A simple interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” turned into a Sarah Palin moment, when Libertarian candidate for president Gary Johnson was asked about Aleppo while talking about Syria and ISIS.
“And what do you do about Aleppo?” Mike Barnicle asked Johnson.
“And what is Aleppo?” Johnson asked. Barnicle asked if he was kidding.
Aleppo, of course, is the part of Syria we see splashed across the news for chlorine attacks and refugee camps. It’s a major part of the conversation about how we handle the war against ISIS.
It didn’t take long before Twitter was lighting up with #WhatIsAleppo and calling the statement career ending or disqualifying for a presidential candidate. “Morning Joe” panelist Mark Halperin remarked that Johnson and other third party candidates pitch that they should be taken seriously, but how can they be when they don’t know basic information about foreign policy.
Check out the Twitter backlash below (and a video of the face-plant):
.@mikebarnicle: What would you do, if you were elected, about Aleppo? @GovGaryJohnson: And what is Aleppo? https://t.co/ZbqO5RAEsk
— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) September 8, 2016
"A three word sentence meaning, 'end of campaign'".
Johnson: "what is Aleppo?"
Trebek, sighing: "that is correct, Gary"
— Bugs Mathis (@maneatscereal) September 8, 2016
@GovGaryJohnson EPIC FAILURE! You lost my advocacy to hear anymore from you. You killed a movement… 😔 #Aleppo
— Spencer Peavey (@Spencerpv) September 8, 2016
Looks like a two-candidate debate for sure. #WhatisAleppo
— Julie (@andthewordwas) September 8, 2016
"What would you do about Aleppo?"
Gary Johson: "Well first I would Google it. Type the word in that rectangle." pic.twitter.com/WiFXvBQWNy
— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) September 8, 2016
#WhatIsAleppo? pic.twitter.com/VobcqrXzzJ
— Erik Mattson (@etmattson) September 8, 2016
#WhatIsAleppo now on @CNN. @CAmanpour reacts: "That is the kind of thing that gives the rest of the world great pause."
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) September 8, 2016
@jonfavs That look when @Morning_Joe is dying to legitimize Gary Johnson for conservatives & he asks #WhatIsAleppo pic.twitter.com/NWeeJaJDmH
— g-money (@rsportgod) September 8, 2016
#WhatIsAleppo #GaryJohnson #JohnsonWeld2016 #Weld #Johnson What is Aleppo Gary Johnson? pic.twitter.com/af9vcXfAdE
— Lutheran Snark (@LutheranSnark) September 8, 2016
@brianstelter @Morning_Joe @SopanDeb @kkrawchenko If only Trump were held to the same standard #WhatIsBrexit #WhatIsAleppo
— StupidSh*tTrumpSays (@trumpgems) September 8, 2016
Poor journalism is a man running for commander-in-chief admitting on live TV #whatisAleppo & the journos letting him respond casually anyway
— Rowaida Abdelaziz (@Rowaida_Abdel) September 8, 2016
Is the Bong Empty?
Oh. #WhatisAleppo#ThursdayThoughts #ThursdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/pWwurIc9KD
— Brian Wallos (@MRBenchwarmer) September 8, 2016
You COULD view @Morning_Joe #WhatIsAleppo moment as an implicit critique of Lauer's questions at last night's forum https://t.co/fYLmEuioY9
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) September 8, 2016
Aleppo is not the kid's name, you ****ing halfwit. https://t.co/5aqniQJ3J9
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 8, 2016
They had Gary Johnson sabotage his campaign.. no way is he that ignorant. They didn`t want him in the debate. https://t.co/aTZV75f52K
— Rabbit Hole Joe (@NotAJoe) September 8, 2016
You've got to be ****ing kidding me. #WhatIsAleppo https://t.co/15Rxk9un4P
— Nathaniel Horadam (@NW_Horadam) September 8, 2016
Time 4 @GovGaryJohnson to drop out All he's doing is creating another Al Gore moment #WhatIsAleppo https://t.co/CMAl7DBQRG
— Tracey (@TraceelinB) September 8, 2016
It's a SOAP!!! #whatisaleppo https://t.co/wdwsNEe0Cq
— Alex Manini (@ManiniAlex) September 8, 2016
@mckaycoppins Remember this:
Charlie: Do you agree with the Bush Doctrine?
Palin: In what way Charlie? @Morning_Joe #WhatIsAleppo— Archivist1000 (@Archivist1000) September 8, 2016
I saw. Funny stuff #WhatIsAleppo https://t.co/rbCuAVz6ec
— Yasmeen Serhan (@YasmeenSerhan) September 8, 2016
I know what Aleppo is and I'm not on the ballot for POTUS in even one state. #whatisaleppo #GaryJohnson #Aleppo
— Alan Medvin (@aymesq) September 8, 2016
I don't even understand what is happening in this election anymore! #WhatisAleppo
— Ann Snyder (@drmomann) September 8, 2016
#whatisaleppo bloody hell, how do these people make it so far up the ladder while being so dumb?
— Richard Dickens (@snicktop) September 8, 2016
#WhatIsAleppo?
It's where Gary Johnson turns in his hall pass.— Neal Rogers (@nealarogers) September 8, 2016
Total coincidence candidate who wants to obliterate public education also has never heard of Aleppo. #WhatIsAleppo
— Elizabeth (@muffinville) September 8, 2016
I'm still waiting for Rod Serling to do the reveal … https://t.co/5FawNqRzuX
— Charlie Adler (@charlie_adler) September 8, 2016
Re: Aleppo, some concepts that have stumped Trump
-Brexit
-Kurds/Quds
-Russia in Ukraine
-leader of ISIS
-nuclear triad— Michael Crowley (@michaelcrowley) September 8, 2016
And wouldn't this have been a more useful topic last night? https://t.co/GwgZjVcmvN
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 8, 2016
Maybe Gary thought he was on Jeopardy?
— sick transit, gloria (@samknight1) September 8, 2016
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