The Week on Twitter | Clinton & Sanders, the General Election, and Matt LeBlanc
This week, Twitter said goodbye to Terry Wogan, watched as Hillary Clinton narrowly took Iowa, and laughed as Donald Trump didn’t. We also celebrated Groundhog Day, were confused/delighted by Top Gear’s newest presenter, and got ourselves all ready for the general election.
Sir #TerryWogan dies, aged 77
On Sunday, it was reported that Limerick born Terry Wogan had passed away. The broadcasting legend died peacefully surrounded by family after a short battle with cancer. Fans, friends, and colleagues alike took to social media to express their condolences and share their memories after the news broke.
"Radio could have been invented for him." Listen to John Humphrys' tribute to #TerryWogan https://t.co/MN8mKEBwul pic.twitter.com/4lVx2aZCXV
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) February 1, 2016
When I was a kid I wrote to my broadcasting hero and he sent me this photo. RIP Terry Wogan. pic.twitter.com/ZxoJL514La
— Steve Rosenberg (@BBCSteveR) January 31, 2016
I am sad to hear about Terry Wogan. He was a thoughtful, generous and sane man in an industry where those qualities are rare.
— Jonathan Ross (@wossy) January 31, 2016
Superb, simple and poignant tribute to #TerryWogan from @Telegraph @bobscartoons pic.twitter.com/KGCVpO9THa
— Richard Frediani (@FredianiITV) January 31, 2016
When Sir Terry Pratchett asked Sir Terry Wogan what the collective noun of Sir Terry's should be, his response was 'A Pride'. #RIPTerry
— Terry Pratchett (@terryandrob) January 31, 2016
RIP Terry Wogan.Thank you for all those years of sparkling conversation and kindness. pic.twitter.com/bvVUVOD0YB
— Paloma Faith (@Palomafaith) January 31, 2016
Everyone celebrates #GroundhogDay. Again.
This week, it was Groundhog Day. Which meant that Twitter was dominated by groundhogs, appreciation for Bill Murray, and general things happening over and over – like Bush’s running for president, and America being problematic.
Groundhog Day became a thing in the 1800s in the US, when the townsfolk would gather around the groundhog’s burrow to see if he would emerge. If it is cloudy when the groundhog makes its appearance, spring will come early. But if it is sunny, the groundhog will (probably) head back beneath the ground, and everybody will have to wait a few more weeks for spring. Probably.
Groundhog Day became an even bigger thing in 1993 when it turned into a film with Bill Murray in it. This year, the musical adaptation of Groundhog Day is supposed to take the world by storm. It’s all very exciting. Here are some tweets about the day.
It's February 2 and I'll say what I say every year: Bill Murray should have won an Oscar for Groundhog Day
— Hadley Freeman (@HadleyFreeman) February 2, 2016
Happy Groundhog Day! Did you hear the news? The groundhog popped his head out, saw Ted Cruz won Iowa, and promptly died of abject terror.
— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) February 2, 2016
Have yourself a Murray little Groundhog Day. pic.twitter.com/XXsikVL7q3
— Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) February 2, 2016
i love groundhog day & believe we should take all our counsel from rodents. for instance i employ a wonderful marmot as my personal psychic
— TIG NOTARO (@TigNotaro) February 2, 2016
I love Groundhog Day. Something about raising a giant guinea pig in the air to determine the season is so wonderful to me
— marissa (@mdoolz) February 2, 2016
#Clinton wins Iowa. #Trump doesn’t.
During the week, the US presidential candidates had their first nomination contest of 2016. An extremely narrow victory for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton left many wondering whether the Bernie Sanders’ grassroots campaign does actually have the potential to go all the way.
Although several media sources reported that the race between the two was too close to call, the Democratic party eventually announced that Clinton had won with 49.9% against Sanders’ 49.6%. Despite the defeat, thousands of young voters around the country continued to #FeeltheBern, celebrating the fact that their candidate had essentially tied in Iowa.
https://twitter.com/brianstelter/status/694363663017349120%20
84% of youth vote in Iowa went to Bernie. It’s refreshing to see this is the direction our country's going in: https://t.co/DSWGUJ4AEZ
— Jesse Ventura (@GovJVentura) February 4, 2016
surprising from Iowa Dem vote:
Among women under age 30:
Sanders 84%, Clinton 14%Women age 30-44:
Sanders 53%, Clinton 42%— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 2, 2016
But not everyone’s victories were so narrowly scraped. The Iowa caucuses also saw Donald Trump lose to Ted Cruz. Badly. A mere 24.3% of the vote left Trump in second place, just about defeating Marco Rubio by about one percent.
Following the results, Trump took to Twitter to announce that Cruz had not won Iowa, but stolen it. In a string of temper-tantrum-y tweets, the billionaire declared that the polls were wrong and that a new vote should take place and that the whole situation was “Bad!”
It was a whole thing.
In now-deleted tweet, Trump claims Cruz “illegally stole” Iowa victory pic.twitter.com/RsT2AlCIID
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) February 3, 2016
Donald Trump is mercilessly mocked after the Iowa caucuses for this old tweet: https://t.co/DGHWSbtOEp #IowaCaucus pic.twitter.com/RCW0RYSDdk
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 2, 2016
The five stages of Donald Trump’s grief over his loss in Iowa https://t.co/H9Ywbc0t2V pic.twitter.com/oVlnn1wV9z
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 3, 2016
Prediction: Bernie Sanders may actually have been cheated in Iowa, but media will cover Trump's BS accusations far more.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) February 3, 2016
How does Cruz always look both happy and sad? "I like lasagna but it's not what I ordered", his face says. pic.twitter.com/B15sApYwEh
— Marie Le Conte (@youngvulgarian) February 2, 2016
Enda announces date for #GeneralElection2016 #GE16
On Wednesday, Enda took to Twitter (yes, Twitter) to tell us all the official polling date of this year’s general election. It’s February 26th. It’s all very exciting.
Following Kenny’s announcement and the dissolving of the Dáil, candidates started campaigning online, posters starting going up everywhere, and everyone took a second to ready themselves for the weeks ahead.
This must look like the plot to a fantasy adventure movie to non-Irish people pic.twitter.com/BmlQo8ei7U
— Dee McDonnell (@deevseverything) February 2, 2016
So many #GE16 posters up already, so many cardboard faces I want to punch.
— Claire Hennessy (@chennessybooks) February 4, 2016
Dublin Opinion. Can't remember the date; doesn't matter. #GE16 pic.twitter.com/5c4yCn2CY5
— Niamh Puirséil (@NiamhPuirseil) February 4, 2016
attention all websites, i am selling my #ge16 content where i capture candidates mid-blink to the highest bidder pic.twitter.com/AdG5BlhoCj
— Patrick (@PrayForPatrick) February 3, 2016
#GE16 pic.twitter.com/5XjR9Izl65
— Oisin McKenna (@OIS_MCK) February 3, 2016
Is the election over yet? #GE16
— Colm Tobin (@colmtobin) February 3, 2016
#MattLeBlanc confirmed as new host of #TopGear
In a strange twist of events, Joey from Friends has been revealed as the new host of BBC’s Top Gear. It was weird, and everyone tweeted about how weird it was for a bit, before deciding that Matt LeBlanc was actually pretty cool, maybe, and he might make Top Gear actually watchable, probably?
LeBlanc will host the show alongside Chris Evans (no, not that one), and they’ll talk lots about cars and driving and will probably race each other at some point. It might be good.
Hey everyone,I'm really honored and looking forward to working on Top Gear with @achrisevans , damn he's tall. pic.twitter.com/XGrcLP0NCl
— Matt LeBlanc (@Matt_LeBlanc) February 4, 2016
Ugh. Does that mean Matt LeBlanc is going to start hanging out with David Cameron? It's like the Friends visit London episode all over again
— Gráinne Maguire (@GrainneMaguire) February 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/renegxde86/status/695248744745406465
Wait so if Matt le Blanc had been .02 seconds slower, the new Top Gear host would be Rowan Atkinson?! Ahh #MissedOut pic.twitter.com/daMVa07Vet
— Julie Fisher (@FisherGoesMad) February 4, 2016
Matt Le Blanc: Yeah It's a good car. I'd drive it.
Chris Evans: Say the line.
Crowd chanting: SAY THE LINE
Matt Le Blanc: How you doin?— Alan (@alan_maguire) February 4, 2016