Why did congressman say he was going to live tweet off the record GOP conference?

Prior to that tweet, Missouri GOP Rep. Billy Long announced he was at an off the record conference, and his followers were about to be privy to something special:

At closed off the record GOP Conference – think football huddle where QB Whispers the play & a couple of your teammates run tell the defense

— Billy Long (@auctnr1) September 30, 2013

As it turns out, Long had something else in mind:

Not really – just wanting to get over 4,000 followers

— Billy Long (@auctnr1) September 30, 2013

Long’s trick worked. As of this moment, Long has 4,043 followers on Twitter, but may have lost a follower or two among the local press:

@auctnr1 That right there was just plain mean…..

— Collin Reischman (@CMReischman) September 30, 2013