President Obama Tweets Climate Change, but Can’t Resist NBA Questions

— -- President Obama took to Twitter today to answer questions on climate change, but it was his tweets about the NBA Finals and a presidential flub that stole the spotlight.

The president opened the Twitter Q&A by inviting people to ask questions using the hashtag #AskPOTUS.

The first question the president fielded was a softball from @calebmegajew, who asked Obama:

Nearly 17,000 questions poured in from people using the #AskPOTUS hashtag, and the president strayed a little from climate change to twice answer questions about the NBA, including the firing today of Tom Thibodeau, who was head coach of his hometown Chicago Bulls.

That wasn’t the only time Obama was distracted by the National Basketball Association, and the White House's "Baller-in-Chief" wasn’t about to sugarcoat his response.

The president also had a presidential gaffe, drawing a bunch of grief from the Twittersphere in his answer about an emerging trade deal.

Obama should have placed the period (.) prior to the (@) to ensure that his entire following would see the tweet.

While it’s the first time the president has answered questions from his new @POTUS Twitter handle, it’s not the first time he has answered questions on Twitter.

Obama participated in a Twitter town hall in 2011, and conducted Twitter Q&As in August and December of 2012.

After the @POTUS account was launched May 18, Twitter says Obama set the record as its fastest user to amass 1 million followers. He now has nearly 2.5 million followers 10 days later.