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 (@Bugs Mathis)1473336851.0
@GovGaryJohnson EPIC FAILURE! You lost my advocacy to hear anymore from you. You killed a movement... 😔 #Aleppo— Spencer Peavey (@Spencer Peavey)1473337469.0
Looks like a two-candidate debate for sure. #WhatisAleppo— Jules (@Jules)1473337707.0
"What would you do about Aleppo?" Gary Johson: "Well first I would Google it. Type the word in that rectangle." https://t.co/WiFXvBQWNy— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee)1473336345.0
#WhatIsAleppo now on @CNN. @CAmanpour reacts: "That is the kind of thing that gives the rest of the world great pause."— Brian Stelter (@Brian Stelter)1473337901.0
@jonfavs That look when @Morning_Joe is dying to legitimize Gary Johnson for conservatives & he asks #WhatIsAleppo https://t.co/NWeeJaJDmH— g-money (@g-money)1473337915.0
#WhatIsAleppo #GaryJohnson #JohnsonWeld2016 #Weld #Johnson What is Aleppo Gary Johnson? https://t.co/af9vcXfAdE— Lutheran Snark (@Lutheran Snark)1473337925.0
@brianstelter @Morning_Joe @SopanDeb @kkrawchenko If only Trump were held to the same standard #WhatIsBrexit #WhatIsAleppo— ⚡️Mister Resister⚡️ (@⚡️Mister Resister⚡️)1473337922.0
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 Abdelaziz)1473338689.0
Is the Bong Empty? Oh. #WhatisAleppo #ThursdayThoughts #ThursdayWisdom https://t.co/pWwurIc9KD— Brian Wallos (@Brian Wallos)1473338690.0
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 (@Brian Stelter)1473337443.0
Aleppo is not the kid's name, you ****ing halfwit. https://t.co/5aqniQJ3J9— Piers Morgan (@Piers Morgan)1473337621.0
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— |||| ||| |||| (@|||| ||| ||||)1473337344.0
Time 4 @GovGaryJohnson to drop out All he's doing is creating another Al Gore moment #WhatIsAleppo https://t.co/CMAl7DBQRG— Tracey (@Tracey)1473337709.0
It's a SOAP!!! #whatisaleppo https://t.co/wdwsNEe0Cq— Manini af (@Manini af)1473337973.0
@mckaycoppins Remember this: Charlie: Do you agree with the Bush Doctrine? Palin: In what way Charlie? @Morning_Joe #WhatIsAleppo— Archivist1000 (@Archivist1000)1473337960.0
I know what Aleppo is and I'm not on the ballot for POTUS in even one state. #whatisaleppo #GaryJohnson #Aleppo— Alan Medvin (@Alan Medvin)1473337927.0
I don't even understand what is happening in this election anymore! #WhatisAleppo— DrMaskandHome4Holidays (@DrMaskandHome4Holidays)1473337931.0
#WhatIsAleppo? It's where Gary Johnson turns in his hall pass.— Neal (@Neal)1473338684.0
Total coincidence candidate who wants to obliterate public education also has never heard of Aleppo. #WhatIsAleppo— Elizabeth 😷🇺🇸😷 (@Elizabeth 😷🇺🇸😷)1473338640.0
I'm still waiting for Rod Serling to do the reveal ... https://t.co/5FawNqRzuX— Charlie Adler (@Charlie Adler)1473339173.0
And wouldn't this have been a more useful topic last night? https://t.co/GwgZjVcmvN— Maggie Haberman (@Maggie Haberman)1473340223.0
