The Hill News

Outgoing White House press secretary Robert Gibbs suggested Wednesday that his successor will assume his Twitter account.

Gibbs, who announced on Wednesday that he would leave the White House to pursue private opportunities in support of President Obama, said he expected the "PressSec" account he created to be passed on to press secretaries in the future.

"I can certainly say that none of these tools were developed for me; they were developed for you," Gibbs said in his "First Question" video message â€" a feature where he answers questions from Twitter users in a video posted on YouTube.

"Our Twitter feeds â€" the Twitter account of the press secretary, and things like 'First Question' â€" will extend and continue well beyond my tenure here at the White House," Gibbs said.

His remarks would seem to set the precedent for th! e next press secretary to assume Gibbs's old account. He started the account on Feb. 13, 2010, and has used it to make news.

A possible successor to Gibbs at the briefing room podium, deputy press secretary Bill Burton, also has an account, which preceded Gibbs's.

The changeover in the White House complements an unprecedented change of power in Twitter in the House on Wednesday. Many Twitter accounts by government officials and political officials weren't created until the last Con! gress had already been sworn in, meaning that Democrats and Re! publican s are negotiating how to transfer their social-media skills.

"Because we've learned over many years that it's important, through social media and social networking, to continue the dialogue that we've had, and to bring you, the citizens of this country, closer into the goings-on and decisions that your government are making," Gibbs explained.