In case you missed it, earlier today a bunch of Senators held a hearing in which they mostly got to hear themselves talk. Ostensibly, the hearing was to interview Donald Trump's pick for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth.
In reality, it was mostly a bunch of bloviating, particularly from the Democratic senators, who didn't bother actually allowing Hegseth to answer their questions; they just ranted and raved for their allotted time.
Some of them, like New York's junior Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, also used the time to become completely unhinged and start screaming at Hegseth. Here is a clip of her apoplectic fit:
Senator Gillibrand is having a complete MELTDOWN over Pete Hegseth right now. pic.twitter.com/bEKSzWMBQB
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 14, 2025
She even called Hegseth 'mean,' at one point during her rant.
What is she, five years old? (Don't answer that.)
Of course, it didn't take long for Twitter to grab a screenshot from this clip and turn it into comedy GOLD.
Incredible pic.twitter.com/sVaikDoU8B
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) January 14, 2025
The look on Hegseth's face, as Gillibrand is becoming increasingly unhinged, is PRICELESS. It is reminiscent of the famous Ben Affleck meme where the actor is sighing in defeat as he smokes a cigarette.
But even more than that, it reminded Twitter of the legendary 'Crazy Lady Screaming at a Cat' meme.
— Rufus T Firefly (sworn enemy of Rakell) (@hoggomcswineass) January 14, 2025
Yep. That's the one, lovingly recreated by Twitter meme lords.
SHE'S DOING THE MEME
— jimtreacher.substack.com (@jtLOL) January 14, 2025
https://t.co/MnzgkqzfZd pic.twitter.com/BMQW2v666b
— Chels (@ChesterXeet) January 14, 2025
https://t.co/F1oCGwKFYo pic.twitter.com/9TBeTHGDte
— theRoddick (@OriginalRoddick) January 14, 2025
Many different combinations and iterations of the classic were quickly posted on Twitter.
Others decided to have a caption contest with the image.
“And you didn’t put the toilet seat down!!!” https://t.co/mlV0viwlLq
— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) January 14, 2025
The most unforgivable sin of them all!
"I saw what you did with the fabric shears!" https://t.co/L1ewaW4UYe pic.twitter.com/UIHrl0X7I1
— Ryan B (@Network_Guy8) January 14, 2025
Whatever you do, gentlemen, do NOT 'borrow' her fabric shears. Especially don't borrow them to cut open a box.
My wife telling me about what I did wrong in her dream last night. #hegseth #senate#petehegseth pic.twitter.com/4ndNCCtbSM
— ℂ𝕒𝕡𝕟 𝔽𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕥 (@raisethablack) January 14, 2025
Oops. That's always a mistake. Stay out of her dreams!
Serenity Now https://t.co/PnUmf5uEkN
— anacott33 (@aeriscap) January 14, 2025
HA.
Yes, we can see Hegseth channeling Frank Costanza there.
More like https://t.co/A2rSea8PPY pic.twitter.com/j2ZL2XzdOn
— CJ and the Brew (@youarethejokes) January 14, 2025
That's another meme that was appropriate to the moment.
— Sarah (@Sarah_on_X) January 14, 2025
Pete Hegseth is all of us. https://t.co/q8dUdrfeEf
— Matt Cover (@MattCover) January 14, 2025
We don't know how he sat there so calmly during her tirade.
And Gillibrand wasn't the only one. Mazie Hirono, Elizabeth Warren, and Tammy Duckworth also embarrassed themselves in public with their incoherent hissy fits. Hegseth calmly buried them all.
Pete should shout out Scott Jennings for coaching him on the Jim Stares At The Camera move. https://t.co/EwA9ySOnWH
— Jarvis (@jarvis_best) January 14, 2025
It is Scott Jennings' trademark look. We wouldn't be surprised at all if Hegseth studied it for practice.
One of the best one-photo analyses of the 2024 election you will ever see. https://t.co/kihO6Ec3GQ
— IT Guy (@ITGuy1959) January 14, 2025
Right? And they refuse to learn anything from the election.
The Democrats becoming the party of the angry mother-in-law/hectoring wife is something they might want to do something about. https://t.co/ecdPasMqsU
— Varad Mehta (@varadmehta) January 14, 2025
Shhhh. Let them cook. We'd love for them to lose a few more elections before they figure anything out.
Hang this in the Louvre pic.twitter.com/wxUjOLh99r
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 14, 2025
Right next to the Mona Lisa. It would be an outstanding study in contrast.
One intrepid meme artist on Twitter even substituted some much-improved audio for the clip:
This might be the most powerful thing Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY) has ever said. Wow! pic.twitter.com/722f12klXN
— Tony Kinnett (@TheTonus) January 14, 2025
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
And now, we are deceased.
At the end of the day, Hegseth almost certainly has the votes needed to be confirmed by the Senate. This hearing could have been an intelligent examination of his plans for the department under President Trump.
But these are Senators we're talking about, so it was just a bunch of them preening for the cameras and shouting at him like rabid harpies. (Except freshman Senator Tim Sheehy, who may have been the only one on either side of the aisle to ask Hegseth questions that were remotely relevant to the job.)
A whole lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Except maybe for the fact that Twitter still knows how to mock a Senator like Gillibrand who chooses to make herself look unserious and silly in public.
Mission accomplished, Kirsten.
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