Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Uses Twitter to Fire Criticism at Harold Ford Jr.

Harold Ford Jr. and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand have been exchanging barbs on Twitter

AP Photo/Alex Brandon (L) AP Photo/Tim Roske (R)

By Heather Grossmann

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — The race for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's Senate seat hasn't officially begun yet, but the barbs — and the tweets — are already flying.  

Gillibrand took to Twitter on Tuesday to attack potential primary challenger and former Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford Jr., after he called her a "parakeet" who simply did the bidding of party bosses.

"'Parakeet?' I wouldn't allow my 6 yr old to engage in this kind of namecalling. And HF thinks he should be Senator?" Gillibrand tweeted.

Davidson Goldin, a Ford spokesman, shot back.

"I would think the unelected senator would be more concerned with fighting for jobs for New Yorkers than spending her time on Twitter," he told DNAinfo.

Ford himself has just recently started Tweeting.

He sent a tweet Monday morning reading "Attaboy to schumer for payroll tax cut idea!" — apparently a make good for his attacks yesterday on the senior senator's voting record, including Sen. Chuck Schumer's support of the current health care reform bill.

Former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr., left, New York State Senator Malcom Smith, second from left, Rev. Al Sharpton, second ...

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AP Photo/Frank Franklin II

Harold Ford Jr. recently began using Twitter and sent a tweet Monday morning praising Sen. Chuck Schumer

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey