Though Tam described their relationship as friendly, in a recent instant-message interview his tone was harsh.

NEWYORKER: The Story of a Suicide

Breaux said he still hoped it would gain enough support to send a strong bipartisan message about the new tone in Washington.

CNN: House passes budget resolution as Democrats rail

When used properly, however, a Dutch research team has shown that emoticons can effectively enhance the desired tone of a message.

FORBES: Emotionally Intelligent Emailing