For a candidate who has from the beginning of his campaign made it clear that he doesn’t trust the media to be fair, Donald Trump never seems to tire of feeding journalists just the right tidbit to send them into a frenzy, leading to headlines about soliciting his opponent’s assassination, for example.
Trump 2.0, tethered rather strongly to a teleprompter, fared a little better for a while. That’s when surrogates popped up to warn of, say, the irresistible danger of taco trucks on every corner. On Monday night Donald Trump Jr. took over the spoon and fed Twitter a heaping bowl of Skittles, sending the candy to the top of the evening’s trending topics.
"Why is everyone suddenly tweeting about skittles?" asked the man who's gonna regret it
— Alex Burns (@alexburnsNYT) September 20, 2016
This image says it all. Let's end the politically correct agenda that doesn't put America first. #trump2016 pic.twitter.com/9fHwog7ssN
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 19, 2016
There was a point in there somewhere about Syrian refugees, but no one will admit to swallowing it. When Twitter really gets going, though, the last thing it needs is more sugar. Two hours and about 25,000 tweets later …
https://twitter.com/max_read/status/778036346032103425
Skittles PR team staring at Twitter rn pic.twitter.com/lCWaho0C6O
— Marcus Gilmer (@marcusgilmer) September 20, 2016
I would give ANYTHING to see the @Skittles PR people running around right now trying to figure out a way to spin this.
— Jennifer Iacopelli (@jennifercarolyn) September 20, 2016
.@Skittles, FYI, this is a big deal to me, as someone who loves to buy your candy. Please intercede with the Trump campaign. https://t.co/WSdzJUWMhx
— Andie the Obamanista (@TheObamanista) September 20, 2016
Really feeling for the @Skittles social media an PR team right now. STAY STRONG!
— Adena Jones (@adena_andrews) September 20, 2016
Meanwhile, at Skittles corporate… pic.twitter.com/COuvlQCwd8
— doesn't matter (@lukeoneil47) September 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/smallmagiczine/status/778040423289880576
When @Skittles' PR manager finds out WHY Skittles are trending… pic.twitter.com/2LvFSOniiS
— Michael Scally (@FizzVsTheWorld) September 20, 2016
Better question: why is there a bowl of poisoned skittles on your desk? https://t.co/GqH9wbmQ0v
— Jesse Hawken (@jessehawken) September 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/Samhedonia/status/778033561458864128
This is just horrible math. Unless the bowl has hundreds of millions of Skittles, and even then–me specifically?? https://t.co/SoSkjUp29G
— Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) September 20, 2016
If the bowl had 3.2 million Skittles in it, you racist freak. https://t.co/5xi56sQTjr
— Scott Weinberg (@scottEweinberg) September 20, 2016
If only we vetted Skittles with the years-long intensity we vet refugees. https://t.co/NjwWaxzB2p
— Mary Beth Schneider (@marybschneider) September 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/mileskahn/status/778043249487478784
https://twitter.com/aseitzwald/status/778036348099911680
https://twitter.com/Max_Fisher/status/778045464923045888
People aren’t Skittles. pic.twitter.com/1sksSTSRG8
— Amanda B??er (@heyprofbow) September 20, 2016
My parents were Skittles.
— Eden Dranger (@Eden_Eats) September 20, 2016
I dunno, guys. A bowl full of skittles on every corner sounds pretty good to me! #political #ad
— Dan “A Living Turkey” Neilan (@DanfordAndSon) September 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/stevewhitaker/status/778050589888487424
https://twitter.com/jordansdiamonds/status/778047672544526342
https://twitter.com/Lexialex/status/778041531768803328
"Give me your tired, your poor,
your huddled Skittles yearning to breathe free. We'll dump the bowl in the ocean cause SKITTLES ARE SCARY!!"— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) September 20, 2016
What if one orange Skittle starting telling all the Skittles to panic and kill a bunch of Skittles?
— Bill Dixon (@BillDixonish) September 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/jonkudelka/status/778050244621635584
https://twitter.com/andylevy/status/778050819295961088
https://twitter.com/imillhiser/status/778041751076532224
So, did Donald Trump Jr. intend to bring Trayvon Martin Jr. into his tweet about Syrian refugees, or was it just subconscious on his part?
anyone think the use of skittles is mere coincidence? i sure as hell dont https://t.co/xJ7CrY8L91
— amzieaa (@amzieaa) September 20, 2016
.@DonaldJTrumpJr Using Skittles candy for a racial profiling analogy = cool idea because it evokes no negative associations at all #Trayvon
— Dana Stevens (@thehighsign) September 20, 2016
Skittles = vague Trayvon Martin reference for the alt-right? Dogwhistle much?
— Mediocre Jedi ? (@MediocreJedi) September 20, 2016
Why do you want to ruin even CANDY for us? We'll always think of Trayvon. Never YOU. You're a pathetic salesman. https://t.co/USwO2zMqtd
— Renee (@nay731) September 20, 2016
Skittles. Trayvon Martin's "last meal". https://t.co/pJcDG4IQXK
— Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) September 20, 2016
Trayvon Martin was killed for carrying a bag of Skittles. Syrian refugees has nothing to do with that. #RefugeesAreNotSkittles pic.twitter.com/brXUUlN922
— Aura Bogado (@aurabogado) September 20, 2016
Please: never again feed Twitter sugar before bed.
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Related:
Yeesh! If this is how Trump’s courting millennials, we’ve got some bad news for him https://t.co/8gvQU1nRSC
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) September 3, 2016
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