state of the union 2019
Nancy Pelosi's enigmatic golf clap at Trump was at least as memorable as Trump's State of the Union speech
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, this photo of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi clapping at President Trump may well be remembered more than any of the 5,000+ words Trump spoke in Tuesday's State of the Union address. Pelosi was ... applauding? ... this aspirational line from Trump: "We must reject the politics of revenge, resistance, and retribution, and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise, and the common good."
Is Pelosi embracing the idea of Trump's words while ridiculing him for being the one to deliver them? Is she golf-clapping? Was it just an odd camera angle?
There were theories. Comedian Patton Oswalt congratulated Pelosi for "inventing the 'f--k you' clap." Frequent tweeter Dr. Eugene Gu suggested that Pelosi "dog walked Trump with a single clap. This is her house, and Trump is an undocumented guest." And Slate's Christina Cauterucci captioned the photo: "Nancy Pelosi distracts out-of-control toddler with rendition of 'Baby Shark.'" Time's Molly Ball found the Baby Shark theme fitting:
Do-doo-do-do-do-do do-doo.