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.
RaND PAUL’s haNds should HAVe beeN moviNG so FAsT that THey JUSt SEEmed to DIsappear. But HE’s not a TRUE conServatiVE. WHat KINd of American PATRIOT doesn’t LOVE ISRaEL withOUT question? an anti-SEmite, THAT’s who!111!11!one!1!1!1!!!
Not to sound like I support Randroid or anything, but seriously, Rubin is world-class partisan moron. I’m really not sure why she still has a job or why anyone would give a silent fart in a tornado what the fuck she says or thinks.
How did I know that we were talking Jennifer Rubin? It’s a mystery, though not as big of a mystery as to why WaPo keeps such an intellectually dishonest and serially unoriginal toady on their payroll.
OTOH, she’s going after another idiot here, so, she’s got some utility on the planet, at least for today.
Jeez, these people are vicious. They’ll tear apart one of their own for not clapping hard enough? What’s the right amount jubilance you’d like to see Ms. Rubin? Also, could we stop pretending not caring for one person that identifies with a group, means the exact same as hating everyone in that particular group?
Ah yes, because in 2015 one must slavishly suck up and defer to a foreign politician in order to prove your conservative credentials to other Americans. True patriotism and liberty and stuff.
Republicans must be so proud of what they’ve become.