The U.S. Senate sucks just a little bit less today following the loss of a long-time icon … at least on social media.
Senator Chuck Grassley (IA) announced the passing of his beloved Beth, a tireless and upright member of his household …
U willl see Beth no more See black that’s from electrical sparks. It’s not safe to use anymore. GOOD BYE BETH . U hv been a real workhorse. Ur namesake still is hard worker. I will miss u pic.twitter.com/Zu5dAtDyvZ
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) August 8, 2026
Beth, a Hoover Concept Two Powerdrive vacuum cleaner manufactured in the 1980s, was a truly impressive machine.
(Yes, we spent way too much time going down a YouTube rabbit hole about the Hoover Concept Two.)
It’s a sad day at Grassley household…. For my 34 years and 15 yrs before that at my mother in law’s home Beth has worked dependably….
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) August 8, 2026
Why on Earth is Grassley telling the world about the death of his dearly departed dirtbag-haver?
The senator is no stranger to humor and corny jokes, and he's been telling us about Beth for years.
Mrs G and daughter Wendy hv started big job of preparing meal for30 at farm Thxgiving. So my housework contribution begins. This is my machine (Beth😄) pic.twitter.com/DYJCkdrqzk
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) November 20, 2018
As the news of Beth's demise swept across the internet, social media posters had a bit of fun with the announcement.
Recommended
— Jim Muessig (@JimMuessig) August 9, 2026
(Incidentally, Grassley's posts read like the dialogue for an Indian in a 1960s western.)
— Madmartigan (@marcinko210) August 8, 2026
Many were happy to join in the fun. There was, of course, a contingent of agitators who couldn't escape the vacuum of their political bubbles long enough to have a little laugh and chose instead to bag on Grassley, but we'll just filter out that noise.
Sorry for your loss. They don’t build them like they used to
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) August 9, 2026
That's for sure!
RIP Beth… but it is WILD that a consumer product lasted nearly 50 years! https://t.co/dwoTeoqpxz
— Nathan Brand (@nathanbrand) August 8, 2026
Some of us are old enough to remember that level of quality.
Chuck Grassley's vacuum cleaner is older than most of you. https://t.co/x70UdtbrGI
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) August 8, 2026
This vacuum is older than I am.
— Matt Whitlock (@MattWhitlock) August 8, 2026
Respect. https://t.co/SMdDwFIMh6
Hey, we said 'some of us' are old enough to remember.
People had varying opinions on what should be done with Beth. Some offered to fix her while others offered less conventional approaches …
— db 🜏 (@socialbruxist) August 9, 2026
What say you, Smithsonian?
Take her behind the barn and end her suffering.
— The Dank Knight 🦇 (@capeandcowell) August 8, 2026
Sometimes, when you love something, you have to set it free.
Hear me out https://t.co/UjcH6GMUbs pic.twitter.com/zlcHNxIPlr
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) August 9, 2026
That's a nice photo of Lincoln and Hoover.
Preliminary sketch from SpaceX rebuild pic.twitter.com/0SH6Makywb
— RED, WHITE & BLUE ANGEL🇺🇸 (@IQUQWEQ) August 9, 2026
BethX could clean President Trump's White House Ballroom.
Vaxxed? https://t.co/aJmbFSJMwM
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) August 8, 2026
*Vac'd.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust … So long, Beth.