As Twitchy reported, there’s a battle brewing between Team Cruz and Team Rubio over a Photoshopped image of a grinning Marco Rubio enthusiastically shaking hands with Barack Obama:
Cruz’s rapid response director Brian Phillips and campaign director Jeff Roe are feverishly attempting to defend it:
Rubio camp said pic of Rubio shaking hands w Obama "inventing an attack." https://t.co/lGGUUvarFp So what's this–> pic.twitter.com/4fdSaM84tX
— Brian Phillips (@RealBPhil) February 18, 2016
— Jeff Roe (@jeffroe) February 18, 2016
Needless to say, they’re not doing such a great job.
Seriously?!? https://t.co/QA1S8ACuWs
— LaurieAnn (@mooshakins) February 18, 2016
Wow. How dare Rubio shake hands with the president.
This is a game-changer, #CruzCrew. https://t.co/DKdYqSqfGb
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) February 18, 2016
Wait, a senator is never supposed to shake hands with the president now? Really? That's where we are?
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) February 18, 2016
I'm a voter & take this as a personal insult on my intelligence & others. Shaking hands with an opponent isn't evil. https://t.co/ChNcNsoWnD
— Kris Kinder (@kris_kinder) February 18, 2016
It's a man showing respect for the leader of his country. Someone who obviously holds the office in esteem. https://t.co/Ho4wOSL2ZE
— Andrew (@TheFoyeEffect) February 18, 2016
BREAKING NEWS: Ted Cruz campaign manager catches Marco Rubio doing what senators do at the SOTU. https://t.co/AWXSyB8Cc2
— Charles Hoskinson (@cehoskinson) February 18, 2016
Not sure these two pictures convey the same message. @RealBPhil @rickwtyler pic.twitter.com/RjUD0n1hTA
— Andrew Clark (@AndrewHClark) February 18, 2016
1) Team Cruz sends out Rubio/Obama photoshop job
2) They get caught
3) Their defense: They've shaken hands before!I just….
— Nick Jacob (@nicktjacob) February 18, 2016
Please make it stop Team Cruz this is so painful https://t.co/0CWYsQt0VS
— Heather Wilhelm (@heatherwilhelm) February 18, 2016
This is what a flailing campaign looks like. https://t.co/48riKOm0xq
— Matthew Goldfuss (@Too_Much_Reason) February 18, 2016
This is so sad, Brian. Do you feel sad? You should feel sad. https://t.co/ksFP6FkkZS
— #NeverTrump (@OrwellForks) February 18, 2016
You are the worst at your job dude. This is embarrassing. https://t.co/eUoCCL5UXm
— Drew (@FigDrewton) February 18, 2016
And many tweeters can’t help but ask:
if you had that pic why photoshop another one? https://t.co/WTMizOOOL5
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) February 18, 2016
It's a real photo. Why not use that one? https://t.co/0sJtWW6UAt
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) February 18, 2016
Why not use this one in the first place then? https://t.co/sOj60YKdOq
— Matthew (@Matthops82) February 18, 2016
@jeffroe if you thought this was a compelling image, why did you use this and not the badly photoshopped one?
— Ryan (@alwaysonoffense) February 18, 2016
@RealBPhil yeah – so why didn't they use this picture? Why photoshop a fake one? Maybe because a SOTU handshake is innocuous? @instapundit
— Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) February 18, 2016
You know, if they’re zeroing in on handshakes, Phillips and Roe have opened up a pretty big can of worms …
https://twitter.com/RobProvince/status/700397224375816193
.@jeffroe RUH ROH! pic.twitter.com/WgLvEkhAG6
— Popehat (@Popehat) February 18, 2016
And then, of course, there’s this:
Look @RealBPhil! Rubio is shaking hands with someone. https://t.co/IOv50xUtX6
— Todd (@DCToddM) February 18, 2016
— Alex Pappas (@AlexPappas) February 18, 2016
not sure i can vote for rubio anymore https://t.co/o0yVNCYLb8
— Ryan (@alwaysonoffense) February 18, 2016
How can anyone?
And what about this?
Awww pic.twitter.com/kk6LrvEIjp
— JayfromBrooklyn (@AmateurPolSc) February 18, 2016
And this?
@jeffroe pic.twitter.com/GEAkFrMy47
— William Schwartz '16 (@2William) February 18, 2016
And this?
.@jeffroe pic.twitter.com/fpsZtZmkQh
— Popehat (@Popehat) February 18, 2016
We’re so conflicted right now. Clearly there’s only one thing that can prevent future controversies like this:
Everyone who ever shook hands with anyone should drop out the race. https://t.co/TLjLUibISa
— Pradheep Shanker MD (@Neoavatara) February 18, 2016
https://twitter.com/JGreenDC/status/700398690511544320
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