Booker of Newark New Jersey.  First lesson: use social media to listen to and help your citizens.  Social media is not just another push communications channel for your campaign messages.  Second lesson: people will remember you for how you respond in a crisis.  Personal responses garner so much more goodwill than generic ones (see the difference, comparing Booker with NYC Mayor Bloomberg in this Village Voice blog post calling Booker the hero of the snowpocalypse.)

Government staff and campaign staff alike should take note of this example of leadership.