A GIF is worth a thousand words, at least according to Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin.
A shot of Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) clapping on Tuesday during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress made the rounds among conservatives almost immediately after the moment aired.
Standing among his colleagues, all of whom were vigorously applauding the speech, Paul could be seen delivering a slow clap while looking relatively detached amid the cheers.
National Review converted the shot into a GIF:
What’d ya think of the #NetanyahuSpeech, Rand? http://t.co/vFjhUADQQf pic.twitter.com/4yPBcga7NI
— National Review (@NRO) March 3, 2015
Commentators pounced.
“What if I clap, but only half-heartedly?” the anonymous Hot Air writer Allahpundit imagined Paul saying, calling it proof that the libertarian senator is struggling to prove his conservative credentials.
RedState.com writer Dan McLaughlin, alias Baseball Crank, compared it to the popular GIF of Orson Welles clapping in “Citizen Kane.” National Review rounded up reactions from various Twitter users.
But perhaps most agitated by the scene was Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin, a vocal supporter of Israel, who took to Twitter to blast Paul and those coming to his defense.
@SenRandPaul Then why would you seriously contemplate containment? Or propose a budget that cuts aid including aid to Israel?
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) March 3, 2015
@SenRandPaul then why do you support additional sanctions as Bibi suggested?
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) March 3, 2015
Unenthused Rand Paul Lifelessly Applauds Bibi http://t.co/S9SMnE1iOv OOps.. almost like he has been faking his support for Israel until now
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) March 4, 2015
@SenRandPaul @netanyahu continue to stand with Israel? But you oppose Menendez Kirk. You stand AGAINST Israel
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) March 4, 2015
@BahmanKalbasi complains journalist who works for BBC among the most anti-Israel on the planet, suddenly invested in Rand Paul. Hmm
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) March 4, 2015
Paul’s staff complains he clapped plenty during speech. Fair,. Real question should be about record and positions. http://t.co/S9SMnE1iOv
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) March 4, 2015
Paul appeared to duck out of the speech without talking to reporters, but he released a statement later saying he stood with Netanyahu.
“Israel is and has always been America’s friend and ally. I was pleased to hear Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to Congress today, and join him in calling for peace and standing together for our mutual interests,” Paul said.
“It is important to work together to prevent a nuclear Iran, and the spread of Radical Islam,” he added.